WHAT’S GOOD FOR SOCIETY IS GOOD FOR THE SPORTS BUSINESS
PERCENTAGE OF CONSUMERS WILLING TO PAY MORE FOR BRANDS COMMITTED TO POSITIVE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Source: Nielsen Global Survey of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, conducted Feb. 23–March 13, 2015.
In last year’s trends, we said “Social responsibility is becoming more prevalent and impactful.” This year, the relationship between sport and society is changing faster than ever, and staying on top of that change has become even more important.
Equality, diversity, gender, race, sexuality and the environment, among other issues, are dominating the media and having an impact on every part of the sports business.
In sponsorship, brands are demanding impeccable ethics from the sports they partner with. Sports can’t have total control over their athletes and ambassadors, but anyone doing less than their utmost to run an ethical organization or competition is taking a big risk.
On the flip side, the need for brands to communicate their purpose and social usefulness to consumers is a great opportunity for sports. For all the problems that sports continue to have, sponsorships can still provide the perfect platform for brands to communicate these messages.
Leading rights holders such as the NBA are ahead of the curve with their own well-established programs focused on social issues and giving back to the communities that support them. NBA Cares’ stated mission is grand, but strikes the right chord for the times: it’s a “Global social responsibility program that builds on the NBA’s mission of addressing important social issues.”
Sports’ power to do good and change society is exemplified by recent programs in the Middle East such as insurer Daman’s ActiveLife and the Dubai government’s 30x30 Fitness Challenge. These are initiatives to promote healthier lifestyles among U.A.E. citizens and have generated impressive participation numbers.
Women’s sports continues to grow in focus for rights holders, brands and media. The sector is booming as the growth opportunity represented by underengaged females is recognized, as brands demand a focus on women’s sports and as gender equality takes ever-greater prominence.
The last year saw exciting launches of new women’s properties, such as the U.K.’s Tyrrells Premier 15s rugby union competition and Australia’s AFLW. And the 2018 Winter Olympics offered great opportunities for storytelling around female athletes. Stakeholders like U.S. broadcaster NBC obliged, putting the likes of Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin center stage in their promotional coverage.
It isn’t just in developed markets that women’s sports is gaining traction – the last year saw the remarkable opening of sports stadia to women in Saudi Arabia, the inaugural CAF Women’s Football Symposium, and Harmanpreet Kaur becoming India’s first female cricketer to secure a bat sponsorship, among other milestones.
There will be no letup in the relentless focus on sports’ role in society in the next year. Activity across the business will be examined from the point of view of whether or not it is contributing positively to society.
