Sports sponsorship is transforming into a sophisticated data-driven industry where digital visibility and real-time metrics determine the commercial value. That’s one of the core messages of this insightful DLD Sports conversation between Christian Teichmann (Hubert Burda Media) and Juan Luis Hortelano, co-founder of the AI-powered analytics platform Blinkfire Analytics.
Years ago, teams routinely gave away social media posts for free simply because nobody tracked what they were worth, Hortelano recalls. “And that’s where we decided to enter. We decided to start measuring.”
Today’s audiences increasingly spread out their attention across streaming platforms, social media, and traditional broadcasts, with fans often consuming game highlights on Instagram while matches play on television. “Especially the younger generations, they don’t watch a match for 90 minutes”, Hortelano says.
To adapt, sports rights holders now monetize entirely new digital assets like viral player posts, turning previously ignored online interactions into millions in revenue, he explains. “A digital asset is, for example, a happy birthday, [Lionel] Messi Instagram post that is worth millions because it has a lot of engagement.”
His company works with sports clubs, other rights holders and sponsors to put a price on these new types of fan engagement, he says, and also provides real-time analytics.
Watch the video to explore this discussion in detail.
