COVID-19 has changed everything for sports sponsorship. But the NRL is back, and I’m optimistic
A global pandemic ground live sports to a halt, and it’s been tough for the industry. 12 to 18 months’ of recovery still lies ahead. But there’s opportunity amongst the chaos, says OMD Create’s Aaron Miller.
About a week into the impact of COVID-19, I was on a call with a long-term client peering into our crystal ball, exhausted. The pressure of the unknown, the shifting narrative and the race for a solution drove what felt like constant scenario planning. It was intense, unlike anything I have ever experienced in my career. A Facebook meme doing the rounds at the time truly summed up the feelings of many: ‘What a year this week has been’.
A couple of months on – and with the NRL returning tonight – a lot has happened in the world of sports and sports sponsorships. We have planned for the worst, reviewed contracts and budgets, had difficult conversations with clients and partners, scenario planned more times than I care to count, and all the while tried to stay positive and find opportunity amongst the chaos.
COVID-19 has highlighted existing fragilities, which has forced experimentation and turbo-charged underlying industry trends. The result is a likely further 12 to 18 months of disruption before we settle into the new norm of sport and sponsorships.
