Danni Santana, Author at Front Office Sports

by Danni Santana

Whistle to Boost Content Distribution While Fans Remain At Home

Mar 30, 2020

Media brand plans to continue shooting and editing new content remotely.
Viewership on YouTube gaming content for Whistle in March is up 33% over last month.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit each sector of the sports industry differently. While leagues and television networks featuring live sports action continue to face headwinds, digital media companies relying on programmed content find themselves on the other end of the spectrum. Whistle, founded in 2014, is one. The network, known formerly as Whistle Sports, offers weekly episodes of 23 different original franchises to 7 million sports fans across its YouTube and social media channels. Most of those shows, which usually […]

Marketing

by Danni Santana

Topgolf Hangs on to Sponsors and Pushes Simulator Game While Awaiting Return

By Danni Santana

Mar 26, 2020

The World Golf Tour game has witnessed a 30% growth in engagement week-over-week.
Sponsors remain supportive, as TopGolf works to push advertisers towards digital assets.

The coronavirus pandemic forced Topgolf to shutter all brick-and-mortar locations around the world in March. The decision was an obvious one, YuChiang Cheng, Topgolf Media’s president, said. Like most businesses, Topgolf is now waiting for the green light from local governments to reopen when the time is right. “We really wanted to do our part,” Cheng said. “I think what’s unique about Topgolf is that it’s a partial outdoor activity, and we do allow for a lot of space in […]

Marketing

by Danni Santana

Nike Fights Growing Coronavirus Outbreak With China Playbook in Hand

By Danni Santana

Mar 24, 2020

Nike reported $10.1 billion in revenue in its fiscal third quarter.
The company’s run of 22 consecutive profitable quarters in China comes to an end, down 4% in Q3.

Nike reported better than anticipated financial results for its fiscal third quarter, amid a global health crisis that stands to negatively impact key company markets in North America and Europe in the coming months. The shoe and apparel maker generated revenue of $10.1 billion for the period starting December 1 and ending February 29, up 7% year-over-year on a currency-neutral basis. However, net income fell 23% to $847 million, primarily resulting from the global coronavirus pandemic. FOS REPORT: 54.5% of […]

Esports

by Danni Santana

NBA 2K League Turns to Fan Tournament While Season is Delayed

By Danni Santana

Mar 24, 2020

Competition will award $25,000 to fans, social influencers, and 2K franchises involved.
NBA is working with 2K on beginning its esport’s season online.

The NBA 2K League was set to tip off its third season on March 24, before delaying play over safety concerns relating to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Now, the esports organization is preparing to host a three-on-three online tournament involving fans, social media influencers, and top 2K gamers this weekend instead. A combined prize pool of $25,000 for Playstation 4 and Xbox One X brackets will be awarded to teams participating in the NBA 2KL Three for All Showdown. FOS […]

Esports

by Danni Santana

NASCAR Leverages Star Racers In Digital Extension Of Season

By Danni Santana

Mar 23, 2020

Pro Invitational Series launches March 22 on FS1, using iRacing’s online simulator.
NASCAR esports league already reaping the benefits from the new fan initiative.

On March 22, NASCAR Cup Series drivers Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and Clint Bowyer were all expected to be featured on FS1 as they raced at Homestead-Miami Speedway. But after the coronavirus pandemic postponed several events, those same drivers will instead be participating in a virtual version of the race broadcast on the cable network in an extension of NASCAR’s esports efforts. The Pro Invitational Series has been two weeks in the making, the product of about a dozen phone […]

Media

by Danni Santana

FloSports Ups Internal Content Production to Combat Lack of Live Games

By Danni Santana

Mar 18, 2020

OTT provider is ramping up existing show production while launching new original programming.
The total number of minutes watched by subscribers increased 11% last week, the company says.

FloSports found itself in a familiar position to many sports content providers last week – scrambling to find new ways to entertain fans after leagues around the world shut down over the coronavirus pandemic. The company’s next marquee event was to be the Milano-San Remo cycling race in Italy, scheduled for March 21. But the one-day event was canceled earlier this month. To make sure it still satisfies cycling fans, FloSports will partner with Zwift – maker of an indoor […]

General

by Danni Santana

Adidas Unscathed by Euro Postponement, Possible Olympics Cancellation

By Danni Santana

Mar 17, 2020

Apparel maker estimated only $55 to $77 million in revenue losses if the coronavirus impacts both events.
European Championships sales already reflected in fourth-quarter financial performance.

This summer’s European Championships became the latest sporting event to fall victim to the coronavirus on Tuesday. UEFA has officially pushed the international soccer tournament back until next summer, following its suspension of the Champions League and Europa League last week due to the pandemic outbreak. While the long-term impact of Coronavirus on Adidas’ business remains unknown, the postponement of the Euros will not be as substantial to financial performance as analysts believe. Much of the sales derived from the […]

Media

by Danni Santana

FuboTV Pivots To News And Entertainment Amid Live Sports Dearth

By Danni Santana

Mar 17, 2020

OTT Cable provider to rely on news and entertainment programming during long sports drought.
The company may also receive rebates from TV networks over canceled sporting events.

What a difference one week has made for FuboTV. As recently as March 9, the multi-channel OTT streaming service was live streaming games from across the NBA, NHL, and several soccer leagues from around the world. That is until sports leagues across the globe began to cease play due to the Coronavirus last week. By Saturday, FuboTV’s live sports offerings were all but down to Liga MX – Mexico’s top-flight soccer competition. A league fixture between C.D. Guadalajara and Monterrey […]

Fan Experience

by Danni Santana

WWE Holds On to WrestleMania Lifeline As Other Pro Leagues Pause

By Danni Santana

Mar 13, 2020

North American ticket sales accounted for 75% of WWE’s live event revenue in 2019, led by WrestleMania.
The company’s upstart rival, AEW, has also not yet canceled any events.

(An earlier version of this story reported that SmackDown live will go on as planned. The show has been moved to Orlando and no audience will be present. ) A majority of North American sports leagues have postponed or outright canceled play this week in response to the coronavirus outbreak, leaving fans with slim pickings compared to a typical mid-March slate of games on television. The NHL, NBA, and MLB are officially on hiatus for at least a few weeks, […]

Marketing

by Danni Santana

Brands Pivot On Marketing Efforts Amid Coronavirus Cancellations

By Danni Santana

Mar 12, 2020

Marketers may choose to remain quiet and absorb losses as COVID-19 response intensifies.
Impact of billions of dollars in media, sponsorship, and fan activation investments remain up in the air.

A global outbreak of Coronavirus has brought much uncertainty to the sports world, and by association the brands that use marquee events to build a rapport with fans. The consensus is the financial impact of COVID-19 will not be known until a future date, but losses due to leagues’ postponement and cancellation of events are already in the billions of dollars – between media rights deals, brand sponsorships, ad buys, and planned on-site activations. FOS REPORT: 54.5% of industry executives […]