Athletes have a substantial impact on fan engagement. Fans often identify with an athlete, sometimes as a more aspirational version of themselves.
Using technology to make athletes available for online appearances can provide win-win results for both the sports organization and the athlete. Think virtual meet-and-greet sessions, tongue-in-cheek guides like “The Footballer’s Guide to Pub Etiquette,” and more.
Book an Athlete for Your Next Event
An athlete can elevate your event to an unmatched level. Athlete appearances are one of the most effective ways to drive traffic, generate buzz, promote your products, or inspire your audience. However, this type of engagement is a costly undertaking. Most athletes have a standard fee that they charge for these types of events. Hire a sports speaker booking agency that can negotiate to avoid blowing your budget.
The right agency will work to understand your objectives and recommend a player that best fits the tone and context of your event. For example, if you’re hosting an event to promote your new car model, you can book an athlete known for their automotive industry expertise. In addition, the agent will ensure that the athlete’s background and interests are closely aligned with the audience you want to engage.
Meeting their favorite athlete can be a life-changing experience for many fans. Whether running an autograph signing session or a meet and greet, consider pairing the event with other perks to create additional incentives for your guests. It might feature unusual images, a Q&A period, or the appearance of a trophy.
In today’s world of hyper-personalization, the bonds between teams and their fans are more vital than ever. As a result, athletes and their management organizations must constantly innovate to draw in and hold the interest of their audiences. It includes developing strategies to engage with fans online, in person, and across all channels.
Book an Athlete for a Media Interview
Athletes are often considered role models for the world around them, not only because of their talent in their respective sports but also for their ability to overcome adversity and extreme odds to achieve success. When athletes make an appearance, they often talk about their journey to reach the top, and this is an opportunity for businesses to capitalize on their star status by driving traffic, entertaining clients, and creating goodwill.
The best way to do this is through video. For example, you can have an athlete host a webinar and allow fans to ask questions. You can even host a virtual press conference, which is easier to manage than an in-person appearance and is more cost-effective.
Some athletes need help with the media, and it’s understandable why they’re talking to reporters who may sometimes share different views than fans, members, or sponsors. But a little preparation by a comms manager can help them see that the media are their crucial link to those groups, so they need to be working together.
One of the best ways to get an athlete’s attention is to have a fun, unexpected interaction with them.
When you book athlete appearances for your business, consider whether they have had recent sports successes. If they have, these will be a real draw for local fans and give the event an outsized boost in coverage.
It’s a good idea to work with an experienced speaker’s bureau that can handle booking and coordinating athlete appearances for their clients. It will make the whole process run more smoothly while ensuring you get the most value from your investment.
Book an Athlete for a Press Conference
Appearances are a big part of any sports sponsorship and can be used in various ways to promote events, teams, or products. However, more is needed for athletes to rock up at a store to sign autographs and pose for photos with a few hundred fans. The goal of appearances has moved to create thousands, even millions, of wins for the event, team, or sponsor and its audiences.
One way to do this is by using technology to host virtual appearances that anyone can access. This type of appearance is often less expensive than in-person appearances and doesn’t require the athlete to be at a particular place.
This kind of appearance can also be more flexible and include web chats, video conferences, or other types of presentations that allow for questions from anyone. The advantage of this type of appearance is that it allows the athletes to connect with thousands of people at once instead of just a few hundred.
Another ingenious use of athlete appearances is getting them to create content. Athletes can help to generate excitement around an event by hosting a Q&A session on social media or doing a live stream to answer questions from fans. This interaction can effectively increase attendance and social reach for an event or product launch.
Athletes and sports stars are uniquely positioned to inspire and motivate audiences and can make for powerful role models. Their stories of overcoming adversity and extreme odds to achieve greatness are captivating and can positively impact people and businesses nationwide.
Book an Athlete for a Social Media Event
Athletes can create a buzz and encourage fans to interact with their brand with a single social media appearance. Athletes are often role models, and their stories of pushing themselves to the limits inspire many. A one-off meeting with an athlete can provide an experience that fans will remember.
Athlete meets, and greets are an effective way to draw in new customers and generate local media attention. It is particularly true if the athlete has recently achieved success in their sport, such as winning an NCAA title, and can bring that trophy to the event. Adding extra incentives for attendees, such as a Q&A session or a photo opportunity, increases the appeal of an athlete’s appearance and gives guests something to take away from the experience.
Using social media as a platform for an athlete to interact with their fans is a great way to attract and engage a younger Gen Z audience. Increasingly, the number of fans following team and player social media accounts exceeds that of the club. For example, some clubs have players with social media followings that outstrip the population of their home countries!
This audience is hungry for sports content and engages outside of game time. Just under 44% of younger sports fans watch non-live content via digital platforms. It makes it crucial for brands to use their social media channels to promote live content and engage with this audience.
Using social media as an avenue for an athlete to interact with their fan base is a powerful tool that can be used by any sports brand, whether a global giant or a small regional outfit. The key is to have the right strategy and be prepared for the ad hoc content that will inevitably be generated.
