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Coronavirus and Sports

Agencies Try To Strike Right Balance For Brands, Athletes Amid Pandemic

Excel athletes DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Drummond competed in ESPN's "NBA 2K" tournamentNBA 2K

A delicate balance exists at present -- for brands, athletes and the agencies that represent them -- between monetizing on the increased relevance of digital media created by the coronavirus pandemic and remaining mindful of the crisis which has negatively impacted so many. As Excel Sports Management Chief Business Officer Emilio Collins put it to THE DAILY: “Athletes have giant platforms and can be incredibly helpful. A lot of the examples we’re seeing -- whether it’s on the athlete side or the brand-consulting business -- really all starts from that tenor of how can we be helpful to communities in need?” Excel VP Matt Davis noted brands are “being active, but they’re also being conscious.” Davis: “They have got to be conscious to what’s going on in the world, and I think we’re doing a good job of making sure that we’re really only engaging and doing partnerships if there is a charity component to it, because we can’t lose track that we’re in a pandemic right now and that we need to get this thing back and running. Sports brings everybody together.” Davis noted the pandemic “blindsided everybody,” and while he acknowledged that it depends on what impact the virus has had on a particular brand’s business, he also said those that have the financial means are “open to looking at creative ways to activate” digitally. He said, “I can’t tell you how many different calls I’m on a day where people are asking me, ‘What are your suggestions? How do you think we should activate?'"

ESPORTS SPOTLIGHT: During the indefinite hiatus of almost all live sports, Excel, its athletes and the brands it consults have committed to increased engagement in esports, believing that tech and gaming is where exposure can be maximized during this time. Collins said, “It is a moment where there is not a lot of great alternatives; certainly a lot more eyeballs are going to be on their platforms and a time where athletes certainly have a lot more time on their hands to be able to create a broader story.” He added, “The vast majority of our athlete deals in the last month have been all around gaming, one form or another.” This commitment to monetizing in esports is one Davis expects to stick around long after COVID-19: “If athletes use this time during this pandemic to create a Twitch channel, create a Facebook channel, create viewership, there’s going to be a big opportunity for these athletes long term, especially from a brand standpoint." Davis also noted esports could have an impact on the future of live, traditional sports. “If sports start in a month or two but there’s no fans, you’re going to rely on digital media again,” he said. Davis: “Is it virtual reality? What is it that’s going to connect fans that can’t go to live sporting events?”

DEAL MAKING: Collins does not believe that it is necessarily about making money in this climate so much as it is about doing the right thing and positioning oneself well for the other side of the crisis. Still, he indicated that brands can advance their business interests during this time. For example, one of Excel’s clients, the Celtics, are partners with Vistaprint, a company that is very much reliant on the success of small businesses. On Thursday evening, the Celtics' Shamrock Foundation launched the "Food For Heroes" campaign in partnership with Vistaprint, an eight-week community initiative aimed at supporting local restaurants, while showing appreciation for front-line workers throughout New England. Collins said of the initiative, "That is doing good but it’s also doing the right thing for their businesses.” Among other deals Excel has been involved in: Securing a partnership between American esports franchise NRG and online eyewear marketplace Zenni across the team’s streamers for “Apex” and “Valorant,” Riot Games’ yet to be released first-person shooter.

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