Verizon's Precision Market Insights division aims to offer a look into sponsorship ROI for sports clubs and venues, with the idea being to help franchises and facilities "learn more about event attendees, connecting the dots between sponsor messages at the game and visits to sponsor locations afterwards," according to Kate Kaye of AD AGE. The Suns tested the service last season, and the Trail Blazers are "considering a partnership with the telecom's insights business," which was created last year. Verizon Precision Market Insights VP Colson Hillier said that the company "sought to attract sports teams and venues as early clients of the service ... because it's difficult to measure accountability of sponsorship messages -- just think of the signs seen along the perimeter of a baseball field or high atop a basketball court." Suns VP/Sales & Activation Dan Costello said that the franchise is "continuing a close relationship with Verizon, getting Precision Market Insights data in real time." Verizon uses location-based data to "keep track of which Verizon Wireless-enabled devices were in a sports arena, or near it, or at a particular fast food restaurant or car dealership." Clients like the Suns then "end up with aggregated data on the types of people who visited a venue and later visited a sponsor's place of business." For example, it "can report which percentage of an audience segment who attended a game then visited a sponsor's burger joint at a particular time on a given day afterwards." Suns VP/Business Planning & Basketball Analytics Zaheer Benjamin said that the franchise "worked with Verizon to measure the effect of sponsorships from advertisers including Jack in the Box during the team's trial last year" (ADAGE.com, 11/8).
