Athletes and Social Media: the value of Sports Influencers and the new strategic assets of the Club

Paris Saint Germain has more followers in Brazil than in France. Put like this, de-contextualized, it could seem an affirmation as an end in itself. But it isn`t. On the contrary, it perfectly sums up the change. The evolution. The revolution. Almost a move to another country. The transfer of Neymar to Paris has caused a sensation, but that would be enough to justify the investment that the club has made in the player, in a World Cup year, and in view of the one in Qatar in 2022. A targeted strategy, therefore, behind which there is a real global business plan, which has received a huge boost with the purchase of the green-gold ace.

These are the words from Frédéric Longuépée, deputy chief executive of PSG, on the work plan: “We will also be increasingly present in the US to develop the brand internationally, alongside the sports project, to ensure that PSG grows in the world and broadens its fanbase. Moreover, this is an opportunity to allow the brands that follow us to have the players at their disposal”.

Fanbase. Footballers. The new strategic assets of sports companies. But why?

Over the last decade, social media has evolved dramatically, increasing both its presence in our lives, in terms of use, and its direct impact on our culture and economy. The Sports Industry, in particular, is a concrete example of the consequences in terms of business.

“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I can assure them it is much more serious than that.” (Bill Shankly, footballer and coach.)

One aspect of fundamental importance, for these new tools, is the ability to favour the most ancient form of advertising that exists: word of mouth. Likes, reactions, shares: if you like it, it will please others too. So the algorithms reason. And from there, in a sometimes exponential process, the message, the content, becomes viral. I know, without investment in adv things are changing, you’ll be thinking.

But above all, with what goals? I would add.

And from this question comes my belief that, in the scenario that is emerging, the role of the actors evolves. This is where the influencer comes into play. Not who does it by trade, mind you, but the real one. They that have the ability to convey a message, possessing the charm, honesty and credibility necessary to represent the values and ensure truthfulness.

The best medium between company and customer 4.0. Word of Mouth, but much more.

It is in this segment, in fact, that it becomes essential to consider, in the relationship between the new sports media companies and the fan 4.0, the transformation of the figure of the athlete, evolved into player 4.0, and their role — also economic — within the multimedia company. Many years have passed since a footballer, for example, earned little more than a simple employee, and certainly well before social networks did the figure of the athlete as a star enter the collective imagination, with staggering rewards. However, now more than ever, players have such an important economic weight, because, in many cases, they have become real brands, media, thanks to the advanced processes of disintermediation.

Sports Influencers, for definition. New digital touchpoints, for vision.

Capable of attracting people, their data and any other information about themselves. It will no longer be just branding, awareness, the photo with the champion. It will be a structured strategy, by definition.

This is the true evolution.

Because those actors under contract, constantly on stage, and now also behind the scenes and fully exposed, will be for clubs and all brands that invest in sports, a story but, above all, a gate on numbers and profiling.

Thanks to those spectators who are always there, in front of the screen. Physically. Digitally. Virtually. For love, for religion. So, no more likes, reactions and shares. But progressive involvement and personalization. Data and work plans that focus on people.

Everything will be organized for and geared towards the ROI.

Like a Nation, always in Action

“I do not see anyone better than me. No player achieves things that I am not able to do alone. There is no player more complete than me. People have the right to prefer Neymar or Messi. But I insist: there is no one more complete than me. I am the best player in history, for better or for worse”. Cristiano Ronaldo on the pages of ‘France Football’, the day after the conquest of his 5th Ballon d’Or.

Who knows if, when he speaks of completeness, he also thinks about his social numbers. Those around him certainly do. A few years ago, Facebook executives urged Ronaldo’s management to open a Facebook page for him. “It has the potential to reach 10 million followers”, they said. “It`s not possible, that is the population of Portugal “, the answer.

But the page was created nonetheless: so Cristiano, in 2009, made his debut quietly. Within a few months, the 10 million mark had been exceeded and, currently, his fans on the Zuckerberg platform are at about 122 million: Real Madrid itself can`t achieve that, it’s more or less the population of Mexico. But, unlike the latter, with a trait that can be found in each of them: admiration for the white ace.

Doesn`t seem much? Can you imagine what it means on a commercial level? 122 million people with an obvious interest in common. At hand. Indeed, on smartphones.

He is not only a world famous goleador, indispensable for the teams in which he plays, but also one of the most precious athletes in the world with regard to the companies he represents. A value that depends on success on the pitch, the Champions Leagues won with Real Madrid, the European Championship conquered with Portugal. But also, from the successful management of his media that, through a strategy of content organized around his image, has allowed him to be, today, recognizable and venerable as CR7.

Other examples?

The Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player, Lebron James, an NBA star, can count on a following of tens of millions of fans — enough to rival his fellow football players — and one of his tweets is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, golfers Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, Usain Bolt, F1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa, the wrestler John Cena: all these athletes can count on the equivalent of a small nation or an army — armed with smartphones and tablets — on their side.

Brands, Teams and Sport Influencers

Everything is questionable, and even the data must be interpreted. But the idea of a relationship that is increasingly directly proportional, between the popularity of the teams and that of the athletes who are part of it, is clearly illustrated in the latest update from the European Football Club report — which IQUII Sport recently published — containing exclusive data on top European players, as well as on teams:

• ranked first among the most popular clubs on social media — with 187.4 million fans — is Real Madrid with the presence of an unrivalled asset like Ronaldo, which, between Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, brings together no fewer than 302.7 million followers;
• in second place Barcelona — with 182.3 million supporters — who, compared to last year, lost the top spot in the standings — albeit only slightly — despite Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta and Luis Suarez being in the top 10 of the most followed social standings. The reason? Probably the departure of fan idol, Neymar, second in the ranking of top social players, who moved to Paris Saint Germain. Who, instead, recorded a growth of 1.78% compared to a fan base that is currently 48.5 million followers;
• on the third step of the podium Manchester United, with 109.4 million fans and, coincidentally, two recent and very social purchases, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba, respectively eighth and eighteenth in the ranking of the most followed players, and who together, make up almost 100 million followers;
• a curious eighth place in Liverpool. 44.4 million fans of a team that has always enjoyed a very loyal fanbase, but a number of them can be traced back to another very special asset: the coach Jurgen Klopp. Subject of memes and viral videos, the former German footballer with a larger than life temperament receives the consent of many fans.

The way a footballer manages their social image, their ability to engage fans, to resist pressure, to offer the public an image as balanced as possible, but in some cases also pleasant and fun — within certain limits — has become so important that many teams, before engaging a player, evaluate their own reach. Also tracing a psychological profile and with a new dynamic that — in many ways — is an inspiration.

Identifying potential communication targets.

The language used, any scandals — posts of a racist or compromising nature –, the approval of the public, the degree of engagement generated, the type of follower — if excessively linked to the team to which they belong and, therefore, not very monetizable — : everything is being examined by experts and — for better or for worse — makes its weight felt when it comes to choosing.

The importance of athletes as sport influencers is well summarized also by the case of Nike Football. Nike has a Facebook page dedicated to football, perfectly curated in graphics and with a good following — over 45 million fans — but in which posts are not frequently published. Instead of focusing on that page, Nike has sought a more active role on the personal channels of its players. A short video, published on the Instagram account of Cristiano Ronaldo, is seen millions of times. The same applies to those published on the accounts of other Nike footballers, such as Anthony Martial, Joe Hart and Kevin De Bruyne, to name but a few. Charlie Brooks — Vice President of Communications Nike Direct, Retail and Digital — explained:

“Before producing anything, we identify the players who adapt well to the campaign, from the point of view of the game, the personality and the social media perspective. These insights start with our local teams who regularly work with athletes in the field. So, we present our ideas directly to the player. Therefore, we can create tailor-made content for each athlete and discuss when, where and how, we — or they — could publish this content of our campaigns. We also have relationships with players from other brands: this approach allows us to exploit these partnerships while creating mutual value for our brand communities and the communities of our athletes”.

In 2016 the Real Madrid striker signed a record contract — 1 billion dollars — that binds him to the American company for life: the same year the social strategy of Ronaldo yielded Nike 500 million, thanks to the unprecedented reach of the player.

Clubs and Athletes: all brands, all media

In the pre-social media world, in relative terms, even a popular sport like football had often struggled to monetize its fans. Clubs like Manchester United or Real Madrid could already boast millions of supporters or sympathizers around the world: record numbers even at the time, but a large percentage was dependant on TV, being abroad, and had never seen a match live.

An audience that could not visit the company headquarters. Could never enter the locker room, see a game at the Stadium.

They remained simple, albeit large, numbers, and meant very little, given the impossibility of reaching the people behind a following, so to speak, Platonic. Social media has literally overturned this situation, enabling disintermediation. The clubs are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and on other platforms, gaining new followers by the minute, which is not surprising, thus becoming the basis of the new strategy.

Invite them to the show. Repeat it, unpack it, and spread it on platforms, in ever-varying formats and angles. Spend as much time as possible with them. Understand their preferences. Capitalize.

That’s why, as I’ve often written, the fan 4.0 is the centre of everything, and the Sports Industry evolves to make them not just a spectator but a true protagonist and to reach global engagement. That’s why the big European clubs, after years of proclamations, are finally conquering fans in China, India, the United States and Indonesia. Together, 45% of humanity.

And here, then, why clubs organize their own channels, TV 4.0, in a scenario that sees them in direct and constant contact with more and more involved viewers. In order to attract, seduce and fascinate, the players become not only important but fundamental, if they are able to attract, seduce and fascinate in turn, in a context that sees them, for this reason, obliged to become emitters of themselves.

They capture the attention — and therefore the time — of the usual readers of blogs, magazines and other online channels, catalysing it. They no longer need journalists to reach their audience. If they must communicate with followers, they can do it directly.

How?

They have their own team, they control their official channels, they manage their image. They increase the reach daily and earn money directly from the sponsors. Many of these, today more than ever, promote their products by choosing these increasingly vertical accounts, compared to the testimonials and generic and analogue advertising space a few years ago.

Player 4.0, Fan Engagement and Athlete Management

The digital athlete, therefore, changes the models of Sport 4.0. He is a hyper-connected sportsman, a perfectionist who also plays off the field, becoming Player 4.0 for himself and the colours he wears:

• produces content, from changing rooms, on workouts, in private life, in an endless storytelling;
• interacts directly with their fans in a constant dialogue;
• exploits technology, from Virtual Reality to IOT systems, to improve themselves and acquire data that monitors and disseminates;
• and from there, start again: the performances, the news, the polls, the contests.

Data, yes. Information, certainly. But also a lot of psychology.

They entertain the fans, make them feel important, show them their real and charming side. In an exchange that sees them glorified as heroes for their actions on the field, admired as an idol in which to identify themselves in everyday life, they approach the supporters making themselves more human. Involving them. Distances disappear, possibilities increase.

A media, a brand. Which, with the right tools, with a media hub available, can take advantage of their image and start a process of monetization through the data.

Data coming from social media, exchanged in digital touchpoints, in apps, at registration. Data that allows you to get to know your fanbase in more depth, launching loyalty strategies. PlayerXP — the new platform launched by IQUII and dedicated to athletes — is designed to improve the relationship between the player and his fanbase, creating and developing a solid relationship with the community and stimulating interaction. Furthermore, the objective is to improve the data collection process and turn the athlete into a brand. These actions can be developed with the support of functionality, including social updates, bios and statistics, personal events calendars, media centres, sponsors, right up to member areas for access to exclusive content, x-commerce and much more, which give Player 4.0 the opportunity to centralize everything, manage and monetize:

• directly, proposing personalized products and services and through strongly profiled actions. The acquisition of user data, in fact, improves the offer of targeted services in line with the interests and needs of supporters, such as merchandising, ticketing, and purchases in the app;
• indirectly, thanks to a highly profiled user that guarantees partners and sponsors a powerful tool through which to get in touch with the target. In particular, by providing communications and commercial offers to users who may be most interested. Like, for example, sponsorships, advertising and other targeted actions.

For supporters. For fans. With huge benefits for companies.

Because, in fact, precisely on those possibilities, the data do not lie, they increasingly point to and aim at the same clubs, in a management strategically designed and coordinated to make the most of these new assets from the unstoppable flow. The same contracts, I am convinced, will soon include clauses for sharing the content published on the official social pages of the clubs. With mutual benefits:

• more fans will be reached: an audience enlarged by the fans of the player, perhaps depending on a particular language or nation — those of the athlete — or privileged catchment areas: very young, female audience (another hot topic, as we will see);
• more and more precise databases will be structured, collecting and crossing invaluable data on which to base strategies and advertising campaigns, as well as to use as input to improve the fan experience;
• fans will be entertained through the second screen, in moments of maximum emotion and involvement: those in contact — virtually — with their favourites;
• the acquired followers will become loyal and, if the strategy is right, it will be possible to maintain their loyalty even after the collaboration with the player has ended;
• the athletes, in turn, will have commercial skills even after their career has ended.

All this because social media, no longer a novelty, has enabled interactions and shifted the attention. For example, over 82% of the millennial target lives on these platforms with multiple accesses every week. But above all it has allowed us to establish intense and lasting relationships with those who are far away.

With which to work for loyalty, aiming at monetization, thanks to the new televisions (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube).

And to these real and proper nations.