Branding is no stranger to any business enterprise. It is a common activity to build reach, create a loyal customer base and grow profits. One industry, nevertheless, stands out from the rest for its unique branding opportunities and activities- “the sports industry.” Branding in sports helps add value and an association with millions of die-hard fans worldwide. There are a few entertainment sources where people invest their genuine emotions as they do in the case of sports, and effective branding serves the cause of fostering that shared identity which tangles the fans with their teams.

When we talk about branding in sports, we mean everything from the logo and team colours to the uniform and jersey of the team as well as their website and social media designs. In other words, the branding team is responsible for handling every aspect of your team. Branding in sports is culturally motivated and motivating, meaning that it often goes through constant change in accord with societal change. That is why sports teams often work as a mirror of their community, and thus branding becomes an integral tool to connect with their fans and also to portray a communal identity.

Not only the teams but the sport itself also cannot be imagined separately from the influence of branding. For instance, a primary goal behind introducing T-20 cricket was to spread the game of cricket in more countries, especially in European and North American nations where cricket is not that popular. So, apart from the spine-chilling thrill this shorter format of the game provides, it also works as a tool to promote the game to a wider audience. The branding partnership between the famous English football club Manchester City and New York City Football Club did not only boost the latter’s popularity as a team but also played a vital role in familiarizing the game of football in the region. In the wrestling arena, rebranding from WWF (Worldwide Wrestling Federation) to WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) provided the sport with an opportunity to clear the “dirty” reputation that piled up during the attitude era full of explicit content in the ’90s and opened the doors to appeal mass family market with a brand-new outlook. Thus, branding often shapes the audience of a sport and keeps it alive and fresh in our minds.

What is branding all about in sports?

Branding in sports is about establishing a positive association with the sport or your team. As a sports team, you need to connect with more than just the thousands of spectators who come to the stadium to watch you play. You also need to connect with the sponsors, clubs, and millions of other fans. A strong brand image allows you to get the respect and love of your fans. It involves creating a story for your brand and pushing people to participate in that story through emotion.

There are hundreds of teams in almost every sport, essentially meaning there’s plenty of fish in the sea. Hence, it is important for the audience to know why your team is different from the others and why they should choose you. Branding is about giving fans that reason to have a strong association with your team.

Brands have it tough during the testing times like the times your team doesn’t perform well or fails to deliver. Branding can provide a strong sense of team identity, which serves as a wonderful unifying force for a team and cultivates the root of a loyal fanbase. This also offers much-needed inspiration to the players of the team.

In short, branding in sports is about shaping and coding your team’s DNA and creating a USP.

Create a perception

Your branding efforts should be focused on shaping how you want your supporters to view your team. Creating a brand perception is the art of featuring a unique style. Everything should convey a unified message, from the colour tones you use in your merchandise to the posts you put on social media. The theme you set for your team is the guiding principle behind all the activities of your stakeholders.

Shape Your Ideas

The visual representation of a team’s identity is often vested in the team logo. Teams keep updating their logo in order to give shape to the idea that they are trying to convey to players and fans. It’s vital to communicate to your team in a voice that everyone can recognise, as it helps your supporters connect strongly with your brand.

Sports in Branding

Even though we are talking about branding in sports here, it would be a crime to end it without mentioning how sports can influence related brands as well. Sports and sportsmen are powerful mediums for spreading a brand’s message to a massive pool of consumers. The biggest success story of utilising sport as a marketing gimmick is arguably credited to the uncrowned king of the sports-wear industry, Nike. Their endorsement with Michael Jordan in introducing the sub-brand “Air Jordan” carries its legacy till date and gives us a clear idea of why brands view sports as a lucrative source of promoting their agenda.

There are many factors that come into play when it comes to sports branding, but the most significant is your situation and the objectives you have set for your branding project. Branding in sports is often tricky due to the uncertainty that comes with it. Nevertheless, creating a brand for your sports team is a fantastic opportunity to become a unit with a purpose that your fans can emotionally relate to. So, they can be a part of your journey in triumphs, setbacks, and emotional rollercoaster of enjoying the game. A sound branding strategy in sports makes your team a winner both on and off the field.

Written by Sadman Bin Ahsan