NFL Brand Audit

1. Sydney Boss, Margaret Klein, Kimberly Lavecchia,
Alyssa Baigas, Ryan Oberti, Gehrig Deaver

2. NFL Consumer Research - Survey
● Viewing habits
● Spending habits
● Social media habits
● Perceptions of the NFL
● Perceptions of the NFL’s current
communications
● Effects on brand loyalty
● All respondents were between the ages of
19-29 years
● Majority caucasian
● Degrees varying from HS to bachelors
● Students, part-time, full time
● Various incomes

3. NFL Consumer Research- Survey Results
● Most respondents
○ Watch football at home
○ Do not follow online while watching
○ Do not go to games due to lack of interest or money
○ Are part of family or vocal fan groups
○ Feel fan engagement increases brand loyalty
○ Spent anywhere between $1-299 on team merchandise, if any
○ Spent $1-150 on a game ticket, and are only willing to pay $200 at most

4. NFL Consumer Research- Survey Results
● Most respondents
○ Teams engage with fans via interaction on social media or activities on gameday
○ Would turn off the NFL to watch a prime-time show. Few would turn it off to watch another
sports game
○ Recent interest in the NFL (more or less) has varied
○ NFL communicates best through social media, then TV commercials, then partnerships /
sponsorships
○ NFL communicates lest effectively through print ads
○ NFL’s most successful brand is the Super Bowl / Pro Bowl, followed by NFL Redzone
○ NFL’s least successful brand is their attempt at branding to women

5. Sports and Entertainment Industry
Perceptual Map
Price (High)
Price (Low)
Level of
Engagement
(High)
Level of
Engagement
(Low)

6. NFL’s Positioning Statement
● More than just a football and sports league, but not just a generic
entertainment provider, the National Football League (NFL) is for anyone
who enjoys action and excitement. The NFL is the premier sports league
that transcends race, ethnicity, gender, and age to provide the most
competitive interactive experiences for devoted fans to engage in through
media, gaming, fantasy leagues, and community involvement.

7. Consistent, Progressive Communications
● Various mediums
● Cross- generational
● Exciting experience
● Supports NFL brand and positioning
● Reaches standards of brand and consumers

8. Marketing Activities Attributed to Brand
Growth
● Ability to keep fans engaged
○ Accessible product
○ Fans are a part of the team
○ Embraces social media, experiments with trends
○ Stays fresh, constantly improving
○ Partnerships are key

9. Key Issues
● Protests
● Social Issues, media backlash
● Concussions, health problems
● Domestic violence allegations

10. Recommended Marketing Strategies
1. Social Media
➢ Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube
2. Public Relations
➢ Charities and Social Responsibility Events
3. Make licensing deals with more companies
➢ Nationally and internationally
4. Emotional Storytelling Ads
➢ How the NFL relates to and effects players, coaches, fans, and their families respectively

11. Continuing to Evolve
1. Create divisions of the brand to solve the key issues they are facing
a. Innovative equipment division
b. Healthy Home/ Healthy Life division
2. Utilize VR and emerging technologies
a. Streaming services
b. Immersion experience via NextVR
3. Create single website for Fantasy fanatics to track player stats and points

12. Enhancing the Brand Positioning
● React to concussion concerns, player protests, etc.
● Relaying safety precautions to younger generation so that the league
continues to prosper / get prospects

13. Expanding the Target Audience
● Targeting women and families
○ Moms - to combat health/safety concerns
● Making Sunday Night Football a Tradition
○ Kids becoming interested within the NFL
● New partnerships
○ American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
● New commercials
○ 2017: limited advertising from hard alcohol brands

14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN-oY52jrPU

15. Expanding the Target Audience
● Expanding into the international segment
○ European countries
○ Showing more games in London
● NFL made a $50 million deal with Amazon to show a select number of
Thursday Night Football games

16. Marketing Mix 2017
● Price: Giving back to fans
○ Bring more to the games. Ex) Teams “on tour” at home games & beyond
● Place: Provide all day, all year round experience
○ Open up the stadium to concerts, business seminars and conferences
● Promotion: Sponsorships give away tickets, merchandise, win trips to
certain games
○ Pepsi sweepstakes: one winner gets two tickets to Super Bowl
● Product: Encourage women’s brands to get into action
○ E. & J. Gallo Twin Valley Vineyard: NFL 101 Workshops for Women, paired with wine

17. Other Alternatives
1. Implementing an international team or teams
1. Creating an ethics program for players

18. Future Innovations
● New GoPro protective helmets to prevent head injuries
and allow a first-person view of a play
● Goal line and ball sensors
● Touchscreen on the back of seats
● Last minute ticket club
● College vs NFL game

19. Measuring Success
● Viewership
● Ticket/merchandise sales
● Social media followings / engagement
● Fantasy participation
● Overall connotation / sentiment surrounding the NFL in conversation

20. Questions?