Staying on point with marketing

Teams across sports are paying close attention to events in the NFL involving domestic violence, but those willing to speak publicly say they are marketing no differently to their female fan bases as a result.

Still, marketing experts insist that many teams are working assiduously to ensure that all of their standards and procedures deliver the proper messaging given the current climate.

The Capitals are moving forward with programs such as its Scarlet Caps club for women, which now boasts more than 15,000 members. Photo by: Getty Images

“When it comes to marketing to women in general right now in sports, all marketers, brands, teams and leagues are going to have to be extra careful,” said Jason Langwell, senior vice president of sponsorships and events at Intersport.

Based on his conversations with people in the industry, he added, “Teams are going to have to be cautious in not saying or writing anything that will offend or could be construed as offensive. And you’re going to see a lot of extra attention placed on that.”

The NFL’s spate of high-profile incidents involving Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson and others has drawn so much attention that it has become a society-wide spectacle, let alone a hot-button topic in sports.

But despite that attention, or maybe because of it, only four teams out of more than 15 contacted by SportsBusiness Journal — in leagues including MLB, MLS, the NBA and the NHL — agreed to speak on the topic.

Nancy O’Brien, vice president of brand marketing for the Minnesota Twins, said the team generally doesn’t market separately to either men or women, but she added, “It hasn’t influenced [anything]. We believe in what we’re doing in reaching out to a broad base of fans and I don’t see it impacting us.”

The Twins for nearly a decade have sold out a Wine, Women & Baseball pregame hospitality event, where fans get

massages and team-colored manicures, drink wine and meet Twins players’ wives.

These sorts of events have become commonplace in pro sports as executives chase after a segment of fans that makes up at least a third of most major sports leagues in the U.S. and at least a third of their television viewers (see charts below).

So, in light of the NFL’s troubles, the importance of not alienating such an influential part of a team’s fan base has never been more pronounced.

Joe Dupriest, who oversees marketing for the Washington Capitals, Wizards and Mystics as senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Monumental Sports & Entertainment, said, “I can’t say that the recent events have really altered our strategy.”

Dupriest noted that the Capitals have made their female fan base a priority since the club’s female fan club, the Scarlet Caps, was created in the summer of 2008. He added of the events in the NFL, “I would say it definitely makes you evaluate what you’re doing to make sure it’s right, but I think we’re in a pretty good spot if you look at our programs. We’re not going out and creating these programs as a reaction; you want it to be genuine. If you want to reach female fans, it has to be for the right reasons.”

The Capitals’ Scarlet Caps now has more than 15,000 members, and the club’s Hockey ’n Heels night regularly attracts about 250 attendees. The Capitals’ internal data shows that sales of women’s merchandise have grown from 7 percent when the group was launched to 27 percent as of the end of last season.

John Black, vice president of public relations for the Los Angeles Lakers, wrote in an email, “We have not made any changes in our marketing plans in the areas [inquired about]. Our understanding is the NBA is going to be sending teams information regarding any league policy changes or new procedures related to this sometime later this month, and we will, of course, follow their lead on any new policies or changes in existing policies.”

Rebecca Hale, director of public information for the Seattle Mariners, wrote in an email, “The Seattle Mariners are

not planning to change our marketing to women fans based on recent events in the NFL.”

Despite what is being said publicly, marketing experts said they see plenty going on behind the scenes. Any significant misstep could prove to be more costly than ever, they said.

Langwell offered the Portland Thorns, from the National Women’s Soccer League, as an example. When the club was being named in 2013 by its parent organization, the Portland Timbers from MLS, its slogan was unveiled as, “Feeling Thorny?” The tag line sparked an uproar in Portland, where some people accused the club of using sexually provocative language in order to gain attention.

“This occurred during a time when there wasn’t any heightened sensitivity like there is today,” Langwell noted, “and even then, there was a ton of fans complaining.”

He added, “This won’t be a time to be cute or get cute. I think teams are going to approach it with kind of a one-audience mentality.”

Ed Kiernan, president and founding partner at Engine Shop, agreed that teams are likely going to put the kibosh on potentially controversial statements in their marketing — at least in the near future.

“The cheeky comments — that type of inappropriate, backhanded ‘male humor’ — I think those days are over,” Kiernan said. “And I think that’s a good thing. … It’s a major issue in our society and sports that needs to be addressed. It’s unfortunate that it took this to come to the forefront, but hopefully, it will change the way that leagues and teams position themselves.”

Still, the changes won’t be immediate. Kiernan said that most changes likely won’t be seen until the first or second quarters of next year given that it usually takes anywhere from three to six months to take a marketing plan and put it in action.

Adam Stern writes for sister publication SportsBusiness Daily.