By Charles Lee Mathews. As traditional ad revenues falter, sport is emerging as the media’s most resilient play. From grassroots cricket to streaming exclusives, brands and broadcasters are discovering new ways to create sustainable ecosystems centred on fandom and cultural relevance.
Sports marketing and traditional media are moving in very different directions. “Traditional ad revenues are volatile and often short-term. Sports marketing, on the other hand, allows brands to build deeper, long-term associations,” says Bongani Chinkanda, managing director at experiential agency Openfield Marketing.
Chinkanda argues that sports marketing offers a more stable alternative to traditional advertising, which is often short-term and transactional. “When media companies collaborate with sponsors to create integrated content, storytelling, and fan engagement platforms, they secure recurring revenue streams that are tied to cultural relevance rather than just ad impressions,” he says. Embedding brands within the emotional and cultural fabric of sport, he adds, helps media companies generate consistent revenue that outlasts ad-market volatility.
“Brands that bypass media partners often miss out on scale and credibility. By working with publishers and broadcasters, they can amplify their sponsorships with trusted platforms and reach broader audiences. Think co-created content, branded documentaries, and interactive fan experiences; these extend the value of sponsorships and strengthen the ecosystem. When brands and media collaborate, everybody wins: fans get richer content, brands build deeper connections, and media companies unlock sustainable revenue,” Chikanda says.
Sports build media sustainability
This relationship-driven model is already being put into practice by brands such as KFC. “Sports marketing partnerships go far beyond short-term visibility; they create living, purpose-led ecosystems that allow both brands and media to thrive,” says Andra Nel, head of corporate affairs at KFC Africa.
“At KFC, we’ve seen this first-hand. For 16 years, our mini-cricket programme has given more than 2.5 million children the chance to play and learn. Today, that same pipeline extends all the way to the national stage, where we proudly support the Proteas Women. This journey, from playgrounds to the international arena, provides a wellspring of authentic stories that media partners can bring to life and that audiences can deeply connect with,” Nel says.
“Sponsorships are powerful not just because they deliver exposure, but because they add credibility and give brands the chance to meet customers where their passions live. Sport taps into people’s deepest interests, and when brands show up authentically in those spaces, it builds trust and engagement that traditional advertising can’t match,” she explains.
Powering win-win partnerships
“It’s also why these partnerships are such a powerful win-win. For brands, the return is stronger because it’s rooted in long-term relationships, shared purpose, and meaningful engagement, not simply the buying of ad space. In essence, sport gives us stories that endure, and when brands and media tell them together, everyone grows.” Nel adds.
“Sport content naturally draws highly engaged audiences. This audience is more likely to invest time, attention and money into a team or tournament they feel passionate about. Sports marketing partnerships, if set up correctly, could bring an entirely new audience to a media company or platform, and in some cases, literally overnight,” says Jaco-Louis Groenewald, ASEM Engage managing director.
“Live and lived experiences are becoming the most sought-after ones. People want to experience things for themselves and share that experience firsthand and exclusively, or at least in their own unique way,” he says.
Stories for days
“We are all storytellers. This has huge implications for the media owner and poses the question: ‘What do they broadcast or publish, what content do they share that will be better than the multitude?” Media sustainability depends on balance, monetising rights without locking fans out. If fans can’t access the game, they’ll create their own stories elsewhere,” says Groenewald.
“Brands have always been attracted to live sports and the audiences they deliver, and media companies are going to struggle to build a sustainable business without live sports rights,” says Martin MacGregor, the CEO of Connect. “Sports need to maximise their revenue potential to sustain and take a long-term view that their passionate fans will invest in the streaming platforms that deliver the live sport they crave. Sponsorships need reach to deliver ROI, and only an effective media strategy can deliver this,” he says.
Nel agrees that the power of sports marketing lies in connection, not exposure. “Brands today can no longer rely on sponsorships as simple logo placements or match coverage. To truly unlock value, they need a multi-dimensional strategy that incorporates every touchpoint where fans engage. Depending on the brand’s objectives, this means selecting a bespoke go-to-market approach that not only achieves strategic goals but also entertains and connects with audiences in meaningful, highly effective ways,” says Nel.
Fan narratives drive success
From there, storytelling moves into activation — where brands, media, and fans meet in real life. “This can take many forms. Brands can support content creation in partnership with platforms, producing genuinely attractive stories where the brand plays the role of facilitator rather than simply the sponsor. These stories go well beyond the coverage of matches and events, tapping into the everyday passions and experiences of fans. Publishers and broadcasters, too, can work in tandem, linking content across platforms and creating audience-response mechanisms like competitions, giveaways, or surveys that amplify participation,” she says.
“Equally important are on-the-ground activations, like what we have done through our Big Bucket activation at the KFC T20 Internationals. These not only deepen fan engagement but also generate additional earned media coverage, thereby extending the campaign’s reach and impact even further. When brands weave together storytelling, platform partnerships, interactivity, and live experiences, sponsorships evolve into ecosystems, driving both brand outcomes and fan enjoyment in powerful, lasting ways,” Nel explains.
Gone are the days when brands simply put their logo on the field and consider the job done. “The reality is that one size no longer fits all, and if you are not targeting a multi-faceted sports consumer, you simply will not achieve the return on investment you are looking for,” Nel explains.
Consistency wins the game
“The key is consistency of purpose, message and objective, but flexibility of format. Our story, Mini to Mighty, feeding people’s potential, remains constant across platforms, but comes to life in a way that adapts to the evolving consumer behaviour,” she adds.
“The way people consume sport is shifting: from traditional build-ups and post-game analysis on TV to second, third, and even fourth-screen viewing. If you’re not adapting to this, fans won’t wait; they’ll simply log off and follow the game on a different platform or channel,” Nel says.
“On linear TV, visibility still comes through live content, logo placement, and straightforward brand integration, but entertaining and engaging fans at home becomes paramount, in addition to seeing your logo on screen. On streaming, fans expect interactivity: real-time stats, behind-the-scenes access, or personalised calls to action. On social media, it’s immediacy and energy that drive engagement, gamification, trivia, competitions, highlights, polls, and viral moments,” she adds.
Show me the money
“By tailoring execution to each platform while staying true to a central message, brands create layered experiences that feel authentic and keep audiences engaged. For media partners, this approach also builds commercial sustainability by monetising across multiple channels rather than relying on a single format,” Nel says.
The caveat? “Fans’ passions require local understanding, so it is vital that the creative is hyper-relevant and the sponsorships communicate where those fans are watching and listening,” MacGregor says. The demand for a constant flow of high-quality sports, including women’s sports, and the steady increase in interest and credibility surrounding them, has given broadcasters a much wider range of quality sports to broadcast, he adds.
Like Nel and MacGregor, Groenewald says it is the partnerships that bear the most fruit. “Brands investing in sports sponsorships need to invest in activating those sponsorships. The days of slapping a logo on a kit or billboard are long gone. More sponsors understand the immense value in engaging with the audience and the sport they support,” he says.
Invest in media the fans enjoy
“For these sponsors, the opportunities are many, considering the rights they hold, of course. From match day activations to additional media buys in traditional outlets, to comprehensive social media campaigns. To make the partnership work, invest in the media where the audience is,” Groenewald says.
The bottom line, says Chikanda, is to respect the fans. “Sports fandom is one of the most enduring cultural forces. It is passed down through generations and tied to identity. That makes it incredibly powerful for media engagement. But the danger is over-commercialisation. If fans feel exploited, they push back. The goal for marketers is to add value to the fan experience, not interrupt it. Respect the rituals, celebrate the culture, and integrate authentically. That’s how you tap into loyalty without eroding it.”
Sport’s unique ability to bind passion, culture and commerce makes it more than just content. It is the last great stage where brands, media and fans can win together, sustainably.
Charles Lee Mathews is a senior editor to MarkLives MEDIA and a senior writer to MarkLives.com, as well as co-founder of The Writers, a writing consultancy.
