Branding in sports

The players of the sports market (associations, clubs, sponsors, the media, and the athlete himself) all carry out more and more extensive marketing activities, and what they have in common is that the recipient of the communication is in almost all cases the fan. They buy the magazines, they follow the athletes, they are paid for by the sponsors, and merchandising activities are also mainly directed towards them. In many cases, the consumer behavior of the fan differs from the characteristic defined on the corporate side: he is much more passionate about their favorite team, sport, star than in the case of a typical FMCG or any other brand. And what’s more, their consumer loyalty is also at a much higher level, the love coming from the fan is unconditional, and they are committed to their favorite club for a lifetime. On the consumer side of the sport, therefore, economically irrational acts are very common, and in terms of the family budget, fans may spend much more than what is allowed on their beloved club or a product with the image and name of their favorite. This is why the manager of a given sports brand has a key responsibility. Whether it is a club, association or fan, communication activities affect the recipient much more intensively, and the media environment surrounding the sport also requires daily attention. Therefore, in order to maintain and develop a positive image, it is essential to build a unified, coherent brand, coordinate the tools, organize them into a hierarchy, so that the love of the fans and stakeholders remains, and they receive the service they deserve to the maximum.