How To Say No Without Burning Bridges

👋 Welcome back to Sponcon Sports, a weekly newsletter dedicated to sponsored content strategy in the sports industry!

The WhatsApp x Mercedes F1 partnership is easily one of my top picks for partnerships of the year. Here’s what they’ve accomplished so far in 2024:

• February: "Built Privately" livery tease and reveal (Sponsored Content of the Week)

• February: WhatsApp radio button added to drivers' steering wheels

• May: NYC Event celebrates the Mercedes emoji on WhatsApp (Sponsored Content of the Week)

• August: Lewis Hamilton & Toto Wolff play I’d Reply With, WhatsApp’s recurring series

• August: WhatsApp car from NYC event returns for Zandvoort track preview

• October: 2025 driver Kimi Antonelli joins the group chat

• October: WhatsApp car rolls through the Austin and Mexico GPs

This week, the partnership hit the driver level with a new short film, Push, Push, celebrating Lewis Hamilton’s legendary career. Hamilton sat down with teens to share the lessons he’s learned on his path to becoming a 7-time world champion, highlighting the importance of communication and connection in achieving success.

WhatsApp has activated this partnership both online and in-person—at the team and driver levels—across Mercedes and their owned channels. Every activation ties back to the same core: seamlessly weaving product features into key Mercedes moments to enhance fan engagement.

In Today’s Edition:

• The Right Way to Say No ❌

• Bengals Turn Questions Into Currency 🪙

• Barca’s Coldplay Collab Kicks Off 🌒 

🏊️ DEEP DIVE
How to Say “No” Without Burning Bridges in Sports Partnerships

Burnout is a major issue in the sports industry, and one way to protect yourself is by setting boundaries by saying “no”.

While this practice is important, the way you say no can actually do more harm than good.

• Post this graphic with a QR code on social? No.

• Add this link in an Instagram post? No.

• Use partner-provided copy/creative without internal review? No.

• Drop everything to film and edit a community event and recap video? No.

Digital content teams field requests like these all the time. And while rejecting them is necessary, just saying “no” can create the wrong boundaries.

Why Saying “No” the Wrong Way Hurts

It may feel like you're defending your team’s time and KPIs, but a blunt "no" can alienate others. Many frustrations in partnerships stem from content teams being excluded from early discussions and planning. Saying “No.” is the best way to ensure that keeps happening.

Alex, you’re saying we always have to say “yes” to requests, no matter how silly they are? No, but, your “no” should always come with three key elements:

Rationale

Explain why you're saying no—and use data when possible to back it up. The goal is to sound thoughtful and objective. Remember, not everyone understands social platforms the way you do.

Be patient: Some people may not know the difference between an Instagram Reel and a Story. Avoid technical jargon, and explain things simply without condescension. Jump down their throat for asking a “stupid” question and they’ll be too scared to come to you at all, creating even worse communication.

Also, keep in mind that many requests come from well-meaning colleagues who are just relaying client requests. They're counting on you to provide an informed response, even if they know the ask is impossible. Be aware that your response will likely be sent to the client verbatim because you’re providing the expertise.

Solutions

Always suggest alternatives. A clear solution shows you're not dismissing the request—you’re helping redirect it. If an immediate solution doesn’t come to mind, ask clarifying questions to uncover where you should focus your ideas:

• What’s the goal?

• How will success be measured?

• Who’s the target audience?

• What’s the budget (if any) for freelancers or additional resources?

• What’s the deadline?

Another great thing you can do is offering your time to walk your team and or the partner through these solutions. This ensures your vision is brought to life exactly as planned rather than trying to convey every detail through a game of telephone.

Timing

Timing is a key piece of the puzzle throughout this process.

If you get a request via email, acknowledge requests quickly, even if you can’t provide an immediate answer. This prevents anyone from wondering if you saw their message. Also, let them know when you can get to it.

When offering the solutions, outline next steps, timelines, and deadlines.

Team Mindset

The most important thing to remember in what can be very frustrating moments is that you’re on the same team.

You would think working in sports would make us more aware of this concept, but it’s easy to get lost in this fast-paced environment.

If alignment is still a challenge after you’ve offered solutions, suggest a quick face-to-face meeting (or a video call if necessary).

As a former manager of mine said: Don’t be a “keyboard warrior.” The tone of emails and Slack messages can be easily misinterpreted. Trevor Noah put it perfectly on the WorkLife with Adam Grant podcast:

“We read texts based on how we feel when we receive them—and how we feel when we send them."

So, before firing off a reply, take a breath. Clear communication prevents misunderstandings.

And if you meet in person? Document everything with a follow-up email. This covers you and makes future conversations more efficient.

Example: Saying “No” with Solutions

Let’s revisit the earlier example: A partner requests that you post a graphic with a QR code on Facebook and X.

Here’s how to respond:

1. Explain why QR codes don’t work well on social media—users can’t scan them while scrolling on their phones.

2. Preemptively address potential follow-ups (e.g., “What about desktop users?”) by sharing data that shows most engagement comes from mobile.

3. Offer alternatives like email, paid media, SMS, or WhatsApp—platforms better suited for driving website traffic. Include relevant metrics, like average click-through rates, to support your suggestion.

4. Outline timing for when these alternatives could launch and any necessary next steps.

When done right, your “no” helps teams understand the limitations of certain requests while offering solutions that meet everyone’s goals. It’s about creating alignment—and avoiding burnout—while keeping the conversation productive.

The Impact

Saying "no" is essential when working across departments—but how you say it matters just as much.

It’s a valuable skill at any career stage. Showing you're collaborative, not combative, helps build trust and encourages early inclusion into partnership discussions.

🔍 SPONCONSPIRATION
Steal These Ideas

Looking to pair a financial brand with your Question of the Day series? Take a page from the Cincinnati Bengals with "2 Cents" presented by Fifth Third Bank.

The All Blacks’ "SAP Play By Numbers" is another great example of engaging data visualization.

FC Barcelona and Spotify teamed up with Coldplay for a kit collaboration celebrating the band’s new album MOON MUSIC. The men’s and women’s teams will wear jerseys featuring the band’s logo. I really enjoyed this piece where players were challenged to write their names using Coldplay moons.

You know I’d love to see a phone brand sponsor the Detroit Lions’ postgame player reactions series. And now I’m adding this concept from BYU Football to the list—after Darius Lassiter’s game-winning touchdown, the team filmed his reaction on a laptop. It’s a perfect fit for a video-editing software brand like Adobe.

How do you make a Stunt Dog Show relevant to San Francisco 49ers fans? Compare players’ vertical jumps to those of all-star stunt dogs! Speaking of the Niners, I love the brand pairing on their "49ers In Focus" photo series presented by Sharp.

If you’re managing a multi-sport account like the Olympics, take a note from Red Bull and file this awesome concept away!

🚨 ICYMI
What To Watch For

All Aboard The Carousel Train: Instagram announced that carousels and photos with music are now eligible for the Reels tab. Plus, Instagram confirmed that carousels outperform single-photo posts by offering multiple slides for engagement. Lindsey Gamble breaks down the impact and how to decide between carousels, photos, and Reels.

Winning Gen Z: Makena Gera dives into how Boston sports teams are using social media to capture Gen Z’s attention [via Boston Magazine].

Keeping Partners Engaged: Ricardo Fort shares five ways rightsholders can go beyond contract delivery to keep partners engaged.

Pixel FC Academy: Google Pixel and The Powerhouse Project launched Pixel FC Academy to increase the number of women in sports media. Participants will gain hands-on experience and expert training, working with top pros from partners like Arsenal FC, Liverpool FC, The FA, YouTube, and ITV Sport.

Messi Cam: Caitlin Clark Cam 🔜 Lionel Messi Cam. Watch Messi’s every move in a special TikTok livestream October 25 at 8:45 pm ET on @MLS when Inter Miami CF faces off against Atlanta United FC.

Winning Smiles: Daniel Robertson highlights how the Atlanta Falcons are cleverly integrating Invisalign into their "Win Cam" content series.

What Brands Hate: Georgina Macphail recaps the "What brands HATE about sports marketing" session from Leaders in Sport, sharing four must-read takeaways on partnership activation.

Stat of the Week: NBA jersey patch sponsor recall is much higher among social media followers (43%) than TV viewers (29%). Elevent’s 2024 Sports Sponsorship Performance Survey reveals key insights into NBA patch sponsorships [h/t Francis Dumais].