OCTAGON INSIGHTS - A LOOK AHEAD TO 2015

8/21/2019 OCTAGON INSIGHTS - A LOOK AHEAD TO 2015

1/12

www.octagon-uk.com | T: 020 7862 0000

2 Waterhouse Square, 140 Holborn London, UK EC1N 2AE

Octagon InsightsA look ahead to 201512 January, 2015

Now that everyone is back in full swing, and teeing up for a jam packed year of sport,wevebeen debating what will rock the world of marketing and sport in 2015. Here are afew of our favourite predictions that will influence how we connect brands to fans in theyear ahead:

Tim Collins, co-Managing Director (@TC69)

Sponsors will capitalize on in-game apps that enhance the spectators experience atthe game. With more stadiums finally sorting out their Wi-Fi coverage there will be moreopportunities to follow the game digitally to improve the live experience.

This will lead to a hunger for more statistical data regarding players. How far did they run,what was their top speed, calories burned etc. which will all be possible thanks to sensorsbuilt into players shirts.


2/12



Joel Seymour-Hyde, VP Strategy (@Joeler_SH)

2015 promises to be an extremely competitive year for some of the world's mostprominent football rights holders, all seeking new lead partners.

In addition to the UEFA Champions League concluding its partnership portfolio for the2015-18 cycle, the Premier League are in the market for a (potentially) new title sponsor;Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Barcelona are all at various stages of theprocess to acquire new shirt sponsors; EURO 2016 still has some categories to fill; and theFA remain on the hunt for a FA Cup sponsor.

Whilst some brands may find themselves somewhat inundated with proposals, it doespresent the buyer with a huge opportunity to secure a long term partnership with one ofthe world's leading properties in the No.1 global sport.


3/12



Daniel Haddad, Strategy & Insights (@danhaddad86)

2015 will see the latest round of the battle between Sky and BT in the elite sports mediarights battlefield, with the two giants once again preparing for a bidding war. This year alleyes will be on the UK live broadcast rights for the Premier League covering the 2016 19period. Three years ago, when BT entered this market and successfully securedexclusivity over 38 matches per season, the net result was a huge inflation in the totalvalue of Premier League broadcast rights in the UK, up to around 3bn for the 3 yearcycle from 1.7bn, a staggering 70% increase in the face of the challenging economicclimate . Sky still retained the exclusive rights to the majority of matches (154 per season),but the battle lines were clearly drawn for an even larger assault on SKYsgolden goose

from BT next time around.

In anticipation of this battle, the Premier League have innovated their offering tobroadcasters, creating a new Friday evening slot that will allow them to sell rights tomore matches than ever before. The result should be yet another huge increase in thevalue of the rights in the UK, with BT hungry for a bigger slice of the pie and SKY firmly onthe defensive having already lost the rights to broadcast UEFA Champions Leaguematches to their rival. How this plays out will be fascinating whatever scenario prevails,there are ultimately 20 clear winners the Premier League Clubs who, due to theequitable distribution model the Premier League employs will all be in line for futureguaranteed increases in revenue that will help ease pressure in the Financial Fair Playera.


4/12



Greg Smith, Account Executive (@Gregorypsmith)

Wearable technology is a growing trend that Ill be keeping my eye on however Ipredict that the market will become incredibly saturated, very quickly, with cheapbrands bringing out their own versions of the wearable watches etc.

I personally dontbelieve that wearable tech for health is quite there yet, but it seems tobe on the horizon with GoBe calorie counter, which is able to assess how many caloriesyou are eating without being invasive. This is a product that has been received quite alot of backlash but I think it has potential to be phenomenal if it works. The initial modelhas been financed through crowd funding (Crowd funding is also something that maybecome more sophisticated in 2015).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30681002http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30681002http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30681002http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30681002http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30681002http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30681002


5/12


6/12



Charlotte Kew, Account Executive (@Charlotte_Kew)

Story telling was at large in 2014, especially around the FIFA World Cup with Nike andBeats by Dre producing long-form content, but I believe wellsee this take a new form in2015. With the help of virtual reality, and the boundless potential of items such as theOculus Rift, the brand or story teller now has the power to transport you to another world,with the end-user playing their own role and enhancing their emotional attachment tothe narrative.

Continuing in the digital space, interaction between fans and sport will continue to grow,with fans spending more time in-app than ever before, with engagement at the end of2014 already up over 200% on 2013. How this will continue to alter sports consumption isyet to be seen, although the live experience will always come out on top, it will beinteresting to see how the growth of the watch what you want, when you wantculture, with the explosion of Netflix, will enter the sports world and influence brandcontent production from sports brands, properties and sponsors.


7/12


8/12



Tom Gayner, Event Co-ordinator (@TommyGayner)

Weveseen music events and some US sports teams move towards digital ticketing andthis could be the year we see it filter into the UK sports market. The Celtics, Bulls, White Soxand 49ers among others in the States have already begun the shift into paperless. Celticfans, for example, are given a plastic card that allows them to manage tickets online,swipe in at the stadium, buy merchandise, parking, food and beverage at stadia andbuild up loyalty points. Whilst the fan has an enhanced experience, clubs are the real

winners. Consumer habits and journeys can be trailed, giving the clubs access toinformation they didnt have previously. What will be interesting is how sponsors andbrands alike try to tap into this technology.

One word for paper tickets though. Nothing can beat nostalgia, and having that pieceof paper that says Iwas therestill stirs strong emotions for the old school fan. Whilst themove to digital is inevitable, clubs may well still offer you the choice.


9/12



Adam Howe, Octagon Intern (@_AdamHowe)

The 2015 MLS season is fast approaching and the stage is set to be one of the biggestyears in the history of the league. The arrival of New York City FC and Orlando City SC intheir debut seasons brings the franchise to its highest total of 20 teams, even with adeparture from last year after folding Chivas USA.

American sports are well known for their love of playoffs, something that Europeanfootball has avoided to date. But as the number of playoff spots are set to increase from

10 to 12 teams this year, it promises an even greater spectacle. This along with the USA'sstand out performance at the FIFA World Cup in 2014 has boosted soccer popularitydramatically, as well as raising the profile of the American game across the world.

As we look beyond this season into the future of MLS, the news that Steven Gerrardannounced he will make a move across the pond to join LA Galaxy and with DavidBeckham's Miami franchise on the horizon, we may start to see more MLS gamespopping up on our television screens in England than ever before. Particularly during the

summer months after the Premier League season has ended and fans are craving theirfootball fix.


10/12


11/12



Mike Courtney, Octagon Intern (@MikeCourtney_)

In the sponsorship world, high fan engagement will be at the top of every sponsorsChristmas list. With the mammoth growth of social media and CSR over the last fewyears, fan engagement is more accessible and beneficial than ever before. Nowthough, its not just sports teams that want in on the action; sponsors are keen to getinvolved too. The status quo will shift from simply raising profile, to a deeper moremeaningful connection with fans.

Another interesting area is the value of sponsored images. Towards the end of 2014,Instagram started to roll out sponsored images on its network. Each and every advertseen is tailored to meet that persons specific needs, creating millions of demographicprofiles based on who they follow and what they post. In 2015, Instagram will become ahuge marketing channel for the earthsgoliath corporations. These companies will raisethe game in imagery, transforming the game with innovative precision.


12/12

HERE IS TO 2015Watch this space

Documents

OCTAGON INSIGHTS - A LOOK AHEAD TO 2015