The Business of Sport - July 2019

PUBLISHED BY RIPE FROM THE EDITOR
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A Tiso Blackstar Group business for CONTENTS
Picasso Headline change
2 E-SPORTS
13th floor, 2 Long Street, Cape Town, 8001 T here is something of a revolution
Tel +27 21 469 2400, Fax +27 86 682 2926 happening in sport. There is the A multi-million rand
quiet phenomenon of e-sports, sport. Thabo Moloi and Shiaan
EDITORIAL which has become a global monster Rugbeer represent SA at the
Editor: Kevin McCallum with very little coverage in the Fifa World Cup.
Content Manager: Raina Julies mainstream. It is, as many have
Copy Editor: Brenda Bryden echoed, “either the best kept secret or the most 5 THE YEAR OF THE
Contributor: John Goliath poorly marketed piece of common knowledge WORLD CUPS
for brands”.
DESIGN 2019 is the year of the World Cup,
Head of Design Studio: Jayne Macé-Ferguson In this issue of Business of Sport, we ask why with cricket, women’s football,
this is so, and mark the growth of e-sports and netball and rugby all having their
Senior Designer: Lesley van Schalkwyk its massive potential, with some big brands showpiece events.
Advert Designer: Bulelwa Sotashe still wary and unsure of how to enter the space
to leverage their brands. 6 SPONSORSHIP
Cover Image: Nigel French/PA Images
via Getty Images Sports writer John Goliath spoke to former The strategy sponsors must
Springbok Wayne Julies at his old high school undertake to set themselves
SALES in Paarl about the difficulties of life after the apart among a plethora of
Project Manager: Arnold Cruywagen end of a professional sporting career. sports sponsors.
[email protected]; Tel +27 21 469 2508
Sales: Alec Rompelman, Bruce Farrelly, The Americans are showing the way to use 9 WOMEN IN SPORT
Gavin Payne, Cesar Arab, David Johnson, data to analyse just what sports audiences
need to make their experiences memorable The debate surrounding equal pay
Bright Dunbar, Jeanette Nicholson and repeatable. Data from tickets, purchases in and prize money in sport.
pro shops and interactions on social media are
PRODUCTION pored over to pull them back to stadiums and 10 PLAYER RETIREMENT
Production Editor: Shamiela Brenner in front of television sets. Nielsen undertook
Advertising Co-ordinator: Lwando Njamela similar research and we share some of the We talk to Wayne Julies about the
results on page 12. lessons he has learned around
Distribution: Shumiera Fredericks, making more informed decisions
[email protected] There is also a revolution in women’s sport about retirement.
as it finally receives the recognition, the air
Printing: CTP Printers, Cape Town time and the financial backing it rightly 12 THE FANS
deserves. The women’s World Cup has had
MANAGEMENT record figures, with the England and French Understanding the sports
Senior Bookkeeper: Deidre Musha team attracting television audiences in the fan better.
Business Manager: Lodewyk van der Walt, millions. It is not before time that one of the
most glaring inequalities in sport is rectified.
[email protected]
General Manager, Magazines: Jocelyne Bayer Kevin McCallum

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BUSINESS OF SPORT is published by Picasso Headline. The opinions

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therefore do not carry any endorsement by the publisher.

BUSINESS OF SPORT 1

E-SPORTS

A multi-million BIG BUSINESS
rand sport
Bafana hadn’t qualified for the World “Do a quick search, watch a few documentaries,
In 2018, South Africa did Cup in 2018, but 16-year-old Thabo and you’ll realize that the e-sports industry
send young men to play Moloi and 19-year-old Shiaan Rugbeer, is primed for investment regardless of the
football at the Fifa World the champions of the VS Gaming Fifa connection (or lack thereof) to a brand.”
Cup, except they weren’t part qualifier held at the Monte Casino
of Bafana Bafana, writes complex in Fourways, Johannesburg, Massive audiences, hyper-passionate fans and
did (pictured above). They represented South influencers capable of launching titles to new
Africa against the rest of the world that year, levels of popularity make it the perfect place to
KEVIN MCCALLUM and went to the tournament with some serious find and cultivate new advocates. But for some
reason, most non-endemic brands still struggle to
spending money, having won R400 000 from a find meaningful entry points into the category.

total prize purse of R1.5-million. “Whether it’s a lack of relevance or simply an
unfamiliarity with the space, investing in e-sports
The tournament was the first global serious can seem daunting to marketers.

qualifier put on by VS Gaming, the esport “Luckily, as more brands move into the category,
universal truths start to emerge that can help
subsidiary of Telkom, which is also the headline newcomers better navigate and evaluate the
landscape,” Adweek reported.
sponsors of the Telkom Knockout, a Premier
Nielsen Sports, which analyses data and
Soccer League competition that is played on the provide insights on the sports industry, produced
an E-sports Playbook to help brands understand
E-SPORTS EXPLAINED field. Wanda Mkhize, who is the executive for the ecosystem of e-sports. As well as the endemic
Content and VS Gaming at Telkom, said shortly such as “computers, processors and peripherals”
being strong in the market, there has been a 13
after last year’s tournament that South Africa had per cent growth in the share of sponsorship by
nonendemic categories, such as “snack foods, men’s
○ What is e-sports? It is, in essence, in excess of one million FIFA players, the most in grooming, cars and insurance”.
competitive video gaming in which Africa, a staggering number.
The e-sports community is engaged and
multiple players play against each other. E-sports attracts loads of money and millions of passionate, like rugby, football or any other
They usually do so in teams. The matches, players all over the world, so why does it feel like it sports fans, but they are also interactive, talking
or games, are streamed live to millions has not yet been taken seriously by all to each other about strategy and learning. Their
of fans. big corporations? Perhaps because for some it stadiums are their couches, but they also attend
still sounds like a bunch of kids hiding in dark tournaments held in arenas.
○ The most popular e-sports are League rooms playing video games? Perhaps corporations
of Legends, Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: SuperSport realised the importance of e-sports
Global Offensive. and the crossover potential a few years ago and
since May 2017 has had a dedicated channel for
○ Newzoo, a gaming industry analytics and investors are unsure as to how to enter and e-sports, having signed a deal with GINX E-sports
firm, has predicted that global e-sports leverage the sport. Audiences have gone through TV. “The deal with GINX is a massive leap forward
and signals our intention to embrace the newest
revenues will be R16-billion in 2019, which the roof, two South African teenagers earned sport out there. There is a real buzz around IMAGES: CODY PIKE KING
is 27 per cent more than in 2018. This R400 000 for playing “video games”. Last year, e-sports and we want to be part of that,” said
represents a tripling of revenue since South African e-sports players earned a combined SuperSport CEO Gideon Khobane.
2015. This does not include prize money or R2.8-million.
capital investment. Formula One has embraced e-sports
Adweek, the prestigious American advertising, enthusiastically, Murray Barnett, head of Global
○ The audience in 2019 will grow to 454 media and technology magazine, described it Sponsorship & Commercial Partnerships of
million, an increase of 15 per cent.  Formula One notes that the “response has been
astonishing ...
○ Newzoo predicts revenues will grow to best when it wrote: “E-sports is either the best
R27-billion. kept secret or the most poorly marketed piece of E-sports is an integral component of our
future as we continue to develop F1 into an
common knowledge for brands. entertainment platform that can reach wider and
more diverse audiences”.

In January, the Cape Town 10s, a rugby
tournament held in Green Point, announced a
partnership with Mettlestate, an e-sports sports
tournament organiser and production house.
E-sports were played on the fields of Green Point
as rugby players did their thing. No one wants to
miss out.

2 BUSINESS OF SPORT





WORLD CUP EVENTS

Far left: SPAR Proteas
netball team.
Left: Dr Ali Bacher.

wtheoyreladr ocfutphse South Africa for the further upliftment of cricket
is year, 2019, is the year of the World Cup, with cricket, throughout South Africa. After the World Cup was
women’s football, netball and rugby all having their done, I can honestly say we achieved everything
showpiece events. JOHN GOLIATH reports we wanted to do.”

IMAGES: SUPPLIED, MICHAEL BRADLEY E ngland is hosting the Cricket World “This World Cup has been very Bacher says it was important for him that
Cup for the first time in 10 years. The well managed and organised. South Africans from all walks of life felt part of
start of the tournament has been the World Cup. That it was theirs. They also had
marred by rain-affected matches, with Another tribute to to make sure that the cricket stadiums around
many “no-results” frustrating fans South African talent.” the country were in top condition to hosts the
and players alike. However, this hasn’t world’s best cricket players. “We wanted all
really dampened the spirits of the organisers, – Dr Ali Bacher South Africans to embrace the World Cup. So
who are set for a massive payday. I appointed the outstanding Nomsa Chabeli as our
The host cricket union, the England Cricket marketing director, who also organised a World
  Board (ECB), plays a big role in assisting Elworthy Cup event in Mamelodi one Saturday night,”
and his team with the organising, as it supplies Bacher says.
TELEVISED INCOME offices, resources and staff. The ECB will get its
cut of the pie as hosts of the event. It could make Bacher is currently in England for the World
Money generated from television rights makes up to R1-billion, which will include its cut of the Cup and praised the work that Elworthy has
up the bulk of the International Cricket Council’s ticket sales. done, although he hasn’t quite managed to
(ICC) income when hosting big tournaments such find a solution for the early summer showers
as the men’s World Cup, with R7.2-billion expected South Africa last hosted the World Cup in 2003, that have battered the United Kingdom. “This
in broadcast revenue alone. and, although the Proteas bowed out early from World Cup has been very well managed and
the tournament, it was hailed as a great success. organised. Another tribute to South African
The ICC was already guaranteed a boatload talent,” Bacher notes. “The television coverage
of cash before the tournament even started, as Dr Ali Bacher, former South African test is the best I have seen for a World Cup. So often
India’s Star Sports holds the global media rights as captain and administrator, was the executive they show you great moments of previous
part of an ongoing eight-year deal, which is worth director of the 2003 World Cup organising World Cups, which is terrific.”
US$2.5-billion. Star Sports then sublicenses the committee. He says that it takes more than just a
rights to 25 different media companies across the couple of people sitting around a table, chucking The Spar South Africa
world, including SuperSport in South Africa, who around ideas, to organise a world event of this NETBALL team
in turn gives the public broadcaster, the SABC, a magnitude. “I remember the month before the
few crumbs to feed on. opening match in Cape Town. My workload ○ The Spar South Africa team will take part
started at 5am every morning, because I kept on in the 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup
HOSTING RIGHTS saying to myself I don’t want to have any regrets in Liverpool, England, from July 12-21,
at the end of the tournament,” says Bacher. qualifying automatically as the fifth-best
The ICC, with former Proteas fast bowler Steve team in the world.
Elworthy at the helm as the tournament’s managing “We made a profit of R400-million, which
director, is solely responsible for the sponsorship was then distributed to the affiliates and Cricket ○ Earlier this year they won the right to host
and marketing strategy, and boast 21 commercial the 2023 World Cup, the 16th nation to
partners, including new companion Uber. hold the event since the first World Cup
in 1963.

○ The Netball World Cup is regarded as
the biggest women’s sporting event in
the world.

○ It will be held in Cape Town with an
expected R2.5-billion to be injected into
the Western Cape economy.

○ Projected income is R77-million, with
R47-million from national government,
R15-million in sponsorship and ticket
sales contributing R12-million.

BUSINESS OF SPORT 5

OPINION: SPONSORSHIP

KEVIN MCCALLUM shares his views on the
strategy sponsors must undertake to set themselves
apart among a plethora of sports sponsors

sponsors
I n May, the local organisers of the
2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan gave CORRUPTION MAKING GoDaddy, Hublot watches, Swiss bank IMAGES: SUPPLIED
restaurants and bars a gentle and yet WAY FOR NEW PLAYERS UBP and Veuve Cliquot. Uber has been clever
firm warning: Do not run out of beer. with its Uber Delivery promotion on the
With more than 400 000 thirsty rugby ○ S ometimes there is only so much sponsors television graphics.
fans expected in the country between will take. After a slew of Fifa officials were
September 20 and November 2, the organisers charged with corruption by law authorities, BRAND AMBASSADORS
were worried that local businesses would the organisation that leads world football
underestimate the amount of beer they would found itself with an image problem. Emirates has made Bryan Habana a professional
need, and could thus miss out on “lucrative plane passenger for the Rugby World Cup. The
business opportunities”. ○ F ifa had five major companies sponsoring star of the 2007 tournament in France has
the World Cup in Russia in 2018. In travelled around the world with the Webb
Breweries in Japan have vowed to do their Brazil, it had 10. Continental, Johnson & Ellis Cup, promoting the tournament. Being a
bit, led by official Rugby World Cup sponsor, Johnson and Castrol did not renew their sponsor’s ambassador is gruelling work. By May,
Heineken. In June, Heineken Kirin KK, the sponsorship. There was also talk that Visa he had made 44 flights, 28 of those international.
company that handles the Dutch beer brand in were considering pulling out. Emirates, the world’s biggest airline, also sponsors
Japan, said it was predicting a 70 per cent increase the Cricket World Cup, seeing those tournaments
in beer sales in September and November. ○ W estern sponsors backing out opened as value for money, certainly cheaper than the
The Kirin Brewery Co has planned to increase the door for the East, with Chinese firms Fifa World Cup, which last year saw a drop in
Heineken production in September by 80 per cent. stepping into their boots. Dairy company revenue as sponsors opted out after a series of
“We’ll try not to run out of stock no matter what,” Mengniu, cellphone manufacturer corruption scandals.
the company said. Vivo, scooter manufacturer Yadea, and
the Wanda conglomerate made their Rugby is seen as a cleaner sport in that sense,
EXCLUSIVITY DEALS marks, showing a shift in the power of World Rugby having kept its nose clean with
sponsorship for the football World Cup. its administrators mostly keeping their noses
As a sponsor of a World Cup in a year of World out of the trough. In the end, sponsors want
Cups, there can be fewer more satisfying results all the marketing noise of the other sponsors to see a return on investment, whether that
than seeing your investment in sport returned in takes careful planning and research. And a bit be in exposure to new audiences, an increase
increased sales. Of the three biggest single-sport of luck. The International Cricket Council signed in favourable marketing sentiment or, most
World Cups, the Rugby comes in considerably up 20 commercial partners for the Cricket World importantly, not running out of beer.
cheaper than football and is about even with Cup, six of them are from India: MRF Tyres,
cricket. World Rugby says its World Cup is the Bira 91 beer, Royal Stag whisky, Dream11, a Bryan Habana on board Emirates flight EK 318 with
third-biggest sporting event on the planet after digital fantasy sports platform, and Games and the Webb Ellis Cup on its way to Japan.
the Olympics and Fifa World Cup. Heineken Britannia Industries. About 30 brands advertised
must believe the same thing as it was estimated on Star Sports.
it has put almost half of its marketing budget into
generating exposure from the tournament. Amul, India’s biggest dairy co-operative,
At the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England, the and water purifier maker Kent RO, decided
R380-million they paid to World Rugby gained to make their own mark on the tournament
it an exclusion zone of 500-metres around every by sponsoring Afghanistan and Kent RO
stadium inside, in which only its product could respectively. This gave them extensive air time
be sold. for at least nine matches. The Cricket World
Cup has seen different brands moving into the
Bang for your buck is uppermost in the minds sport. Nissan, smartphone manufacturer Oppo,
of World Cup sponsors, but standing out amidst Booking.com, Emirates Airlines, Uber, Coca-Cola,

6 BUSINESS OF SPORT





WOMEN IN SPORT

equal Banyana would earn the same amount of money certainly boost its profile.“The sport has grown IMAGES: SUPPLIED, SYDNEY MAHLANGU/BACKPAGEPIX
play, during their respective forays at the Africa Cup of over the years, and the recently established
equal Nations in Egypt and Women’s World Cup. Telkom League has created a lot of interest from
pay across the board,” says Nnusi Gazi, Netball SA
“I’m not sure if it’s a world first, but we are communications and media manager.
e debate surrounding certainly among the first to do this,” said SAFA
equal pay and prize money chief executive Russell Paul. “There is a big spike in the sport itself. If you
for men and women is look at the media coverage we are getting with
coming to a head, “We have always been committed to equity the announcement of the World Cup and the
writes JOHN GOLIATH and have been working towards this for quite a Telkom League, there is substantial interest.We
while. We are pleased that we have been able to are also attracting a new breed of supporters,
W omen are starting to win the finally get over that hurdle at this important stage and we are enjoying support from SuperSport,
fight for equal pay. In September of the development of the game in our country.” which is broadcasting the tournament. The public
2018, the World Surf League broadcaster has also stepped up and assisted us
(WSL) announced equal prize Sasol has been a long-time supporter of with coverage.”
money for male and female women’s football in South Africa, but Paul says
surfers at every WSL event more companies need get involved to help grow BROADCASTING
from 2019. Men and women also earn the same the women’s game in South Africa. WORLD-CLASS SPORTS
money at all of the Majors (golf), although there
is still a fight for equality at regular ATP and While the SA ladies are winning the battles As Africa’s biggest broadcaster of sport,
WTA (tennis) tour events. on and off the football field, their netball SuperSport has been at the forefront of
counterparts are also making great strides giving more representation to women in sport.
In fact, in 2017 the Telegraph to earn more money and gain sponsorship,
in England reported that especially after Cape Town won the rights to “There is a responsibility on broadcasters
83 per cent of sports now give men host the 2023 Netball World Cup. to offer balanced coverage, hence
and women equal prize money, SuperSport’s long tradition of doing so.
although football remains the NETBALL BECOMES Women’s netball, hockey and soccer,
largest pay gap. But not in MORE COMPETITIVE among others, have long been staples
South Africa on SuperSport and we have more female
But first South Africa’s netball team will broadcasters (presenters and analysts)
compete at the 2019 edition in Liverpool, than anyone,” says Gideon Khobane, CEO of
England in July. SuperSport.

Spar has been a long-time supporter of the “At SuperSport, we don’t differentiate
sport in the country, while Netball South Africa between men’s and women’s sport — we
also launched the Telkom Netball League not broadcast world-class sport. We haven’t had
too long ago in an attempt to make the national sight of our ratings for the Women’s World
team more competitive. Cup yet, but international ratings have
been excellent.“
Netball remains South Africa’s biggest
sport in terms of female participation, and
big tournaments such as the World Cup will

Banyana Banyana.

A WIN FOR Gideon
WOMEN’S Khobane
FOOTBALL

The South

African Football

Association

(SAFA) in March

announced that

Bafana Bafana

and Banyana

BUSINESS OF SPORT 9

PLAYER RETIREMENT

N ot many rugby players make their international debut at the LIFE AFTER THE GAME
World Cup. Normally only the best of the best, the tried and Julius retired from all rugby in 2010 after 11 years in the limelight, but
tested, are selected for the sport’s showpiece event. unfortunately for him the light faded faster than he could imagine as a
You have to be a pretty special talent to be selected for couple of failed business ventures during his playing days left him with
a World Cup without a single minute of senior international almost no money for life after rugby. “Everybody looks at professional

rugby. It’s even more impressive if it happens before your rugby players and thinks ‘he gets big money’. The big contracts are there,

21st birthday. but it’s only for a select few,” Julies says.

Nick Mallett selected centre Wayne Julies for the 1999 World Cup “The opportunities are there to make money, don’t get me wrong. But

with only a handful of provincial matches for Boland under his belt and you have to make the right decisions. I started two businesses, a FotoFirst

a few matches playing for the Junior Springboks. Two years before that, and a gym, and both failed. I wasn’t hands-on, because I played rugby

Julies was still sitting in the benches of Charleston Hill Secondary, a school outside of Paarl. I trusted people to run those businesses for me, and it

located close to a gang-infested part of the picturesque Boland didn’t end well. When you’re playing rugby, you don’t think about the

town of Paarl. future, because of the hyped life. You’re always on television and

After making his debut in the Boks’ win people want to be around you. You end up falling into a

against Spain at the World Cup, the sky bit of trap, and it was tough when that life ended and

was the limit for the centre with one reality started to look me in the eyes.”

of the sweetest passes in South Life after Isma-eel Dollie, the national player relationship
African rugby. “I celebrated my the try manager at MyPlayers, which is the South
21st birthday during the tournament.
It was a great present making the African professional players’ organisation, says
World Cup squad, a couple of there are many other former Springboks who
months after winning the Under- have fallen on hard times because of a failure
21 World Cup,” Julies recalls. to plan for the future. “We have got to ask if
there is enough planning for life after rugby,

“I was one of four black players JOHN GOLIATH talks to because when you are in that professional
in the 30-man squad and it was space you don’t really look ahead,” says

an incredible feeling to be there.” Wayne Julies about the lessons he Dollie, who is also a former Western Province
Julies, though, didn’t quite has learned around making and Stormers flyhalf.
more informed decisions
have the international career he about retirement “Professional players get treated like gods and
envisaged, because of a series of knee get paid handsomely, but there isn’t that foresight
injuries. He still finished with quite a to look at life after rugby in terms of saving. Players

decent résumé, having played another are only one ruck away from a career-threatening

eight tests for the Springboks and was part injury, and they only realise that when they are

of Jake White’s 2007 World Cup-winning team. in that situation.”

He also won the Super Rugby title with the Bulls in that

same year. GETTING IT RIGHT

Dollie, though, says MyPlayers is trying

to address this problem by educating

players from a young age. It has teamed

up with the respective rugby unions

around the country to try and remind

players that rugby is a short career. “As

a players organisation, we are working

with the unions to look at life after rugby,”

he says.

“But players also make the time to empower

themselves. Look at a guy like Chris van Zyl (Stormers

lock), who has a couple of degrees under the belt and runs his own business.

It can be done with a little hard work and dedication.”

Julies has certainly learned those hard lessons before it was too late.

He managed to get his life together and is working for the Western Cape

Department for Sport, helping school kids from poor neighbourhoods in

Paarl also rise above their circumstances. Much like he did.

“This gives me, a boy who grew up in the flats in Paarl, a chance to work

with kids in the community. For me to give back to kids from poorer

communities is what I really enjoy.”

Above: Former Springbok centre Wayne Julies at his former high school, Charleston Hill Secondary. IMAGES: SUPPLIED
Left: Wayne Julies on the field during his Springbok days.

10 B U S I N E S S O F S P O R T



THE FANS

What Nielsen was commissioned by Cricket South
do they Africa to use the Fan DNA model to give it a
rweaanltly? breakdown of it audience base (see box below).

If you build it, they will come. It’s a statement that “At Cricket South Africa we value our fans
resonates with all in sport as they seek to learn their as one of our most important assets and we
audience better, to find out what they want and to give it are determined to offer them the very best fan
to them. KEVIN MCCALLUM reports experience that talks to their needs, whether
E arlier this year, Neilsen Sports this be live on match days at stadiums, during
launched its first Fan DNA™ report in “In addition, our global understanding of their social and digital media interactions or
South Africa, which showed that the fan behaviour is getting deeper and deeper, when viewing our matches from the comfort
South African fan is very different. helping sports teams, leagues, events and of their homes,” says Cricket SA CEO Thabang
The data for an Orlando Pirates fan brands not only make better engagement and Moroe. “What we’ve found is that the key
sponsorship investment decisions, but also to to unlocking greater value for sponsors and
Cricket South Africa is understanding the
would not corollate with one of the design far more effective communication and different reasons why fans are fans in the
first place and segmenting them as per their
Dallas Mavericks, for instance. The local market activation initiatives.”  underlying motivations, so one can engage with
them in ways that resonate with these reasons.” 
can be hard to understand, according to the THE SEGMENTATION OF
research conducted by Nielsen Sports. SPORTS FANS THE POTENTIAL FOR SPONSORS

UNDERSTANDING THE SA FAN Fan DNA divides SA’s sports fans into: Forbes reported that American sports teams
and organisations are using the digital space to
“The South African fan base is complex and • Connection Fans: Love coming together. detect patterns, using online sports streaming
and social media to understand what their fans
doesn’t resemble any other market,” says Kelvin • T rend Positives: Love sport and what it says are talking about, what makes them happy and
what irks them. Data from electronic tickets can
Watt, MD for Nielsen Sports in Africa, Middle about them. be used to understand fan movements.

East and Asia Pacific. “We’re definitely ‘outliers’ • G ame Experts: Want facts, statistics “This data even helps teams sell more
beer and improve parking lot congestion
when it comes to the composition of our fan base and tactics. at stadiums. This all leads to an emerging
opportunity in sports analytics: mapping a fan’s
and their attitudes, likes and dislikes, which • A rmchair Fans: Connect to the world broader behaviour outside the stadium. By IMAGES: CHRIS KIRCHOFF
connecting to other stakeholders — including
makes us unique and at times hard to engage from home. telecommunications companies, payment
providers and retailers — sports teams could
with. That’s a massive challenge for rights- • B usy: Don’t have time. gain a broader understanding of fan behaviour
both before they arrive at the stadium and after
holders and sponsors, but it’s also precisely • Cynic: Think sports activation is a con. they leave.”

why Fan DNA is now more important than • D isengaged: Don’t understand the fuss While there is some truth in the belief that a
winning team attracts more fans on a regular
ever before. around sports. basis, there has to be more than just a winning
team to induce fans to make the effort to travel
to a stadium with bad parking, eat over-priced
food, drink warm beer and worry about
being mugged outside. The brand experience
needs to be special, memorable, safe and, most
importantly, repeatable.

some cricket sa fan diagnostics

○ The study Nielsen Sports did for Cricket ○ I t discovered that 45 per cent of SA cricket ○ About 33 per cent of cricket fans attend
SA turned up some interesting data. fans are “connection fans”. The global outlook braais more than once a month. “They are
It determined the size and profile of is 25 per cent. “These are fans, whose principal also the fan segment that attend cricket
the “key fan segments amongst South underlying motivation for being a fan is fixtures the most, account for the largest
African cricket fans to enable Cricket the opportunity it creates for doing things proportion of all sponsorship response, and
South Africa and its key stakeholders with their friendship group and/or family. often have the highest proportion of their
to reach, communicate and engage with Activations that celebrate, enhance, or amplify lives engaged with a sports property.” 
fans in a far more efficient, strategic and these connection opportunities therefore
meaningful manner”.  strike a strong chord with this group.”  Source: Nielsen Sports

12 B U S I N E S S O F S P O R T