With the recent surge in interest in sports media, independent media agencies are exploring and finding ways to serve their clients’ needs through new methods to work with brands and athletes in a more integrated way.
From high viewership and consumer interest in the Olympics to new investments in women’s sports and their top athletes, advertising agencies are seeing increased business opportunities through social media, brand partnerships and streaming.
For example, PMG launched a dedicated sports marketing division in July, expanding its existing capabilities in response to growing client demand for sports marketing expertise across the industry. In its new role, head of sports marketing Dan Conti, the division offers a full range of sports-related services, from strategy to experiential marketing, and also develops partnerships with rights holders, broadcasters, publishers, and talent. After all, PMG is Nike’s media agency.
“We’re building a sports business within a dynamic, full-service media company. This is kind of the first piece of the pie,” said Conti, who joined the company last month. “As sports becomes more diverse, more relevant and more integrated with new platforms and opportunities, it has to be a modern sports service that ties into all the pieces of the puzzle. It can’t be something that feels like sports or sponsorship are separate entities.”
As streaming expands rapidly, data and personalization will play a bigger role across the sports world — from Amazon’s NBA rights to Apple’s MLB deal — this will bring new levels of targeting and scale to sports media, but working with a tech giant will bring very different dynamics and cultures than working with a cable company.
“When you think about the new capabilities that are available to leverage these platforms… [and] “We’re going to be explaining a lot of things for our clients about how partnering with a technology company is different than partnering with a traditional linear cable company,” he said, “not just thinking about the scale that sports offers, but how partnering with sports allows us to customize, monetize, track and optimize campaigns.”
Conti has a background in sports and marketing, having previously held publisher and athlete management roles, as well as leading the sports and live practice at Group M’s media agency, Wavemaker. At PMG, Conti will report to PMG President John Dupuis and work collaboratively with client strategic leaders to support sports marketing across brands and verticals.
As it expands its sports-related offerings, PMG will also leverage its data and technology capabilities through its marketing intelligence and automation platform, Alli. PMG already has experience working with TurboTax and Carl’s Jr. on Super Bowl media and has been involved in other projects, including with the PGA Tour and ServiceNow’s NHL partnership through its linear TV investments for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Use your speed
Zambezi, a full-service shop in Los Angeles, is looking to build on its recent success with sports clients through an integrated approach. With full-service production studio Fin, media agency Scale, and social and content unit School, the mid-sized agency has an edge in developing sports and B2B expertise, and can serve new sports businesses with speed and scale. These services have led the agency to recent success as media AOR (among other projects) for clients such as Bose, ESPN, NFL Flag Football, and the United States Tennis Association.
Zambezi president and CEO Gene Freeman explained that the company’s flexibility to customize its integrated services gives it more breadth and adaptability: “We work with clients who prioritize different aspects. Some, like ESPN, are production-focused, while others, like Google, are media-focused,” Freeman said.
Its media agency, Scale, and production arm, Fin Studios, saw revenue grow by about 20% last year, the company said, though it did not disclose exact growth metrics. For example, Zambezi’s team quickly got projects off the ground for Bose and the NFL by combining Fin and Scale’s capabilities. Together, they brought an original idea to life through a streamlined production process for a tennis campaign featuring Bose earphones and American player Coco Gauff, as well as NFL flag football content featuring NFL players Justin Herbert, C.D. Lamb, and content creator @ishowspeed, showcasing the young players and influencers in the fast-growing sport.
Sports Playbook
With health and pharmaceutical advertising still a mainstay of linear TV, healthcare agencies are also turning to sports: WPP’s health-focused CMI Media Group recently launched a new healthcare-focused Sports Marketing Centre of Excellence, looking to build on recent work with the NHL, NASCAR and The Pickleball Slam.
According to CMI Media Group’s 2024/25 Media Vital Survey, two in three patients and caregivers regularly watch sports content, whether on TV, podcasts, magazines or radio. Younger generations have an even higher interest in sports, with 78% of millennials and 73% of Gen Z regularly watching sports content. Additionally, many healthcare professionals have a strong love for sports, with 72% regularly following at least one sport or league, according to CMI.
“Obviously sports is on the rise,” said Kelly Morrison, svp of engagement strategies at CMI Media. “I think what’s happened with the NFL and Taylor Swift is super cool. [whose presence at Kansas City Chiefs games was showcased often] And building on that… it’s creating moments that wouldn’t necessarily have happened before, and I think that’s leading to even more of an emphasis on sports in general.”
The center, which Morrison will lead, aims to develop a sports playbook for all of its offerings as well as partner with various leagues to align best practices and leverage custom engagement in healthcare marketing. Morrison asserts that as different marketing channels continue to grow, from sports podcasts to cultural moments, brands are exploring how they can leverage sports content to engage fans in different ways.
“You’re watching people at the pinnacle of athletic fitness, so that ties into the health and wellness component,” Morrison told Digiday. “I think we get to see different stories of athletes and how they’re dealing with different medical conditions and how it’s affected them. Those stories are powerful, like the family of a team member who’s overcome cancer.”