Social Media Marketing for Rugby 7s Assignment Sample

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Developing a digital marketing plan for a new professional sports league is a special challenge, and one that is highlighted by the Premier Rugby 7s case study. Rugby 7s is a very young sport, having just made its debut as the newest professional sport in the United States. According to Perkinson, (2020) Introducing a new sport to the public and appealing to a "new generation" of sports fans gives a unique opportunity for marketing experts. The history of Rugby 7s, the present situation of the sports market, and the unique marketing challenges encountered by Premier Rugby 7s will all be discussed below. In Rugby 7s, each team consists of seven players rather than the fifteen in the original rugby union. It organises exciting, high-scoring play that puts the players' athleticism and talent on display. Rugby has a lengthy history in many parts of the world, but Rugby 7s as a separate format only appeared in the late 19th century. It rose worldwide, but especially in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and South Africa.

Participation in major events like the Olympics helped bring the sport to the attention of a wider public. In order to be successful in today's digital environment, Premier Rugby 7s must adopt new media trends. Social media, live streaming, and mobile apps are all great ways to connect with audience. Creating interesting information and expanding one's knowledge will draw in followers and keep them intrigued. Premier Rugby 7s needs to adopt new media preferences in order to effectively reach the target audience (Jacobs, Wendry, & Nocivelli, 2022). Connecting with followers in this way necessitates the use of social media, online streaming, and mobile apps. Having interesting things to read and do can help gain followers and keep them interested. According to the new clique, rugby is an original sport. Motivating and informative postings like movies, photographs, and stories are shared to spread the word. Supporters are urged to get in on the action by sharing their views and opinions or by using trending hash tags (Wang, et.al 2021). Supporters can become involved and have a sense of belonging to the movement this way. Promoting a new sport to people who are already invested in another sport is difficult.

Premier Rugby 7s must grab attention and generate excitement for the sport. For this, cutting-edge methods of advertising are required to raise the sport's profile and inform potential spectators about its distinctive attributes. Our plan's first component will be on classifying and thinking about the Premier Rugby 7s audience. Identifying the demographics preferences, and behaviours of the "new generation" of sports fans requires performing market research and segmentation (Kahiya, Ashill, & Perkinson, 2022). By foreseeing this demographics' income, media preferences, and creative sources, we can focus our advertising efforts where they will do the most good. In addition, Premier Rugby 7s needs to differentiate them from competing sports leagues. The league needs to identify what sets it distinct from other sports programmes and promote that.

1. An overview of digital marketing strategy

Sports for everyone created and implemented specialised initiatives for female athletes. Training, funding, and encouragement for female athletes across a variety of sports are all priorities for these initiatives (Evans, Agergaard & Lenneis, 2022). The problems and social marketing challenges in sports, as well as an examination of the steps taken to address these challenges by a sports organisation, constitute one of the most crucial aspects. As an illustration, we can look at the initiatives taken by sports organisations to promote women's empowerment and equal rights through women's sports. A sport for all has been selected as the winning sports organisation. It must encourage equal rights for women and allow them to participate in sports. Women's sports have been found to receive fewer resources and opportunities than men's. According to Finekaso & Treharne, 2019 an all-inclusive woman's sports programme was established to address this societal issue. This group was formed to advance the status of women in sports, both in terms of participation and leadership (as cited by Funk, Alexandris, & McDonald, 2022). The organisation took the following step:

Sports for All developed and launched a number of initiatives catering specifically to female athletes. These initiatives encouraged female athletes in a variety of sports and provided them with training, resources, and support.

1. Promotion of Women's Sports Events: The organization energetically promoted and organized women's sports events to showcase the talents and successes of female athletes (Guolla, 2020). These events received equal courtesy and coverage as men's sports events, pointing to challenge the existing gender biases and stereotypes in sports.

2. Collaboration with Women's Sports: Organizations: Sports for All collaborated with present women's sports organizations and advocacy groups to increase their efforts. By partnering with these organizations, they could influence their expertise, networks, and incomes to further advance gender equality in sports (LaVoi, & Baeth, 2018).

3. Investment in Facilities and Infrastructure: The sports organization recognized the importance of providing equal services and infrastructure for women's sports. They invested in developing and growing training facilities, playing fields, and locker rooms specifically dedicated to women's sports.

4. Mentorship and Leadership Programs: Sports for All applied mentorship and leadership programs to nurture young female athletes and provide them with guidance and role models. They organized workshops, seminars, and mentorship initiatives to grow their skills, confidence, and leadership capabilities.

5. Promoting Gender Diversity in Sports Administration: The organization actively promoted gender variety in sports administration by encouraging the inclusion of women in decision-making roles. They advocated for equal representation and opportunities for women in coaching, management, and sports organisation governing bodies (as cited by Liebenberg, 2018).

6. Public Awareness Campaigns: Sports for all launched public awareness campaigns to educate the public about the importance of gender equality in sports. They used various media platforms, including social media, television, and print media, to increase consciousness, challenge stereotypes, and promote inclusive attitudes towards women in sports.

Via these actions, sports for all pointed to address the social issue of gender difference in sports and empower women in the field. They sought to create a more comprehensive and impartial sporting environment by providing equal opportunities, support, and resources.

Why is this action being taken?

Premier Rugby 7s is well aware of the commercial opportunities presented by appealing to the so-called "new generation" of sports enthusiasts. This dedicated audience is actively seeking up-to-date and innovative information. Premier Rugby 7s is hell-bent on standing out in a crowded sports market and capturing its target demographic. The league's emphasis on the exciting and fast-paced Rugby 7s format is an attempt to attract a fan base that isn't typically interested in rugby. This method of advertising distinguishes Premier Rugby 7s from more traditional leagues and makes it more appealing to sports fans that are looking for something new.

Premier Rugby 7s will use digital marketing methods aimed at the "new generation" of sports enthusiasts to attract sponsors and investors. Successful organisations have well-thought-out marketing strategies that help them find new audiences and reach out to existing ones. Premier Rugby 7s aims to increase its online awareness and give fans opportunities to actively connect with the league by developing interesting content and harnessing new media trends.

Gaining a devoted following is easier if you know who you're trying to reach and give them ways to do so. An engaged fan base, fruitful marketing alliances, and experimental revenue streams all contribute to the digital marketing strategy's overarching objective of ensuring sustainable success and profitability.

Premier Rugby 7s aspires to become a long-term professional sports league by cultivating a dedicated fan base, developing fruitful commercial partnerships, and seeking out novel sources of income (as cited by Runswick, 2022). This action is being implemented to ensure the sustained well-being and financial success of the organisation in the future.

Premier Rugby 7s's current course of action is a strategic response to market trends, the necessity for differentiation, the goal of appealing assets and sponsorship, the need to enhance fan appointment, and the aspiration for long-term development and sustainability. Premier Rugby 7s aspires to establish itself as an engaging and alluring sports league by targeting the "new generation" of sports fans and implementing a thorough digital marketing plan, which will have a beneficial effect on the league's credibility, popularity, and bottom line.

What motivates the sport(s) to engage with this issue?

1. Social Responsibility: Numerous sports organizations identify their role and influence in society and feel responsible for contributing positively. They understand that they have a stage to address social matters and make a difference in their communities. By appealing to social issues, sports organizations aim to fulfil their social responsibility and have a positive influence beyond the field of play.

2. Enhancing Reputation and Brand Image: Addressing social issues permits sports organizations to enhance their reputation and brand image. By positioning themselves with causes that resonate with their stakeholders, they can build a positive perception and improve goodwill. This can attract sponsors, fans, and other stakeholders who appreciate the organization's pledge to social issues. It helps in cultivating a strong brand individuality and fostering loyalty among stakeholders.

3. Attracting and Retaining Talent: Sports organizations understand that appealing to social issues can be attractive to athletes, coaches, and employees who value organizations that make a change. By demonstrating an obligation to social causes, organizations can attract and retain talent that shares the same values and aspirations. This contributes to creating a positive organizational culture and a motivated workforce.

4. Increasing Fan Engagement and Support: Sports organizations identify that fans have varied interests and concerns beyond the game. By engaging with social issues, organizations can connect with fans on a deeper level and build a stronger expressive connection. This can lead to increased fan engagement, support, and loyalty. Fans appreciate organizations that use their effect to address societal challenges and are more likely to rally behind such creativities.

5. Meeting Stakeholder Expectations: Sports organizations have stakeholders, counting fans, sponsors, government bodies, and local communities, whose prospects extend outside on-field performance. Stakeholders increasingly expect organizations to be socially responsible and donate positively to society. Organizations can meet these prospects by engaging with social issues and maintaining positive stakeholder relationships.

6. Creating Long-Term Sustainability: Appealing to social matters is often linked to generating long-term sustainability for sports organizations. By addressing social tasks, organizations contribute to building stronger and healthier groups. This can result in a more supportive environment for sports, improved participation, and a larger talent pool. Eventually, it benefits in securing the long-term practicality and growth of the sport and the organization itself.

How does the organization approach the issue and engage its fan/participant base?

According to Meier, Schlie, & Schmidt, 2023 Through strategic initiatives, the group can increase public understanding of the social problem at hand. They employ many forms of advertising, including social media, websites, and stadiums, to spread awareness about the problem and emphasise the need for people to take action. This can broaden the audience's perspective and inspire compassion. The group collaborates with other NGOs working on similar social challenges. They can affect the competence and means of these institutions to put into action effective strategies and innovations by working together. The efforts of the organisation and the enthusiasm of its supporters have gained credibility and legitimacy thanks to this relationship. The group actively involves the people who will be impacted by the social issue. They set up opportunities for fans and participants to directly elaborate through outreach programmes, workshops, and volunteer activity. This gives individuals real power, increases their investment, and strengthens their emotional bond to the issue.

Athletes and players can only have so much sway to advocate for social issues before their respective sports organisations. Athletes can utilise their influence to bring attention to an issue and inspire their fan base by becoming "ambassadors" or "advocates." Their involvement can spread the organization's message further and engage more people. In order to rally their rabid following around a social problem, the organisation works through fan clubs and supporter groups. These communities have a strong sense of purpose and belonging, and the organisation can benefit from tapping into that by encouraging them to collaborate. Supporter organisations and fan communities can help collect money, offer their time, and build awareness for an organisation by organising these events. Sports organisations use a wide variety of strategies to engage their fan/participant bases in tackling social issues, and these many approaches serve to demonstrate the breadth of such strategies. They do this by using a number of channels to encourage constructive discourse, collaboration, and joint efforts towards social change. Throughout its operations, policies, and practises, the company consistently shows its commitment to the social issue at hand.

Sustainability measures, attachment and diversity promotion, and community development initiatives all fall under this category. The group inspires its supporters and members to get more involved by demonstrating its unwavering commitment. The group collaborates with groups of people who are completely devoted to the social issue at hand. They work together on projects including awareness raising, volunteering, and fundraising. As a result of this collaboration, fans can work together to have a greater impact.

2. CEO and Founder Owen Scannell wants to expand the league's reach beyond traditional markets. Identify and discuss your digital media strategy's target market(s).

• Explain how you would segment these markets and why each is valuable to PR7s' overarching digital strategy.

Passionate sports fans between the ages of 22 and 37 make up this demographic. They are quite comfortable with technology and spend a lot of time online. This market can be broken down into subsets based on things like individual tastes in sports, online habits, and location. PR7s value this sector since millennials represent a sizable share of the demographic most interested in experiencing digital media satisfaction. To increase the visibility and reach of PR7s' digital marketing efforts, they are more inclined to interact with and share information. PR7s digital overarching strategy benefits from focusing on this specific demographic. PR7s may target their digital media material and campaigns more effectively by dividing their target markets.

(b) What challenges might be faced in expanding the reach of the league?

To increase the visibility and reach of PR7s' digital marketing efforts, they are more inclined to interact with and share information. PR7s digital overarching strategy benefits from focusing on this specific demographic. PR7s may target their digital media material and campaigns more effectively by dividing their target markets. According Mitchell, Mitchell, Oslin, & Griffin, 2020. Since PR7s is a relatively new professional sports league, there may be a lack of familiarity and interest from potential viewers in areas where the league is not yet widely popular. Interest and participation in a new sport can be developed through deliberate marketing efforts that introduce the league and its distinctive structure to the public.

3. How does your strategy help PR7s stand out from competitors in a crowded marketplace?

(a) How might operating as a single entity improve the PR7s' profitability? Consider the existence of other single-entity leagues.

People who aren't huge fans of, or even familiar with, sports like football and basketball are included in this demographic. It's possible that they're interested in or curious about trying out new sports. Unique sports experience preferences, online content consumption habits, and demographics are all possible ways to divide this market into smaller niches. PR7s that are directed at audiences other than die-hard sports fans can help the league reach a wider audience and broaden its fan base. As a result of the individualised approach, brand awareness, fan loyalty, and potential growth in watching and participation are all increased.

(b) Identify the pros and cons of a tournt structure for the PR7s

When two teams compete against one another for a championship, the fans in attendance are amped up and are ready to have a good time. Fans will continue to stay interested for the entirety of the tournt because the format is able to swiftly handle a number of fights. There is no regular season in a tournt format; therefore clubs do not face off against each other several times like they do in a league structure. This is one of the key differences between a tournt and a league structure. Because of this, the amount of games that each team participates in is decreased, which has the potential to stifle the growth of rivalries and enduring storylines within the league.

(c) What unique facets of PR7s could be leveraged to create a “new and different offering?”

The fast-paced game play and huge stakes of PR7s are two of the game's most recognisable characteristics. Around the world, there are a wide variety of people who follow the counting the 7s format as their preferred method of play (as cited by Woods & Butler, 2020). The global applicability of PR7s allows for the development of a "new and different offering." By displaying teams from a broad variety of countries and encouraging cultural diversity, PR7s has the potential to establish itself as a sport that welcomes and is gripped by a number of different cultures.

4. How might PR7s capitalize on the latest trends in sports and media to create unparalleled entertainment value for its customers?

(a) How might the use of sports betting or fantasy sports increase fan engagement? Is each equally advantageous to PR7s? Utilize evidence from other sports to support your assertion

To reach more fans and provide convenient access to live matches and highlights, PR7s can exert influence on digital platforms and streaming providers. PR7s may increase their viewership and popularity on a worldwide scale by collaborating with major streaming services and investing in top-notch production values. PR7s have the opportunity to investigate potential connections with notable individuals, companies, and news organisations. This may involve collaborating with mainstream sports media outlets to produce exclusive content, such as staging celebrity matches. Buzz, visibility, and interest from a larger pool of PR7s can all be gained through such partnerships.

b) There has been a rush by leagues and individuals to offer NFTs (including the Rugby League World Cup) since the NBA launched its TopShot NFT, but given the high environmental impact of NFTs, should the PR7s pursue more environmentally friendly forms of digital marketing?

PR7s can put their efforts towards creating eco-friendly digital marketing initiatives. Energy-efficient coding practises, eco-friendly hosting companies, and website performance optimisation are all examples. PR7s may advocate environmental responsibility and yet appeal to their target audience by including sustainable practises into their digital marketing campaigns. With the help of intriguing and shareable content, PR7s can build a solid online presence and encourage fan connection in a more organic and warm way.

5. Explain how the success of your digital media strategy would be measured against your objectives

Spread and appointment generation are indicators of the plant's effectiveness. Metrics like website visits, social media followings, video plays, likes, comments, shares, and total audience involvement can all be included. An increase in these KPIs verifies that the plan can be implemented and is appreciated by the intended audience. It is crucial to predict how much money will be made or lost with the digital media strategy. This involves contrasting the money spent on implementing the plan with the money gained from it, be it from sales or sponsorships. According to Jacobs, Wendry, & Nocivelli, 2022 Controlling the strategy's productivity and overall contribution to the organization's financial goals can be accomplished through the use of the return on investment. The efficiency and value of the strategy's contribution to the company's financial goals can be managed with the use of the return on investment (ROI) calculation. It is crucial to coordinate the measurements with the digital media strategy's intended outcomes. PR7s can evaluate the efficacy of their digital media strategy and make data-driven adjustments to improve its performance by setting clear and quantifiable goals and constantly monitoring the appropriate metrics.

Conclusion

In conclusion, comparing and contrasting various management and leadership philosophies can provide light on how they might be put into practise and what kind of impact they can have on an organization's effectiveness. These theories and styles provide managers and leaders with several maps to help them tackle the challenges of the workplace. There is no silver bullet, and it's important to recognise that every approach has pros and cons. Leadership and management strategies must be adapted to suit the specific needs of each organisation and setting. It is crucial to modify and customise these theories and models to fit the requirements of the organization's unique dynamics.

Organisations can gain a deeper knowledge of the ideas and potential flaws of these theories and styles by critically evaluating and considering their bounds and criticisms. By keeping this in mind, managers and supervisors will be better able to weigh all of their options before settling on a course of action. The long-term viability and progress of every organisation depends on genuine leadership and management. Organisations can create a flexible and adaptive approach that maximises concert, stimulates revolution, and drives long-term growth by integrating knowledge from many theories and styles.

References

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