When it comes to sports marketing, leveraging video can be a game-changer—and a no-brainer.
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, the use of video content has become a cornerstone of successful marketing strategies. When it comes to sports marketing, leveraging video can be a game-changer in engaging fans and driving revenue—and a no-brainer with all the video footage sports teams have at their disposal.
A prime example of this is the sports marketing by the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings whose innovative approach with personalized video has set them apart in the competitive marketplace of professional sports. By successfully mixing high-quality broadcast footage and data-driven personalization, the LA Kings have successfully engaged their “fandom” and boosted loyalty season after season with video.
Adapting to Industry Trends: A Shift to Short-Form Video
One of the challenges in the sports marketing industry is adapting to changing consumer behaviors and preferences. The trend towards shorter, more digestible content formats, particularly among younger audiences including Millenials and Gen Zers. Social media and streaming platforms are driving fans to consume sports content in new ways, creating a demand for quick, engaging highlights and updates.
Video at Scale: Personalizing the Experience for Thousands of Fans
The LA Kings know that short-form, digital video is the way their fans want to consume content, and the organization has embraced video as a powerful tool to foster one-to-one relationships with fans. The organization’s in-house video production team travels with the players to capture high-quality, broadcast footage at every game to produce high-end sizzle reels and recaps.
The ability to customize footage with an enterprise video platform to get it out the door quickly and personalized to thousands of fans has changed the game for this hockey team. By shifting their sports marketing strategy towards personalized engagement at scale, the team has been able to deepen connections with their entire fan base. SundaySky has played a crucial role in scaling these efforts with video and amplifying the team’s brand presence in the competitive Los Angeles marketplace.
Customizing Video Content with CRM Data and SundaySky
The ability to customize video content with CRM data to enhance fan engagement is critical for the LA Kings—especially for their ticket sales and services team—just as they do for personalizing their email marketing, SMS/text communications, and chatbot messaging. The team utilizes SundaySky to personalize video content tailored to individual fans, providing a unique opportunity to engage fans on a personal level, keeping them excited and connected throughout the season and upon season ticket renewal.
Some of the personalized messages include:
- Highlight customer savings
- Showcase different imagery based on ticketholder seats, i.e. showing a newly renovated outdoor terrace to upper concourse guests who have access vs. excluding that imagery to main concourse guests who do not have upper-level access
- Benefits and perks specific to the subscription tier
Season Ticket Renewal Campaign: Personalized Fan Engagement Drives Loyalty
An illustrative example of the LA Kings’ video marketing success is their annual season ticket renewal campaign to secure lasting loyalty. By utilizing SundaySky to create personalized videos customized from CRM data, the team revolutionized its season pass renewal process. Instead of relying on traditional direct mail campaigns, the LA Kings now deliver timely, personalized videos that can be adjusted in real time based on team performance and fan feedback.
The Winning Shots: Driving Engagement, Staying Lean, and Championing Green
Mason Donley, senior vice president of ticket sales, service, and operations at the LA Kings highlighted three major benefits of using SundaySky as part of their sports marketing strategy:
1. Personalized video lifts fan engagement and interactions.
The team measures the success of the season renewal campaign by engagement and interaction with the video. They know that if season pass holders are spending time watching the video and clicking through the dynamic CTA buttons to see their individual benefits, then the likelihood of renewing that season is high. Maximizing revenue from each seat is the ultimate goal.
2. The agility and ease of changing content and adjusting tone keep resources lean.
In a season, the team can fluctuate from the top of their game from just a few poor performances, so business operations need the ability to reflect this message to not come across tone deaf to diehard fans. If the team is entering the All-Star break on a positive high, they need to communicate a message of excitement for the second half of the season as opposed to a damage control message. The ticket sales team has been able to adjust video content in the SundaySky platform within a matter of hours—even after a video is published live—which cannot be achieved with a traditional video production model or through printed materials that go to production six weeks in advance at minimum.
3. Reducing costs and waste hits their green goals.
The LA Kings are champions in prioritizing sustainability and environmental protection. So by reducing printed materials, the business lowers carbon emissions and the associated printing costs.
Setting a New Standard for Customer-Centricity in Sports Marketing
The LA Kings’ success story of driving fan engagement and revenue growth serves as a powerful testament to the impact of video in sports marketing. By embracing personalized video content and adapting to changing industry trends, the team has set a new standard for customer-centricity in the sports marketing industry. We look forward to seeing how the LA Kings continue to lead the way with video to create unforgettable fan experiences and drive long-term loyalty. To learn more about how the team is redefining sports marketing with video, check out the full customer story: LA Kings Showing Love for Fans.
