Menu
Marketing and Sponsorship

Top Rank Signs Deal With Sony For PS4 To Sponsor Upcoming Marquee Fights

Fight promoter Top Rank has signed Sony PlayStation to a wide-ranging sponsorship that will give the PS4 brand prominent placement in the upcoming Timothy Bradley-Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto-Sergio Martinez PPVs, as well as an HBO card headlined by Juan Manuel Marquez-Mike Alvarado. There also will be a presence across Top Rank’s website and in fights airing on Spanish-language television. Though neither Top Rank nor Sony Computer Entertainment America would disclose financials, the breadth and volume of assets included in the deal for fights of that level typically would exceed $1M and could approach $2M. The sponsorship, which kicks off during the lead-up to Saturday’s Pacquiao-Bradley fight in Las Vegas and runs through Top Rank events in April, May and June, includes:

* The PS4 logo on the ring mat for all three major fights, either in all four corners or at center ring. PS4 also will be on the lighting trusses atop the ring and on video boards in the arenas, as well as on broadcast features such as "tale-of-the tape" on all but the HBO card.
* Sony PlayStation trailers to run during both PPV telecasts, expected to air in more than 130 countries.
* Three 60-second spots on all live cards aired during the weekly “Solo Boxeo” show on UniMas.
* Banners and pre-roll on the TopRank.com video player and a website takeover during the lead-up to each major fight, as well as social media integration at all three fights.
* VIP floor seating for all three major fights.

Marquez fights Alvarado at the recently-renovated Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on May 17. Cotto fights Martinez at MSG on June 7.

IMPORTANT TO ADD RECOGNIZABLE BRAND: Top Rank Exec VP Lucia McKelvey, pointing to the importance of adding a recognizable brand in a high-profile category, said, “We need and value strong tier-1 brand alignment.” McKelvey: “What started out as a cold call ended up an incredible win for the boxing industry.” The deal was born of a January call from McKelvey to PlayStation Senior VP/Brand Marketing Guy Longworth. McKelvey connected with Longworth through LinkedIn, then set up a call to pitch him on the merits of boxing as a means to target young Hispanic males both inside and outside of the U.S. McKelvey and Top Rank President Todd DuBoef met with PlayStation execs in S.F., then brought Longworth to L.A. for the press conference to kick off the Cotto-Martinez media tour in March. McKelvey presented a package that would give PS4 a large presence across Top Rank’s biggest events in a short span of time, allowing the brand to test the sport and measure results. "They love that we’re reaching the demos we reach and that it’s not saturated,” McKelvey said. “Along with the reach we offer here in the U.S., we get them into Mexico and Latin America. It’s a great brand play for them.”

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2014/04/07/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/PlayStation.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2014/04/07/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/PlayStation.aspx

CLOSE