Summer of Sport: How to Hit the Right Target with Talent

Sports talent isn’t just for sports! Forget sports-stars being confined to just representing the next football boot, make the most of their popularity this summer to highlight your big campaign.

summer of sport talent sourcing broadcast pr

Right now, the team at Broadcast Revolution is busy sourcing talent for summer campaigns, and with the Euros now in full swing and the Paris Olympics less than 6 weeks away, it’s no surprise that sports are a big factor.

The world of broadcast PR will be packed full of opportunities for sporting talent to shine over the next few months. But how can you plan your campaigns so you really make the most of the Summer of Sport?

 

Sports talent doesn’t have to = a sports story

 

Whether it’s Rio Ferdinand explaining the importance of allowing children to experience a full range of emotions, Kadeena Cox making sushi on Sky Newsor Jimmy Bullard encouraging Scotland and England fans to support their teams at the Euros live from a pub, our experience has shown time and again that sports talent can be used in surprising ways.

Take the time to interrogate how you can build the most interesting and creative campaign with a sports personality, and consider the topics they can speak about authentically through their unique experiences, knowledge and passions. The world is your oyster in terms of subject matter, as long as the voice fits. You just need to remember…

 

It may be sports season, but it’s no time to ‘insert celeb’

 

Sports may be hitting the headlines, but if the voice isn’t right, just choosing a sports celebrity isn’t necessarily going to fulfil your objectives. There will be opportunities for all kinds of voices over the season; there’s no need to ‘insert sports celeb’ if another kind of talent is better for the story.

This is true of all campaigns that use talent. Simply dropping a celebrity into a campaign is rarely the most strategic use of resources available.

Of course, a huge name will attract equally weighty media attention. But it’s all about considering the balancing act of fame, budget, and relevancy to your goals. Working on a more long-term campaign with a slightly less well-known sports star may better achieve your aims, or you might be best served with a much shorter time with a top-tier celeb. Speaking of which…

 

You can pack a lot into 30 minutes

 

Have you secured a big name in the world of sport? Fantastic news! There’s no denying the power of celebrity in drawing in the interest of broadcasters. It is generally the case that the bigger the name, however, the less time you will have with them. Making the most of this time is key, a task which is made a little easier by the fact you can often arrange for broadcasters to come to you.

In our recent work with Mastercard, we had 30 minutes with the footballing legend Gareth Bale. By organising five-minute interview slots for a range of top broadcasters, we helped Mastercard to gain coverage from Sky Sports News, BBC Sport, ITV News, talkSPORT, CNN as well as Spanish media conglomerate Antena 3, who flew over from Madrid for the interview with Gareth.

 

Choosing the right voice

 

Consider which talent is:

  • The most authentic fit for your story.
  • Most likely to chime with your target demographic.
  • Most likely gain coverage on your strategically chosen outlets.

Relatability and authenticity will make the story more attractive to your ideal broadcasters – who need the most relevant and engaging stories to fill their schedules – and more likely to strike an emotional chord with your target audience.

Also consider the lesser-known or growing sports with a passionate niche audience. The newly introduced climbing competitions were a top trending sport on Google during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with surfing and skateboarding also incorporated that year. Similarly, at Paris 2024, Breaking is making its debut, as organisers continue to try to reach younger viewers.

 

Timing is crucial

 

Timing will be vital during the Summer of Sport. Here are three things to think about:

  1. The sporting schedule is a great hook-in for the news and media. If you have a former Badminton pro, your pitch to the media will be more powerful if the coverage is timed on the same day as key Olympic Badminton events. Think carefully about the events of the summer and where your talent is a natural fit.
  2. You will have to be deft and reactive in light of big sporting news. For example, now England has made the finals (well done team!) you may have more trouble gaining coverage over this immediate period. Building some flexibility into your campaign will allow for such eventualities.
  3. With sports stars in high demand, ensure they haven’t got other contractual obligations that may clash with your requirements. For example, if they have already appeared on the outlet you are most interested in over the previous three months, they are much less likely to be invited back.

 

Thinking multichannel can elevate your campaigns

But you need to be clear on deliverables

 

A question we encourage our clients to ask themselves is, if you are already spending x amount on a broadcast campaign with a sporting celeb, why not invest a little extra to make the most of your time with them by creating some social media assets? By thinking outside the scope of your immediate broadcast goals, you can create content for your owned channels that makes a real impact.

You have to be clear on what you want to achieve at the start, however. Contracts need to be watertight regarding deliverables when using talent, which is why identifying and locking down opportunities at the planning stage of your campaign is vital.

Utilising sports talent throughout the Summer of Sport will create opportunities and open doors, and asking the right questions at the planning stage will help you make the most impact possible. By digging deep into a story, examining every angle and understanding the ways in which your campaign can work harder and smarter across channels, you can elevate your brand’s story to new heights.

If you’d like to learn more, speak to our team.