How sports organizations can entwine storytelling and technology to grow their brand

During The Power of Digital Storytelling webinar hosted by Hashtag Sports and Sportsdigita, Mark Davies, Head of Business Development for the Leicester Tigers, spoke about the strategies that help to grow the Premiership Rugby League’s brand. 

In the action-packed world of sports, each and every team around the globe must work to capture the energy, sights, excitement, and triumphs of their brand to stand out from the competition. And there is no better way for teams and properties to demonstrate your brand’s story than with an omnichannel approach that focuses on consistency, clarity, and candor. 

This webinar touched upon the power of consistency in storytelling when bringing your brand to life and how to leverage your brand's storytelling power to drive revenue.

Mark discusses three effective key strategies to help create and convert fans:

Modernizing your approach while maintaining tradition 

The Tigers are a 141-year-old brand founded in 1881, but that history hasn't stopped the club from using best-in-class technology and engagement platforms, including Digideck. The club has reaped the benefits of modernizing, with 30% more season ticket holders than their nearest rival.

Ask the 'why' behind certain processes and find young + emerging talent who isn't afraid to bring new ideas. Challenge your people to justify strategies beyond "it's the way we've always done it" and recognize where there is room for change. Doing this allows you to modernize your approach yet keep the tradition of the brand.  

Build for a global brand

Amplify your brand on a global level. Go into spaces where you may not be linked to your core audience to find new fans. To do this requires finding partners who are aligned with your brand and can help you amplify your message. For example, the Tigers partnered with UK clothing retailer NEXT to learn how to push their brand and opportunities to a younger audience with an interest in fashion and lifestyle.

Set benchmarks for what becoming a global brand mean to you to help your team recognize when you have reached your desired market position. It's ok to aim as high as possible.

Diversify your engagement beyond of match day 

Keep fans engaged and entertained Monday through Friday—not just on game days—by evolving content and diversifying your engagement strategies. Early on during COVID-19 and as the Tigers sought to show goodwill to sponsors for missed engagement opportunities during fan-less or canceled games, the club outsourced their marketing department to serve as a sort of pop-up media agency to support their content and engagement needs.

Consider how emerging innovations like fan tokens and NFTs can open your brand up to new audiences and new sponsorships. But make sure you're clear on your goals and what it means to your core fans.

Get more of Mark's thoughts on the power of digital to drive storytelling and revenue by watching the full webinar at the link below.

Learn more about how to effectively engage the modern fan & consumer at Hashtag Sports 2022, an annual conference designed for sports and entertainment professionals.