Snack Gaming

Author: Jodie

  • The key questions ahead of this year’s FIFA Russia 2018 World Cup

    The key questions ahead of this year’s FIFA Russia 2018 World Cup

    With the end of the club football season fast approaching now is the time for publishers, marketers and brands to turn their attention to the impending World Cup.

    The Russian hosting of the tournament is subject to massive scrutiny for various reasons. But even outside of the world’s geopolitical landscape, doping allegations in other sports and the initial bidding process for the awarding of the tournament in the first place, there are still a number of issues to cover.

    Is this a make-or-break tournament for FIFA thanks to recent controversy?

    After Russia comes Qatar and a potential winter World Cup. There is also fresh controversy over the bidding for the following tournament in 2026 between the USA and Morocco. FIFA’s image may get no better for another decade. But it can still get worse. A smooth Russian World Cup could be of vital importance

    How will non-sponsor brands will approach the tournament and how big is the threat of ambush marketing?

    At every major sporting event, ambush marketing is rife. Brands always aim to be part of the discussion, and when it comes to the World Cup, international football is the only issue anyone talks about. Those who are not sponsors will be aiming to steal the spotlight from those who are, and FIFA will have to be on its toes to crack down.

    Is this where live-streaming overtakes linear TV? Or will people continue to watch on their bigger screens?

    Newcomers Amazon, Twitter and Facebook have arrived on the sports rights scene since the last World Cup, and the threat from live-streaming is growing. Just yesterday, Eleven Sports acquired UK and Ireland rights to La Liga. Whilst that’s no threat to the BBC or ITV’s World Cup coverage, plenty of people will be interested in seeing whether a growing number of people will be watching the games on linear TV or on streaming platforms like the broadcasters’ websites or apps. A switch away from linear TV would hint at the disruption to advertising and marketing models for future sporting events (and not just World Cups).

    CEO and founder of Snack Media, Niall Coen and Co-founder of Snack Gaming Rupert Pratt will be available for comment on how the upcoming tournament will have a major effect on the sports industry landscape in the short term as well as in the years to come.

  • How betting companies diversify their offering to retain and reach a new audience

    How betting companies diversify their offering to retain and reach a new audience

    Once a betting company is established with a fan base, things seem to be going good but the next step is to grow. The question is how do betting companies expand their offerings to reach new audiences. Additionally, it is key to retain the current audience by keeping offerings up to date with what they are looking for from a betting company.

    One option to expand the audience is to add some digital fan engagement tools to the site or app to get more individuals involved in the game. You can also do this through quizzes on social media. These tools help to bring excitement back into the game. One way is to include predictors allowing you to capitalise on quick bets. A variety of apps have introduced white-label fantasy sports tools which allow you to bet on what will happen in the next 60 seconds. This keeps users coming back for one-of-a-kind thrills.

    Other ways which increase and build support for betting corporations is through marketing. Often through risky strategies, these campaigns help to build awareness to a wider audience which may not have been on their website before. An example of such would be when Paddy Power took odds on Barack Obama’s presidency ending early or their questionable wording surrounding Floyd Mayweather’s fight with Conor McGregor.

    While these may have offended some people, it brought large numbers to the app and kept it in the forefront of the public eye so when big events came up Paddy Power was their number one choice due to quick recollection from previous campaigns. 

    With the Cheltenham Festival currently taking place, companies are running a variety of advertising campaigns to attract them to their odds. Whether these are in article ads, social media or videos, organisations are working hard to build awareness. Cheltenham Festival is one the biggest racing events in the United Kingdom.

    When sporting events are held betting corporations see a spike in new sign-ups and higher use of engagement tools on their apps. This shows that it is imperative that betting companies get it right when a big event is on as they have the ability to monetise new sign-ups and advertising to boost revenue.  

     

  • Why the 2018 World Cup will be the most digitally focused tournament

    Why the 2018 World Cup will be the most digitally focused tournament

    Since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, sports content creation, digital fan engagement and the world of sports has taken a large step in terms of the way broadcasters can disseminate their coverage. The age of simply watching a football match, or any sport for that matter, on the television is a thing of the past. Fans can watch their countries compete in the tournament through their television provider’s streaming website, social media, Youtube, Hulu, or even in some cases virtual reality.

    With a range of selections available for fans to experience the 2018 World Cup, there is no denying that this year’s tournament will be very heavily focused on the digital aspect. Most fans of the sport have already become accustomed to having their favourite sporting events have a digital factor. However, this should generally be the first experience for fans of the World Cup because of it only occurs every four years.

    According to FIFA.com, the 2014 World Cup had more than one billion people tune in for the final between Argentina and Germany. Over the course of the tournament, it was estimated that 280 million people watched matches on their mobile device or online. We can expect this figure to only increase for the 2018 World Cup with so many options available for fans.

    Of course, this increase in viewership options allows sponsors and sports digital publishers to intervene across all platforms. In the United States, the main broadcaster for the 2018 World Cup is Fox Sports. The company has partnered with Twitter and Snap to stream live coverage of stories and match-day highlights. A partnership like this only adds to potential revenue for Fox as they broadcast the tournament. Of course, they will receive plenty of revenue via their normal broadcasts on the television.

    As the tournament draws nearer, we should expect to see more deals like this for various broadcasters across the world. The focus on digital broadcasting will be one of the more intriguing “behind the scenes” stories of the 2018 World Cup because it could serve as a massive step into the future of sports broadcasting and can have a huge effect on sports digital media. The average sports fan has moved past the idea that they have to watch their favourite team or sport on a television at their house with advertisements shown only at halftime. They care more about simply being able to watch it, regardless of their location. This group of people is OK with paying for streaming services with short advertisements during the actual program.

  • Fantasy sports is seeing unprecedented growth

    Fantasy sports is seeing unprecedented growth

    Fantasy sports games have seen a large increase in popularity over the past few years despite being around for quite some time. Of course, the most popular option for fans of the sport in the UK is fantasy football with a focus in the English Premier League. Fans of the various Premier League clubs or just football, in general, can create their own fantasy league with up to 16 people, with most leagues capping at eight members.

    Players can create their teams via the draft option or create their squads on a budget (£100 million for 15 players). Regardless of the way you select your squad, websites that focus on creating fantasy sports games content use digital fan engagement tools to make the selection process easier.

    The use of the digital fan engagement tools really serves as the backbone of the entire fantasy football experience. There is so much that goes into the entire process of creating the content. These tools include:

    • Selecting any formation in football, with the only requirements being
      • 1 GK, at least 3 DEF, and at least 1 forward
    • Changing your team name, captain, kit, or the team you support in real life
    • Applying the bench boost and triple captain chips to your starting squad
    • Use the transfer market
    • Updating player data and statistics

    General players may take all of these tools for granted, but they are not created overnight. It is reported that more than 4,000,000 people play Fantasy Premier League, making it one of the largest fantasy sports platforms in the world. Due to its large fan base, it’s incredibly important for fantasy sports agencies like Snack Gaming to ensure their white label digital fan engagement tools are perfect and lead to increase engagement and website traffic. The company focuses on creating football quizzes, fantasy football squad selectors, match predictors, and other features.  

    In addition to the companies that work on creating the easy tools for fans to use while building their squads, there are also fantasy sports websites that compile some of the most important information for all players of fantasy sports. Rotoworld, considered by many the largest fantasy sports news website, is an outlet that compiles news across all of the major sports of the world and is used heavily by the Premier League.

  • Sky continues to control Premier League Broadcasting Rights

    Sky continues to control Premier League Broadcasting Rights

    Early this week Rupert Pratt, Snack Gaming Co-Founder wrote a post on his prediction for the forthcoming Premier League rights war. Yesterday, the association announced that telecommunications giant Sky would retain a majority of the broadcasting rights to the English Premier League continuing through 2022. The league splits their broadcasting rights into seven different packages. Sky successfully landed four of the seven packages offered for a total value of £4.464, £5.09, and £6.22 billion over the course of the three years.

    Sky Sports gained possession of the following packages:

    • B- This package contains 32 matches kicking off at 17:30 on Saturday
    • C- Contains 24 matches kicking off at 14:00 on Sunday and 8 matches kicking off at 19:45 on Saturday
    • D- Contains 32 matches kicking off at 16:30 on Sunday
    • E- Contains 24 matches kicking off at either 20:00 on Monday or 19:30-20:00 on Friday and 8 matches kicking off at 14:00 on Sunday

    These packages total to 128 games throughout the Premier League season. Securing the deal will allow Sky customers every first-pick weekend match and Saturday evening fixtures, a time slot Sky has never owned. The media company will pay £1.193 billion per year over the course of the deal. While this actual figure is larger than the current tab that Sky pays for the rights, it is a 16 percent reduction per game. This reduction certainly creates an interesting situation when looking at the broadcasting rights war for the Premier League. Premier League viewership has seen a decline in the past few years, so it’s interesting to see the bidding war still seem so competitive.

    BT Sport, the main competitor of Sky, purchased package A for a total of £295 million per season. The company lost its current 17:30 Saturday matches and 10 games per season. However, like Sky, it’s outlay per match increased from £7.60 million to £9.2 million.  The details of the package are:

    • 32 matches kicking off at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday

    BT Sports’ parent company, telco BT, did not seem fazed with losing some of their rights. The company pushed to remind their audience that BT and Sky reached a deal back in December that will make all their channels available on each other’s platforms. Any customer of BT TV can sign up for all content on Sky’s Now TV, which includes Sky Sports stations. This service is expected to be available in early 2019, which is when these new deals will go into effect.

    Two packages still remain available for television providers, F and G. These packages include:

    • F- All 20 matches from one Bank Holiday and one-midweek fixture
    • G- All 20 matches from two-midweek fixtures

    Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore said, “we will now continue the sales process to deliver the best possible outcome for the remaining packages of rights in the UK and throughout the rest of the world.”

  • Why sports blogs should implement fan engagement tools

    Why sports blogs should implement fan engagement tools

    With the expansion of the internet, there are thousands of blogs on every conceivable subject and this breadth is especially wide in the realm of sports. Individuals who create sports content are now looking to diversify their offering. Often high-profile blogs partner with sports digital agencies like Snack Gaming to increase traffic, revenue and produce content which is attractive. One way to achieve this through fan engagement tools.

    When implemented well, fan engagement tools can increase interaction and time spent on a site. There are a variety of tools on the market. These include voting articles, opinion polls, fantasy tools, predictors and countdown timers to name a few. To get the chance to engage with the content and cast your opinion provides many readers with a reason to revisit. It also helps drive content creation making sure it is in line with what the fans want.

    Other tools include news tickers which allow a blog to have a breaking sports headline scrolling along the bottom of the page as readers are browsing the content. With this, the blog not only acts as a breaking news source but it also creates a forward-thinking and creative atmosphere for your site.

    Relating to the latest of social media can increase traffic as it integrates sports and pop culture. Meme generators help keep posts entertaining by captioning popular memes to fit your subject or taking a snapshot from a sporting event and turning it into a comedy or skills GIF. Additionally, quizzes can increase a following as people encourage their friends to visit the site in order to take part in a competition. These recommendations can be turned into followers which further extends the reach and traffic.

    For a blog, fan engagement is the key to a large followership and boosted website traffic. Getting fans to the website is one thing, but retaining them is the most important and this can be done by keeping the blog interactive and fun using the aforementioned tools.

  • SEO 2018 ground rules

    SEO 2018 ground rules

    Content, tools and strategies used online are evolving at a rapid pace. One of, if not the most competitive is search engine optimisation (SEO). Lately, there has been substantial developments and updates in new types of technology to share content on for audience engagement as well as changes to algorithms and techniques. This has led to new SEO ground rules. Each of these developments is creating different ways to win real estate at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs). Companies are having to discover, predict and learn new trends which if implemented correctly will result in a successful digital future for your company.

     

    Voice Search Technology

    At the back of 2017, we saw a steep increase in the rise of voice search technology. Over the Christmas period, smart speakers were one of the most purchased gifts with sales of the technology rising to new levels. As new models are introduced in 2018, we should expect further increases in products such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home. This technology is changing the way we communicate and process information. As a result, Voice search technology will be one of the biggest opportunities of 2018.

    Companies will need to examine their search SEO strategy and shift elements so that they work with new technology innovations like voice queries. One way to implement this is through long-tail search keyword which matches your natural language which individuals will use in conversation. However, companies plan to update their SEO strategy one this is important and that is to integrate voice technology as this provides corporations with access to a growing market that connects the brand with a user in a unique and useful way.

     

    Video and Image search

    As we stated throughout 2017, viewers consumption of content is becoming more visual and we don’t see this slowing down in 2018. Videos and images are allowing users to engage in a creative way which is providing individuals with a user-friendly experience. Companies such as Pinterest and Google have recognised the significance visual searches now hold in the industry and as a result, are promoting the need for businesses to optimise their content for SEO purposes. Images and Video are differentiating the market. In an already saturated SEO market, it is difficult for companies to get the SERP they desire. With the ability to create demanding, creative content which is SEO – it will no doubt help increase your ranking. Therefore visuals and videos will be ones of the biggest developments in 2018 as tech companies look beyond text to explore changing search habits.

     

    Link Building

    In 2018 it will be more important than ever to create a strategy when link building. Organisations need to look at the long-term aim when using this concept so new links used to add value and contribute to your sites organic search rankings. When looking at backlinks, once upon a time companies would link to most popular sites to add value. Now more than ever it’s paramount you link to content which is relevant and will enrich your articles so your target audience returns to your site. One element in which we see developing in 2018 as a result of link building is the ability to build successful relationships that help prosper market position. It is integral that brands are careful when link building so that a brand reputation does not become questionable. Instead, organisations need to build an integrated strategy which results in positive results when monitoring search rankings.

  • The year ahead in Politics Sport

    The year ahead in Politics Sport

    No doubt the 2018 agenda will be dominated by two main events The FIFA World Cup in Russia and the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Two of the world’s most powerful governing bodies and biggest events, trying to put controversial pasts behind them with events hosted in controversial regions. Interestingly a major event is a global economic, marketing and political platform for any host nation, stimulating culture, commerce and tourism; so, it will be interesting to see how these two play out. The IOC is off to a good start and will be delighted with South Korea’s diplomatic peace offering to the North as this demonstrates ‘the power of The Olympics’. But much has been said about both these events and the one thing that never fails to deliver is the actual sport itself. I doubt many watching The World Cup will be debating the political infrastructure of Russia (but who knows what might unfold).

    However, there is plenty going on as Austen Donnellan of Bray Leino points out ‘Will 2018 finally become the year when the tipping point is reached on women’s sport, be it coverage, sponsorship investment, viewing figures or attendances?’ The Women’s Hockey World Cup in London in July and the Women’s World Twenty20 in the West Indies in November are but two highlights where UK success will raise the profile even further.

    The Women’s sport debate is a good one, as it has many agenda’s. Fantastically positive on the pitch but more complex commercially.

    Hopefully, this will be the year that commercial support for the women’s game continues and more brands buy into the power of sport and its ability to engage fans into loyal consumers (it’s not about eyeballs – it’s about who you’re talking to, their influence and purchasing power).

    Also, will this be the year that the FANGs (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google) get their teeth into Premier League Rights?  

    With the Premier League ‘Audio and Visual’ (that’s what we used to call ‘content’) rights up for tender, the big question is will the FANG’s make a major play. Again, much has been said about this – any commercial tender needs competitive tension so regardless of their intentions just their presence is enough to keep price increasing. They’ve been around for a while and are now in a position to do whatever they want.

    Will Amazon (my front-runner) pay out big and disrupt the sport like Sky did? I don’t think so, but I’m pretty sure they will do something. Therefore the football bubble continues to get bigger and 2018 will be the start of a new era of sport as we know it.

    Rupert Pratt is Co-Founder of Snack-Gaming.com and consultant to Snack-Media

  • Top sport activations that have helped raise brand partnership awareness

    Top sport activations that have helped raise brand partnership awareness

    As part of corporations sponsoring sports teams and associations they also gain the rights to use a range of elements the companies own. One of the best ways to get the highest use out of these is through sponsorship activation campaigns. These are tactical activities that help to exploit marketing rights to the fullest and result in high consumer reach and engagement.

    Many organisations have taken advantage of this marketing and fan engagement tool. Here is a list of some of the top activations which not only gained significant reach but also raised the image and platform of these sponsors and clubs.

    Samsung Slider

    Samsung has been a key technology partner as the RFU and England Rugby team’s consumer electronics, smartphone partner and official home technology partner for the last three years. As part of this, Samsung aimed to enhance the passion of consumers in meaningful ways to innovate technology. To reach this aim the corporation launched the Samsung Slider to bring fans closer to the action.

    Not only was Samsung building awareness to their brand they also worked to bridge the gap between the mainstream audience and the HSBC London Sevens which is a relative niche sporting event. As a way to maximise reach, the targeted campaign worked with a range of YouTube Influencers as well as tech media to help showcase the activation through organic content distribution. There was also a consumer competition which ran as part of the campaign called ‘Stop the Slider. Giving members of the public a chance to experience a game of Rugby Sevens and a seat on the slider. The activation was a hit with over 12 million impressions being generated online and 2.3 million total content views.

    Hyundai: Football Heaven Dome

    In 2016 Hyundai produced an activation for football fans to experience the UEFA EURO 2016. The final product created one of the best football atmospheres this side of the channel. For the 30 days the tournament run for during June and July, the Hyundai FanDome provided fans with a one of a kind experience to watch the EURO’s in central London. With the use of a range of technological innovations which made the experience multisensory, it offered fans a way to get involved in a variety of activities whilst watching the matches. With 4-metre high screens which provided a 360 Degree view platform within – the dome developed into a fan extravaganza and the perfect place to watch and build competitive spirit for your countries team. This activation attracted thousands of visitors and influencers which included Vinnie Jones and YouTube stars.

    Europcar Cup

    To activate their sponsorship of Arsenal Football Club, Europcar worked with Snack Media to develop a multi-platform digital media campaign. Through the use of social media platforms and the rights to the pitch – the Europcar Cup was developed. Fans and followers entered video clips of themselves playing football, this lead on to trials and a final Football FanCast team to face YouTube influencer team Hashtag United at the Emirates Stadium. Coverage went out via a variety of Arsenal influencers as well as a full game video being shown on Hashtag United and Spencer FC YouTube channels to help raise awareness. Video content received more than 800,000 views with a campaign reach of over 6.7 Million. This campaign helped raise brand awareness and consumer engagement to reflect Europcar’s leading market position and their sponsorship as Arsenal’s official car and van rental partner.

    NFL on Regent Street

    The award-winning NFL on Regent Street returned once again this year on one of London’s busiest shopping streets for a day-long celebration of American Football. Attracting thousands of supporters from all around the UK and Europe this activation is used to help build awareness for the International Series. Fan highlights included seeing the players and coaches on stage, interviews with NFL legends, musical acts and performances by team cheerleaders. Other activities included the NFL Lab which helped build fan involvement. Here you were able to discover how you measured up against a professional American Football player through seeing how well you could throw the ball or kick a field goal. The NFL on Regent Street is a perfect example of a corporation running an activation campaign successfully. Not only has this managed to become an event synonymous with the lead up to the NFL International Series it has helped to build the awareness of American Football in the UK and Worldwide.

    It’s vitally important companies take full advantage of the rights they gain from sponsoring sports organisations. Not only does it alert a potentially new demographic of your partnership with the club/association but it also boosts their position in their native market.

  • Does an easy route for England in the World Cup 2018 equal a great opportunity for domestic sponsors

    Does an easy route for England in the World Cup 2018 equal a great opportunity for domestic sponsors

    The World Cup Draw revealed not just a great opportunity for the England team to progress to the hallowed knockout stages, but also for domestic sponsors to capitalise on their good fortune. A tricky route through to the last 16 can understandably spark hesitation for brands looking to base marketing activity around England, but this time the conditions look right for some big spending on media.

    When it was revealed that England would be taking on Tunisia, Belgium and firm underdogs Panama come June, marketers planning to jump on the England bandwagon may well have breathed a sigh of relief. The chances of a repeat of 2014’s Group Stage exit looks slim: now comes the opportunity to ride the wave of enthusiasm from fans (hopefully) enjoying some good early results.

    In a survey of 1,800 football fans from Snack Media’s network of 25m+ to find out how supporters will consume the 2018 World Cup, the results revealed unsurprisingly that less than 5% of fans will be making the trip to Russia to watch the action. Where England fans will be watching in great numbers is at home on TV: with 85% of those polled stating that they will be tuning in on the box, live TV is clearly still the main viewing destination.

    On that basis, traditional TV advertising will be key – great news for ITV! But it also means that second-screen social media consumption will be crucial too, and this presents a major opportunity for marketers to create connections with fans in real time. With just 16% planning to watch in the pub, it follows that the main companion for those tuning in will not be their mates: instead, it will most likely be their second-screen social media.

    Even when England do inevitably crumble, for marketers looking to tap into some domestic sentiment around the World Cup there will always be that most English of favourites: the underdog. In fact, more than half of those surveyed said they will switch to supporting the underdog if the Three Lions tumble out.

    All the ingredients are there for a successful World Cup in the marketing stakes, from both official and unofficial sponsors. All that’s left now is to pray that Gareth Southgate’s men can do the job!

    To find out more about World Cup sponsor and advertising opportunities, please contact calum@snack-media.com or rupert@snack-media.com