The expansion of sports as a platform to engage vast and, therefore, valuable audiences in real time has not been…
Sports and Charity: How Brands Win By Giving Back
There are a total of eleven (11) professional sports teams operating in the Phoenix (5) and Seattle (6) markets. These teams represent every league in the United States, from the NFL to the NWSL.
For fans, there is no shortage of interest in what happens with these teams day in and day out. This is what makes sports content a great investment for brands. But sports, and sports marketing, aren’t just what happens on the field. Behind every game, there are athletes, teams, and leagues working to make a difference in their communities.
For brands investing in major sports sponsorships, there are ways to further enhance market impact by integrating assets with charitable activations related to the team or league you are working with.
It is a powerful way to connect to your market while supporting causes that change lives. For brands and for teams, there are no shortages of opportunities to do this.
Examples of Sports and Charity in Action
NFL’s My Cause My Cleats: A unique collaborative effort with individual players, the league, and charitable organizations. Our sister company (ReThinc Advertising) designed these cleats for our friends at Valleywise Health. They made an appearance on national television back in 2022.
NBA Cares: From building schools to funding meal programs, this initiative shows how sports organizations can drive global impact.
Local team outreach: Many franchises run youth sports sponsorships, holiday toy drives, and hometown programs that directly serve their cities. Examples include:
- The Arizona Cardinals Foundation, which focuses on members of our community who require special needs.
- Fiesta Sports Foundation, whose pillars include youth, sports, and education.
- Storm Cares partners with existing charities to enhance their impact on the Puget Sound area.
- Suns/Mercury Foundation puts an emphasis on serving diverse communities across the state.
- The Mariners Care Foundation is focused on giving to support access and equity initiatives.
Examples of Sports and Charity in Action
Few partnership activations are more powerful than advocating for your community in partnership with a notable sports organization.
- Charitable efforts push the brand out of the field of play and into the market in a very tangible way.
- Partnering with a sports organization adds a great deal of credibility and mileage to your own charitable efforts.
- Market awareness of your brand’s charitable efforts is highly magnified.
- There is more impact on the people, organizations, and causes the charity serves.
- The team or organization has relationships, protocols, and resources in place to execute events more effectively.
- Oftentimes, a team will use its popular, high-profile athletes to support its community efforts. This maximizes engagement and provides your brand with star power that you’d otherwise have to pay for.
It’s truly a win – win – win.
When brands and teams align themselves for charitable causes, the benefits to the community can be profound. Beyond raising money, they inspire fans to volunteer, donate, and advocate for issues that matter. For brands, sports partnerships that include charitable activations offer visibility that’s hard to replicate. For fans, it means cheering for a team that’s also improving its community.
Ed has over 30 years of sports marketing experience. If you’re looking for assistance with your sports ad buy or your sponsorship efforts, contact him at ed.olsen@linedrivesportsmarketing.com or call his cell at 602.284.6722
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