Why Now is the Time to Double Down on Youth Sports
Youth sports have become a cornerstone of marketing and community engagement efforts across professional sports.
For decades, professional sports leagues, teams and athletes have been giving back to the sports they love. It has been a logical and simple way of acknowledging the roots of the game and to say “thank you” to those who invest so much to create opportunities for us all to experience the joys and benefits of playing sports.
Youth sports have become a cornerstone of marketing and community engagement efforts across professional sports. Earlier this week, the Las Vegas Raiders introduced a series of youth football initiatives in the lead up to the NFL Draft. Last Friday, the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation cut the ribbon on the 107th baseball field they have helped reopen. And these types of events are happening on a daily basis across the industry.
So, is now the time to deepen our investment in youth sports?
Shifting Consumer Expectations
Our world is changing quickly. So are the expectations of fans and consumers. Increasingly, they want to know what brands are doing to be more socially responsible and they want to be more deeply connected to their favorite brands around shared values, passions and social issues.
Fans Want More
According to a recent consumer survey by McKinsey, most consumers (61%) want brands to take action on societal issues. This expectation increases to 76% for millennials and Gen-Z consumers. And when the focus turns to sports, Nielsen research indicates 1 of 3 fans (32%) expect leagues, teams and athletes to prioritize and champion youth sports.
1 of 3 Fans (32%)
expect leagues, teams and athletes to prioritize and champion youth sports.
- Nielsen
And why not? Youth sports provide an amazingly authentic engagement opportunity. After all, the business of elite, professional sports is built on the foundation of youth participation. Who is better positioned to pay it forward than those making careers out of their childhood pastimes?
Doing Well by Doing Good
While fans are increasingly expecting sports organizations and athletes to invest in youth sports, there are also valuable business benefits from doing so.
Those that Play… Pay
There is a clear connection between youth sports participation and an increase in fan avidity as well as spending. The Deloitte Sports Loyalty Scorecard found that fans who played in youth leagues growing up are 50% more likely to be self-described fanatics and spend twice as much annually than fans who did not participate in youth leagues. Furthermore, they found that self-described fanatics spend 6 times more than self-described casual fans annually. That is a significant and measurable difference.
Spend
2x Annually
Fans who played in youth leagues growing up spend twice as much annually than fans who did not.
- Deloitte
Expanding Roster of Engaged Consumers
For sports organizations to continue generating growth, it’s important to add a steady stream of new contacts to email databases and CRM systems. Youth sports events and programs represent an incredibly valuable way to do that while also engaging younger, more diverse consumers. In fact, based on data released from the US Census Bureau in 2019, for the first time, more than half of the nation’s population under age 16 identified as a racial or ethnic minority.
It’s not just the volume of potential fans that can be reached through youth sports, it is also the value of the interactions that drives growth. These events and programs create:
Personalized engagements
Brand connections that resonate
Positive brand experiences
Socially shareable moments
According to an EventTrack research report in 2021, 40% of consumers said they felt more brand loyalty after participating in a brand experience or interaction, and 91% were more likely to purchase the product or service.
That’s exactly what youth sports deliver.
91% More Likely to Purchase
after participating in a brand experience or interaction.
- EventTrack
Brands are Teaming Up
Youth sports represent an opportunity to create value and engage sponsors, as brands refocus efforts on cause-related and community-based sponsorship strategies. They are increasingly seeking sponsorship opportunities that provide them with a platform to promote their own values.
According to Nielsen Sports Analysis, “of the top 20 global sponsorship brands by spend in 2019, the vast majority have made an active shift in their sponsorship and advertising messaging over the past five years.”
Nielsen goes on to predict 11% revenue growth over the next 3 to 5 years amongst rights holders with a sustainability agenda.
It is safe to assume that potential extends to youth sports platforms focused on generating positive social impact.
Youth Sports is the Right Play
Fans expect it and youth sports deliver high value and growth opportunities to organizations and athletes that prioritize it within their marketing and CSR strategies. It’s hard to argue against a strong commitment to youth sports and there are easy ways to get involved.
3-Point Play
Support existing youth sports organizations by donating resources or funds, making appearances at local events or raise visibility for their efforts by leveraging existing marketing platforms.
Create new events or programs by hosting organizations, teams or families at the arena or stadium prior to a game or by organizing an event in the community tied to special moment like National Girls & Women in Sports Day.
Partner with organizations serving the youth sports community to provide instant scale and support if time and resources are thin. Organizations like Good Sports, Leveling the Playing Field and countless others are already doing amazing work and can quickly mobilize with partners.
It’s Time to Double Down
For professional sports leagues, teams and athletes engaging in youth sports is a smart investment and a proven strategy to grow the business. With returns as impressive as I’ve outlined in this post, it’s time to go all in on the next generation of fans!
