16 Feb The insiders guide to Fan Engagement at the Big Bash
There was one hot topic this Summer, the Big Bash tournament! 8 teams from 6 states, 35 matches, 2 hotly anticipated derbies, all to determine one winner, Sydney Thunder this year, in case you hadn’t heard!
Even Michael Clarke wants in on what is becoming a key sporting event each Summer. Big Bash is now placed eighth in the list of most attended sports leagues in the world with respect to average crowd per match. Every team has significantly increased their audience attendance over the last 5 years.
This year the Big Bash turned up the heat, introducing the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). Aimed to increase the promotion and exposure of women’s cricket, WBBL is on a mission to make cricket the number one sport for girls and women in Australia.
So you may have heard all about the top batters, bowlers and who were the all rounders, but what can brands and sponsors learn from the Big Bash? How can brands capitalise on the Big Bash and speak directly to its fans?
Watch the video here https://vimeo.com/155454175
1. Know Your Audience
The audience is wide reaching. Unlike one day cricket, the big bash is short, an early evening activity, attracting families – Grandparents, parents, friends and mates of all ages, children.
With the introduction of the Women’s Big Bash League this year, along came a broader audience, an opportunity to gain greater exposure for your brand and its association with a growing sport that has a big ambition.
This broad audience are seeking an experience, this experience begins in the run up to the season, most certainly in the run up to the game, pre game, during the game and the post game analysis. Brands and sponsors can capitalise at all of these different times with different touch points, perhaps the richest being the pre game opportunity.
2. Capitalise on Pre Game
Big Bash goers are keen to make an evening of it. Heading down after work in the late afternoon sun, fans soak up the pre game atmosphere. This is the perfect time for brands and sponsors to engage their target consumer. On average a fan will spend 30 minutes in the pre game fan zone.
With many families attending, this is the opportunity for brands to engage with and recruit the next generation of fans…
3. Team Work
Like other popular sporting codes, fans are passionate about their teams and players. This is their ‘Summer team’ versus their NRL or AFL team over the winter. Brands can build fan bases appealing to fans passion for their Big Bash teams and players.
4. Long Term Relationship Building
Brands and sponsors are looking to build a long term relationship with consumers. Given the rapid rise of the Big Bash brand partners have the opportunity to forge strong relationships with Fan as their passion for the Big Bash grows. Reward fans with incentives and mementos from the Big Bash experience – Social gratification is just as rewarding. Help fans generate content they can share with friends on-line.
Find out more about interactive marketing activations.
Jamie Gilroy, m. 0400 862 506, e. jamie@blinkrepublic.com or check out http://www.blinkrepublic.com.au
