|
When Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles tendon during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals last May, it wasn’t just Celtics fans who were crushed.
“In that moment, it feels like your world is ending,” Tory Pachis, EVP and CMO of Amica Insurance, a jersey-patch sponsor of the Celtics, said. “You’re like, ‘Oh my God, what are we going to do?’”
When athletes are injured, diehard fans count down the days to their favorite player’s return, and marketers who’ve inked deals with athletes are also quite literally invested in their return. Marketers continue to allocate more ad dollars to sports sponsorships and athlete deals, recognizing sports as one of the few remaining water-cooler opportunities, making it all the more likely they’re keeping an eye on the injured list, too.
So what happens when an athlete is away from the action in the midst of a sponsorship deal?
In the evolving sports sponsorship landscape, where some fans are more loyal to athletes over teams, the ways brands react in those crucial moments could have an impact not only on their own relationship with the player, but also on their bottom line, making it a crucial moment for brand marketers to get right.
Keep reading here.—AM, KM
|
