Formulating and Implementing Sports Marketing Strategy

Without a strategy, any business, much less one that operates in the sports sector, is unlikely to be sustainable in the long-term. It is akin to a ship without a rudder. In such a case, the ship will drift and lack direction. The same applies to a sports organisation without a plan or strategy. In this chapter we consider the benefits of strategic planning and the role that the marketing function plays in its formulation and implementation. We examine the components of strategy: ranging from objectives, PESTEL and SWOT analysis, through to its execution and the metrics which we can use to evaluate its success (or failure). We evaluate the key dimensions of the core sports marketing strategy. We argue that issues such as partnership management (working with key stakeholders such as the media, sponsors and corporate hospitality clients) are a crucial part of the process. We also highlight the importance of the concept of marketing operations management. This emphasises the integrated nature of delivering a fan experience that meets (and hopefully exceeds) fan expectations. For instance, logistics plays an important role here in areas such as facilities management.