US Sports And Entertainment Venues Seeing Big Demand Jump For Sponsor And Ad Signage

November 7, 2023 by Dave Haynes

A US company that specializes in what it calls sports and entertainment intelligence has some interesting insights and data on why there seems to be a lot of investment these days in digital signage and DOOH screens in sports and entertainment venues.

SponsorUnited, based in Stamford, CT, says there has been a massive influx of advertisers buying stadium signage over the past five years. From a Linkedin post by the company’s CEO:

• Total brands buying stadium signage has jumped 33%;
• Total unique ad placements has increased 61%;
• Average number of signs bought per brand is up 21%;
• Stadiums went from an average of 30.3 to 38.2 brands getting exposure;
• Alcohol, Finance and Auto are the top 3 categories in that order. 5 years ago, Auto was #1.

Founder and CEO Bob Lynch suggests there are a few factors driving this growth:

• Increased Competition: Live events and TV ratings creates a competitive edge in an increasingly cluttered ad environment;
• Digital Integration: Digitally-enhanced signage in multiple leagues, has created more relevant opportunities that can optimize spend;
• Pressure for More and New Value: COVID forced teams to create opportunities in previously sacred areas for brands (e.g. pitchers mound), which has not gone away since fans came back to stadiums;
• General Sponsorship Growth: League sponsorship revenues have outpaced the ad industry in general over the past half-decade (league sponsorship revenues grew 10-20% YoY this year alone) driving more brands into the ecosystem;
• Enhanced Data Analytics: Advances in data analytics allow brands to measure the effectiveness of their signage more accurately, ensuring better ROI and justifying increased investment.

This is, of course, not ALL digital signage. There’s everything from printed vinyl graphics on structures to logos on player uniforms … even referees, I think, in some sports.

But it is indicative of the activity being seen in the sports and entertainment venue sector, in the context of digital signage, for everything from menus at concessions to ad screens in the common areas, like concourses. And as we have seen, a lot of what was analog will go digital over time.