Sports Marketing: Creating Content for Sports

Sports marketing has evolved hugely in the last ten years. For digital creatives working in the sports industry, changing viewing habits as younger fans edge away from live broadcasts means new challenges, but also a host of new opportunities.

Across the major leagues, sports teams in North America are embracing these changes to create engaging sports video content.

Jeff Lewis, Senior Video Editor/Animator at LA Kings (NHL) and Ontario Reign (AHL), explains it wasn’t that long ago that the industry was solely focused on the in-arena experience—largely on center-hung video screens and LED fascia around the arena.

Now, video content is also published across YouTube, social media and other platforms for advertising and promotion. The benefits of this?

As with all industries, sports content marketing relies on authentic storytelling, consistent messaging, and building fan communities. And in an inherently fast-paced and visual space, video is a mainstay of the industry. So how do they do it?

The obvious spring to mind—for most, lots of work using Adobe’s design suite, including After Effects and Illustrator, as well as 3D graphics software.

For Jeff Lewis, working across multiple sports brands means a chance to experiment.

He recently used the Freeze Frame Trailer by Envato author videolancer for the “Kickstart My Heart” introduction for the LA Kings, and for the Berlin Playoffs in 2018 he used the Geometric Shapes Opener by EnesM.

Rogerio Barbosa, Video Producer at Montreal Impact (MLS), echoes the value of starting with templates, as well as looking to Envato’s available tools for sound.

To this list Chris Mead, Game Production Manager at Phoenix Suns in the NBA, adds that good file management is the most crucial thing to get right. “We deal with a lot of footage and a lot of project files, and sometimes they need to be shared between multiple editors or designers,” he explains.

“Having the storage space and staying organized is vitally important, and will only keep getting more difficult as video resolutions increase and file sizes keep getting bigger,” he adds.

For many sports marketers, inspiration comes from an array of places. As Chris Mead says, it can come from anywhere: “from graphics I see online to billboards I see on the freeway.” A taste of his playful work in NBA video can be seen in his “Basketball Shuffle”.

“The inspiration for most of my projects actually comes from ads or TV and movies,” says DaQuan Sims, Motion Graphic Designer at Memphis Grizzlies (NBA). He also finds communities a helpful resource to turn to.

His Motion Reel makes use of a video template by an Envato author.

Dennis Docil, Director of Video Production for Florida Panthers (NHL), most often looks to the industry itself.

“We scour the internet and social media for current topics or trending videos that we can draw inspiration from,” he says. “We also study what other professional sports teams are doing and use best practices.”

Brace Hemmelgarn, coordinator of publications and photography for Minnesota Twins (MLB), spends a lot of time looking for inspiration on social media—and specifically finds plenty on Instagram and Twitter. While he has a few favorites from the world of baseball (Matt Dirksen (Colorado Rockies), Billie Weiss (Boston Red Sox) and Alex Bierens de Haan (Houston Astros)), he also looks to portrait work from the likes of Sean Berry, a sports photographer from Dallas.

Achieving a consistent message without being repetitive takes skilled planning. Marketing to sports fans, in particular, often means balancing this with appealing to a varied fan base.

Dennis Docil cites this as a particular challenge for the Florida Panthers. “Our fan base is wide and spans many generations and one idea that sounds great may not resonate with the whole fan base,” he says.

For the Minnesota Twins, Brace Hemmelgarn takes a tangible approach and encourages getting back to basics if you’re stuck for creative inspiration.

“It can be repetitive and that’s where the creative challenge comes into play,” he says. And in these cases, it can help to pose a question:

Ways to get into the industry are many and varied, but for those with a passion for sports and entertainment marketing, transferable skills can come from backgrounds in graphic design, photography, or broadcast.

“I was a sports broadcaster for our high school news program and went to a community college because I would be able to edit on AVID in the first semester,” says Jeff Lewis.

Rogerio Barbosa combined his background in film studies and sports journalism, and applied it to creating sports video content. “After my studies in film production, I was a press photographer for 10 years, covering all news and sports in Montreal,” he says. “After being the team photographer for 3 years I’ve decided to go back to the video world and accepted a full time job at the Montreal Impact.”

The fast-paced nature of fan reactions is cited by many as one of the best things about their work. “It’s great to know immediately if the crowd liked a video or not,” says Jeff Lewis. “There is immediate feedback from the crowd if they laugh, cheer, or connect with a video.”

“In-game entertainment especially is a very unique medium for someone in video/graphic production,” agrees Chris Mead.

For Rogerio Barbosa, it’s also about working in a stimulating and collaborative environment. “I love being on the inside,” he says, “Getting to know the players and the staff, developing friendships with amazing people and being able to be creative and get appreciation from the staff, players and fans.”

Working in live sports, a strong passion for the content and awareness of the time commitment are essential—Brace Hemmelgarn says he’s usually in the office by 10 am for a 7 pm game.

“You need to be passionate about the work you do and be willing to work just as hard on less glamorous projects that may not be seen by thousands of fans,” adds Chris Mead.

Keeping creative communities and the tools available in mind can also set you on the right path early.

“[When I started] I wish I knew more about the various resources out there,” says DaQuan Sims. “I could have started my studies and sharpening my skills way sooner than I did.”

And lastly, as Dennis Docil says—always wear comfortable shoes on game day.

Feeling inspired? Check out Envato’s top Sports Broadcast Packages and get started:

And if you’re ready to start thinking about launching a brand, be sure to check out our sport team logo templates and WordPress themes articles.