When the pandemic started and nations had to introduce lockdowns we all had to stop. Initially it was thought, or rather deluded, that sports could go on smoothly, behind closed doors, without an audience … then it was realized that it was not possible to do it in total safety and so sports also stopped. For the first time in history.

In fact, it was hard to think that contact sports in particular could be safe; in soccer, basketball or rugby, players are constantly touching each other, colliding, sweating; impossible to be able to maintain distance.
In other sports, on the other hand, international travel became a big obstacle; how could you compete in America or Asia when most teams are in Europe? It wasn’t safe; nations had closed borders, introduced quarantines, so stop travel.

Therefore, in the months of lockdown, sports organizations had to rethink and revise all programs and find new solutions. Modified schedules, introduction of safety procedures, revised and implemented regulations, continuous testing to all players and staff, rigid bubbles in which to move.
Everything that was possible to think and do to be able to start playing again, to run, even without an audience, but at least start again, was thought of and done.
MotoGP resumed with an extensively altered calendar, tennis managed to get two Grand Slams played, soccer started again behind closed doors, the London Marathon had only elite runners running and everyone else entered did it on their own around the world. In short, slowly, with a few hiccups, it was back on track, but what lies ahead in the coming months?

It is clear that even the companies that invest in sports will ask themselves the same question.
At a time like this when all live entertainment (movies, theaters, concerts, shows) has practically ceased to exist, we will find ourselves even more than before in front of the screen, at home, on the couch, and live sports will certainly be a welcome and even more sought-after pastime for the public.

Therefore, companies will continue to communicate through sports whose social relevance is obvious, and an even more accurate choice of sports will have to be made.

What sport should I join?

Generally, a number of factors are taken into account when choosing the sport or team to sponsor. The main ones are related to the values of the sponsored discipline, which must be consistent with the sponsor’s brand/product, the popularity of the sport, the target audience to which it relates, the size of the audience and its territorial spread, and… so on and so forth. From now on, however, it will also be necessary to take into account another element that not only flanks those previously mentioned but in some way overpowers them all: the greater or lesser likelihood that the sports event/championship/tournament will be cancelled or not due to contagions.

Will it always be played?

Obviously, it is not possible to guarantee with certainty that competitions, matches and championships will always be played, without interruptions, or postponements or changes to the schedule however, it is clear that there are some sports that have and will have, less likely to be interrupted than others.
These are all those disciplines in which the social distancing of athletes is guaranteed by the very nature of the sporting activity.
Contact sports such as rugby, soccer, basketball, in recent days cycling (see Giro d’Italia), and combat sports in general expose players to continuous physical interactions that potentially promote virus transmission. It will be more difficult to protect the health of those who actively participate in these disciplines than that of, say, tennis players and car or motorcycle drivers.

Food for thought

Both attitudes and activity must be adapted in an emergency situation. Companies that invest in sports need to ask themselves whether they should not look around and move to safer shores, perhaps without disrupting what is already in place but equipping themselves with a safety doughnut that they can possibly leverage if necessary.
It would not be the first time that two entities from different disciplines have coexisted under the umbrella of the same sponsor. Think of Pirelli sponsoring soccer with Inter Milan and F1. Pirelli certainly will not run out of communication topics or automatic event-related visibility.

And then if the resources are not Pirelli’s and a choice has to be made, then perhaps it might be more prudent to move toward sports that represent less “risk.”
Among these the most popular are certainly F1, FormulaE, MotoGP, and Tennis just to name a few that would allow for dialogue and engage international audiences.
In some nations there are other disciplines that are very popular and certainly effective in those territories, among them sailing in the Southern Hemisphere and in the United States or everything related to horses and golf in England and again in the USA. These are clearly some quick examples, and one can certainly go deeper depending on the needs of individual companies.

Sports Testimonials

Sports Testimonials should also be carefully evaluated when deciding how to mitigate pandemic risk. While it is true that the winning athlete is a very important assett for the company, it is also true that you put all your eggs in one basket; if the athlete gets sick and does not participate in the race/game, the company has no alternative.
The risks here are counterbalanced by the ‘explosive communication potential represented by having the winning hero (when winning) who ensures stellar visibility and commercial returns. Think of Jordan, Tiger Woods, Valentino Rossi, Cristiano Ronaldo just to name a few.
The general rule to refer to in our opinion could be this: sponsoring an individual athlete represents a greater risk than sponsoring a team, a team represents a greater risk than sponsoring a league or a championship…. it is then up to the company, and the agency advising its client, to have and evaluate all the necessary information (risks, dangers, opportunities and benefits). Sponsorships should never be gut choices, but informed, informed decisions.

Let’s summarize.

In short, there is no shortage of alternatives and they would give you a chance to reduce the risk of the pandemic completely disrupting the sports-related part of your communication activities.
Keep this in mind, and as far as possible and in this aspect, the coming months should not hold any major surprises for you.
If you would like examples of how two- and four-wheelers could fit your needs, please do not hesitate to contact RTR Sports Marketing at info@rtrsports.com