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Nets, Rutgers, Jets and Giants could even be in the game
BY JOE FAVORITO
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
ON N.J. SPORTS MARKETING
It was only a few years ago that Marvel Entertainment caused an uproar among baseball traditionalists by trying to put spider webs on the bases at MLB games as part of their promotion for the first "Spiderman" movie. The backlash caused MLB and Marvel to scale down the promotion and saved the "sanctity of white bases" for the time.
Flash forward to today's more challenged times, where outfield signage and in-game promotions dominate as a way to gain more ROI (return on investment) for partners. And MLB is now one of the leaders in finding ways to integrate unique content and promotions into their games and production, albeit still not on the bases.
So what does Monday's announcement of Disney purchasing Marvel, once a company near bankruptcy but now worth in excess of $4 billion, mean to the sports world? Well, it could make for some interesting promotions and opportunities, given Disney's position with ESPN and other sports-related properties. One reason given for the purchase was Disney's desire to create character platforms and marketing opportunities both for boys and the overall male audience to mirror the platforms they have with current Disney characters for girls and women.
One of the experts in this area is the New Jersey-based head of Wizard Entertainment, Gareb Shamus. Shamus, who has made a life's work out of marketing to men, especially in the action space, sees the potential that the Disney/Marvel relationship could have in sports, and could be a key influencer for ESPN partners with New Jersey ties, including the Nets, Rutgers (through their Big East relationship) and of course the Jets and Giants.
The success Disney had with Pixar, especially the NASCAR-themed Cars platform, gives Disney/Marvel a great entrée into what could be done with a sports platform. After all, to project athletes as real life super heroes, and now have the ability to easily pair them in various forms of media with superheroes that Disney will now own, is a great step forward.
Yes Marvel and DC have done one-off promotions in sports before. But there are limits to what one can do when the images and likeness of the characters are not being marketed by a multi-platform broadcaster and media partner like Disney/ESPN. Now Disney has both real-life and fictional superheroes in their stable to work together with ... a platform to attract and enhance casual viewership and promotions that didn't really exist in one place before.
Will we see Spidey swinging into the ESPN broadcast sometime soon? Maybe, but not probably.
Could you see promotions featuring all the Disney/Marvel characters with their league broadcast partners and the athletes in those leagues? Sure can.
Although it probably wasn't the focus of the merger, the possibilities for full integration of some of the greatest fictional characters into sports and fitness programs, through the platforms of ESPN, can be a very effective offshoot of Monday's announcement, and one that can be a huge revenue driver in brand partnerships, licensing and enhancement of league, team and athlete relations for years to come.
Joe Favorito has over 23 years of strategic communications/marketing, business development and public relations expertise in sports, entertainment, brand building, media training, television, athletic administration and business. Visit him at JoeFavorito.com.
