The WNBA tips off its 2017 season with a focus on digital and social sponsorship activation as the league completes its marketing plans.
“New generations are consuming sports very differently,” WNBA President Lisa Borders said. “We are trying to meet those consumers of the content where they are in the social and digital space.”
Nike will increase social media activity, surrounding players with whom they have deals such as Washington Mystics star Elena Delle Donne, and plans additional promotion for the postseason. Spalding, which used social media to activate around the recent WNBA draft, also will ramp up its digital activation this season.
The WNBA last season made a similar push to increase it social media profile. WNBA.com set a record for traffic, with average monthly unique visitors up 22 percent and video views up 50 percent. The league surpassed 12 million likes and followers across all league, team and player social platforms, up 20 percent from the previous season.
Other sponsorship activation for 2017 includes Verizon, which begins its second season as presenting partner of WNBA Tip-Off and as the marquee partner of the league. As it did last season, Verizon will have sponsorships with 10 of the league’s 12 teams, including putting the company’s logo on team jerseys.
State Farm, which is presenting partner of the WNBA draft, this season will be presenting partner of the WNBA Community Assist Award and will be the halftime sponsor for nationally televised games on ABC and ESPN2.
Pepsi will activate at marquee events throughout the season, including at WNBA All-Star and the league’s Inspiring Women Luncheon. SAP will also activate at WNBA All-Star and Inspiring Women while Kaiser Permanente will host WNBA Fit clinics throughout the season, including one at WNBA All-Star in Seattle. Kaiser Permanente and Harman’s JBL brand will serve as associate partners of WNBA All-Star and Silver Partners of Inspiring Women.
Still to be completed are activation plans from the WNBA’s newest partners, Jack Daniel’s and ExxonMobil. Those plans are expected within a few weeks.
The WNBA this season has also partnered with app developer Sqwad for a new, mobile fantasy game called “My Squad.” Fans can select one WNBA player and earn points based on that player’s total scoring, rebounds and blocks. Fans can redeem their points for WNBA prizes, including WNBAStore.com discounts and WNBA merchandise.
