In-Depth
The Gatekeepers: Geoff Lester
Head of partnerships and business development, StubHub
Over the past few years, StubHub has built brand recognition by signing a critical mass of agreements that recently included the NBA’s first team jersey sponsorship with the Philadelphia 76ers and a deal to become the New York Yankees’ first ticket reseller partner.
Now, the sponsorship strategy is evolving into what StubHub’s Geoff Lester calls the “experience economy.”
 |
| Photo by: JennaBeth Photography |
“We have made a lot of big moves and we have a theory that consumers are more interested in experiences than possessions,” Lester said. “Moments that our customers cherish are the ones they experience live and we play a crucial role. That is the direction where we are headed.”
Tapping into the experiential aspect of a sponsorship means more than using traditional assets such as in-arena signage, media and online presence. Instead, it calls for deeper and more creative integration within a team deal.
Lester points to StubHub’s success with its experiential ticket booths at Staples Center, StubHub Center and Wells Fargo Center.
“We historically have been transactional and now we are part of the experience,” he said. “People have the opportunity to engage with us.”
For StubHub, measuring the results of a specific team sponsorship is straightforward.
 |
StubHub's experiential ticket booth
Photo by: StubHub |
“We have the benefit of e-commerce where we can measure results in real time,” Lester said. “We have seen a dramatic spike in both traffic and conversations once we have the partnerships.”
A key focus for the company is to build the relationship not only with customers buying tickets but also with StubHub partners.
“Historically, we’ve looked at ourselves as disrupters,” Lester said. “That doesn’t always resonate with everyone.
Things that were sacred to us in the past are no longer as sacred. We are more open to working with [partners] in ways it benefits them.”
■ A TREND HE'S WATCHING: “What I am watching from a team perspective is the number of partners. You see some teams scale back and do more with a smaller roster and you see some teams sell a lot of categories to a lot of different people. I’m not sure what the right answer is.”
■ A RECENT PROGRAM/CAMPAIGN THAT WORKED: “We’ve found tremendous results at the Staples Center, the StubHub Center and the Wells Fargo Center with our [fan experience ticket] booths. We have fans lining up for a decent amount of time to have pictures taken and to create a hard ticket while allowing them to share it via social media. It expands our reach beyond the venue to share their experiences. We have seen a ton of engagement in terms of impressions, etc.”
