The sports media landscape is rapidly evolving as independent media agencies adapt to meet the increasing demands of brands and athletes. The recent surge of interest in sports media has led to innovative practices aimed at more deeply integrating brands and athletes into the sports ecosystem, leveraging new opportunities across various platforms including social media, brand partnerships, and streaming services.
A major development in this trend is PMG’s launch of a dedicated sports marketing practice. This new division, spearheaded by Dan Conti, aims to enhance PMG’s sports marketing capabilities.
It offers a comprehensive range of services, from strategic planning to experiential marketing, and seeks to integrate these services more effectively with the broader media landscape. This move reflects the growing importance of a cohesive sports marketing approach in the face of evolving digital platforms and audience engagement methods.
Streaming services have become a crucial element in sports media, with platforms like Amazon and Apple acquiring significant sports broadcasting rights. This shift towards digital platforms presents new opportunities for targeted advertising and engagement.
Conti emphasizes that working with tech giants involves different dynamics compared to traditional cable companies, highlighting the need for more customized and data-driven approaches to sports media partnerships.
Sports Media Landscape Shifts with New Practices and Digital Opportunities
Conti’s background in sports marketing, including his previous role at GroupM’s Wavemaker, positions him well to lead PMG’s new sports marketing practice. He will be collaborating closely with PMG’s leadership and client strategy teams to develop and execute integrated sports marketing campaigns, leveraging PMG’s existing relationships and experience with major brands and events.
Similarly, Zambezi, a full-service agency based in Los Angeles, is expanding its sports media efforts through a highly integrated approach. The agency’s diverse services, including its production studio Fin and media agency Scale, have enabled it to quickly adapt to the growing sports market.
Recent successes with clients such as Bose, ESPN, and the NFL highlight Zambezi’s ability to combine creative and media capabilities to deliver impactful sports marketing campaigns.
The agency’s president and CEO, Jean Freeman, emphasizes the flexibility and adaptability of Zambezi’s services. The ability to tailor solutions to different client needs—whether focused on production or media—has proven valuable in developing successful campaigns, such as those involving Bose earbuds and NFL Flag Football.
In a related development, CMI Media Group, a health-focused agency, has launched a Sports Marketing Center of Excellence to enhance its sports-related offerings. This initiative builds on CMI’s recent work with sports leagues and aims to capitalize on the strong engagement between sports content and healthcare audiences.
The center will focus on creating customized marketing strategies that leverage sports content to engage patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.
Kelly Morrison, leading the new center, notes the growing intersection between sports and health marketing. The center aims to develop a comprehensive playbook and foster partnerships to create impactful health-focused sports campaigns. By tapping into stories of athletes and their personal health journeys, CMI Media Group seeks to build meaningful connections between sports and healthcare marketing.
