👋 Hey, it’s Alex. Welcome back to Sponcon Sports, my weekly newsletter dedicated to sponsored content strategy in the sports industry!

Before we dive in I had to share this incredible job opportunity with the Indiana Pacers - they’re hiring a digital partnerships coordinator! While I’m not connected to this role I know from experience these positions are rare. I’m biased but digital partnerships is such an underrated place to be in the sports industry.

Plus, the Pacers put out plenty of quality sponsored content, and one of the few to do so on TikTok. This is a great entry-level opportunity.

In today’s edition:

• Courtside Seats of Sponcon 🪑

• WhatsApp Channels’ Value 📰

• First-Ever Snowboard Collab? 🏂

🏊 DEEP DIVE
It’s Time To Treat The Instagram Feed Like Courtside Seats

Sports teams should consider the Instagram feed as the courtside seats of their sponsored content offering. It's the prime location, highly sought after, and commands a premium.

This elevated value is justified by its exceptional engagement rates. It's common to see average engagements per post 10x to 20x higher than on Facebook and X, where most other sponsored content resides.

“Engagement is one of the most crucial reasons why sponsored content matters in sports partnerships. Unlike its counterparts in the arena or stadium, sponsored content is signage you can touch.

The more engagement on content, the more you know fans actually saw your brand, as opposed to an impression, which can be challenging to measure precisely through TV ratings or doesn't guarantee that 100% of a post is on the screen when it appears in fans' social media feeds.” - Sponcon Sports, 10/19/23

But don’t just take my word for it. New data backs it up.

According to a Sensor Tower Q3 2023 report, Instagram total hours engaged grew 29% YoY in Q3 of 2023, more than double that of competitors TikTok (+13% YoY) and Snapchat (+10% YoY) and sister app Facebook (+9% YoY).

Rival IQ reported earlier this year that sports teams’ Instagram engagement rate was 2.2x higher than the median at 1.49% - and that’s despite the fact sports teams post 2.4x more often than the median (15.6 posts per week vs 4.6 posts per week).

From that same report keep in mind, the median Instagram engagement rate across industries last year (0.47%) was about 30% lower than it was the year before, making sports teams’ Instagram feed content seemingly more valuable.

How Meta Values Instagram Feed Engagement

Beyond the data, Meta is actively promoting increased engagement for in-feed posts on Instagram through a series of recent updates and tests.

• You can now share your favorite comments from feed posts to Instagram Stories.

• The platform is experimenting with carousel collab posts.

• The ability to add polls in the comments of feed posts is being tested.

• GIFs are a new option for in-feed post comments.

Next Steps

The Instagram feed stands out as highly valuable sponsored content real estate, backed by performance, industry data, partner demand, and recent platform enhancements. Pricing should reflect this accordingly.

If your approach to pricing sponsored content on social media relies solely on CPM, consider incorporating engagement (CPE) into your valuation formula—it's a sign to adapt.

Sponsored content in the Instagram feed holds significant stakes. Collaboration with social teams is pivotal for crafting content that seamlessly integrates rather than interrupts followers' feeds. This approach is vital for fostering growth and nurturing this crucial audience.

🕙 TIMELY TIPS
I Changed My Mind About WhatsApp Channels

I wasn't a believer in WhatsApp Channels during their testing two months ago, given the lackluster performance of Instagram Broadcast Channels. The juice didn’t seem worth the squeeze.

You would need to put focus towards ANOTHER social channel for a user experience focused on one-way conversations.

However, after reading this story shared in last week's ICYMI by Lia Haberman, I changed my mind about WhatsApp Channels.

Here's where I was wrong:

Low Lift with WhatsApp Channels:

Encouraging users to enable notifications is crucial to prevent them from missing content. However, inundating them with daily notifications isn't ideal. Aim for 1-2 posts per day. Plus, community management is simpler due to the one-way conversation, eliminating concerns about negative sentiment in comments.

Content Creation Simplified:

Unlike Instagram Broadcast Channels, which emphasize behind-the-scenes content, WhatsApp Channels are a natural fit for sports teams already generating substantial editorial and news content. This is particularly relevant in the NFL, where extensive editorial content, often sponsored, is produced for websites and apps. Additionally, WhatsApp Channels work well for exclusive partner promo offers and sweepstakes opportunities, as long as it's done in moderation.

International Growth Alignment:

WhatsApp, with 2 billion active users, is the most widely used mobile messenger app globally. Markets heavily targeted by sports teams, such as Brazil, Mexico, and Germany, rank in the top 10 of the platform's user base. This is significant as US sports leagues increasingly take their games overseas.

Meeting User Sharing Habits:

WhatsApp Channels align with changing user behaviors in sharing news. With people sharing news stories more through text messages than on platforms like Facebook or Twitter, tapping into this audience behavior becomes crucial.

Before launching, be aware:

• WhatsApp provides limited metrics, offering only an estimated number of people who saw a post and total emoji reactions.

• Utilize UTM tracking links for a better understanding of the impact on posts meant to drive website/app traffic.

• You can only have one admin on the channel.

• Contact Meta to set up a WhatsApp Channel.

The Takeaway: In the fast-paced digital media landscape, having instant points of view on the newest industry tools is expected. While it's essential to provide clients with a strong initial POV, don't hesitate to revise opinions when presented with new information and data.

💼 CASE STUDY
Sponsored Content of the Week

"Storytelling" has become the latest buzzword in sponsored content requests from prospective partners. However, the challenge often lies in establishing exactly what story we’re telling during the negotiation process.

When executed effectively, storytelling can forge a strong connection between the team, brand, community, and fans.

One method to achieve this is through merch collaborations. That said, it's essential to go beyond merely slapping a team logo on a partner's product.

Take, for instance, what I believe might be sports' first-ever snowboard drop—the collaboration between the Boston Celtics and Burton.

This year, they designed a new snowboard using wood from the Celtics' 2008 championship parquet floor.

The storytelling in the hero video was crucial for fans to grasp that this wasn't a mere headline-grabbing stunt; it represented a deeper relationship between the two brands.

• Burton’s founder, the late Jake Burton Carpenter, was a fan of the Celtics himself. He was a New Englander who started the brand in 1977 in Vermont.

• The Carpenter family has had season tickets for 29 years, and when they aren’t using the seats they give them out to Burton employees.

• It’s called the Burton MINE77 x Celtics Floor Board, a nod to the team entering its 77th season and the Carpenter’s affinity for the No. 77.

Successful merch collabs require more than storytelling; they must also be relevant to the target audience. This collab accomplished that with:

• The Cool Factor - The snowboard is rideable sports history!

• Scarcity - Imagine hitting the slopes with one of 77 boards made from the Celtics 2008 championship parquet floor.

• Timeliness - The boards went on sale Tuesday, just ahead of ski and snowboard season in the Northeast.

The groundwork was laid with a great product and an engaging story. The final key to success was balanced partner promotion.

Activation Assets:

• Produced a quality hero video shared on both brands’ Instagram feeds via the collab tool.

• The Celtics wrote a web story sharing the news and history behind the Burton MINE77 x Celtics Floor Board.

• 2020 X Games gold medalist Zeb Powell was invited to Monday’s game where Jaylen Brown presented Powell with a Celtics jersey - reinforcing the connection.

• Burton posted a shortform announcement video linking to their website for purchase and shared high-resolution images of the snowboard to inform fans about the live drop.

• An excellent landing page on the Burton website put on bow on the user experience by sharing the story, connection to the Celtics, and purchase information.

The Results

This merch collab clearly resonated with the Celtics and Burton audience.

The 77 limited-edition boards went on sale for $1,300.77 and sold out the same day.

The hero video generated 670K views, 47.7K engagements, and a 7.1% engagement rate.

🔍 SPONCONSPIRATION
Steal These Ideas

Love how the Denver Nuggets integrated Ball Corporation product in their Aluminum Cup Questions content series.

Wrexham AFC owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney continue to show how sponsored content can be entertaining and drive value for partners in their latest video with Vistaprint.

The Philadelphia Eagles keep finding ways to breathe new life into their Sideline Surprise series, featuring Marie and Terrence, utilizing Microsoft Teams for a special conversation with Ron Jaworski.

The Detroit Red Wings and Meijer are handing out Gravy Boats Zambonis to the first 7500 fans who attend their Thanksgiving Eve game.

To celebrate Veteran’s Day and the NFL’s Salute to Service initiative, the Seattle Seahawks and USAA shared a special moment between running back Deejay Dallas and his brother Amauri who is training to become a soldier the Army.

🚨 ICYMI
What To Watch For

New, Exclusive Content Opp: Users can now share Instagram feed posts and Reels with a selected group of people that they’ve added to their “Close Friends” list.

Must Listen: Drew Rauso, EXOS, Kevin Cassidy, LSU Athletics and Jordan Green, NFL, joined the Life in the Front Office Podcast to discuss their experience in digital content and engagement, including a conversation about sponsored content and how to break into the sports industry.

Stat of the Week: Did you know while MLB fans rank second at 171.1 million behind the NFL’s 188.4 million fans, MLB rakes in the most fans between the ages of zero and 17, more than any other league.

Watch This Webinar: Front Office Sports and SponsorUnited put on a Sponsorship virtual summit, discussing the role sponsors play across the entire business of sports, how sports organizations find the right partners, what makes brands want to collaborate with athletes and more.

Bagels and Fox: New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox is partnering with Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee Company to host an interview-series called "Bagels and Fox”, and also gets a Brooklyn Bagel named after him.