The Growing Impact of Affiliate Marketing In Sports & Gaming Sectors
Affiliate marketing seems to be the hot trend in brand collaboration nowadays. Big name companies are contracting celebrities, hoping to get more eyes on their product. Meanwhile, many stars are interested in discovering ways to make money, which does not require the specific set of skills that they possess.
Collaboration between superstars and big-name brands is especially noticeable in sports. Athletes must maintain a certain level of physical excellence, which makes it easy to pivot into modelling. So, it is not surprising to see watch companies, clothing brands, and perfume shops use athletes to sell a product.
However, it doesn’t end there. We often hear that the future is digital. In truth, online businesses are thriving at an unprecedented rate. Especially successful are the iGaming and sports betting sector. Unsurprisingly, they’ve collaborated with athletes and celebrities in the past, and will continue to do so.
Affiliate Marketing and iGaming
The success of iGaming is no longer hypothetical. The market is producing billions of dollars, rivalling its land-based predecessor, and has even become most people’s first choice for gambling. Many are looking to discover the reasons behind the industry’s success. Certainly, the growing gaming libraries have contributed. Nowadays, you can play most of the popular games online, without having to travel to a crowded gambling shop.
It doesn’t end there, as online casinos are most famous for their bonuses. Deposit bonuses, for example, are a popular trend among many fans. It is simple to use the Karamba bonus code, for example. Once a player has typed it into their account, they can make use of their award when playing their favourite games. But it is also important to note that affiliate marketing has played a huge role in the popularization of online gambling.
Thanks to the development of digital technology, online casinos are now safer than ever, which means celebrities are no longer afraid to admit that they too enjoy spinning the occasional slot reel. Naturally, this has opened up marketing opportunities for plenty of iGaming corporations, who are now hiring some pretty big names to serve as spokespeople. We can see a similar trend in sports, and online sports betting, where professional athletes and clubs advertise certain bookmakers.
Affiliate Marketing in Sports
In sports, affiliate marketing is self-evident, and incredibly popular. We need look no further than the English Premier League to see that. There is not a single club competing in the world’s most popular national league tournament, that does not have some brand’s logo on their dress. While a recent law has prohibited gambling and sports betting platforms from being the main sponsor of a club, a lot of iGaming brands still work with football teams and players.
The trend is growing in the United States as well. Star football players are advocating in favour of certain bookmakers or gambling websites, in exchange for a cut of the profits, brought about by their contributions. However, some people have expressed concerns about athletes advocating in favour of gambling brands. While some of these issues may be valid, we can safely say that a lot of them stem from misunderstanding the iGaming sector, or how affiliate marketing works in the first place.
Addressing Issues with Affiliate Marketing in Sports
A lot of people have raised a bit of a hubbub when it comes to sports stars advocating in favour of online, or even land-based, bookies. So, what is the problem that most people have? Well, there is the usual arguments against sports betting, especially online sports betting, mainly relating to safety concerns. However, much of these concerns have been addressed, and we are currently in an era where online safety measures are stronger than ever.
The other problem many have is that athletes are advertising these websites, despite not being allowed to use them. However, that is a popular misconception. While it is true that professional athletes are not allowed to wager on the sport in which they are involved, it isn’t true that they are banned from betting in general. In fact, there are plenty of notable sports stars who’ve made a name for themselves as gamblers. Most notable of them is Michael Jordan, who is a well-known poker enthusiast.
Why is Affiliate Marketing Growing in Popularity?
The reasons for the success of affiliate marketing are twofold; influence and popularity. To address the latter first, we need look no further than Newcastle United’s historic Wembley final, which saw over 88,000 people in attendance, and over 7 million watching live. These were record-breaking numbers for the club, which points to a few things. Most importantly, people are far more likely to watch sports now than ever before. If a company wants eyes on their brand, athletic competitions are an easy way to get that.
Influence is the other reason for the success of affiliate marketing. Studies have shown that people are more likely to buy a certain product if their favourite celebrity has endorsed it. That is particularly true today, when social media has made “influencers” a much bigger deal than ever before. Athletes, film and TV stars, and even online content creators have the power to make or break a product, and most companies are taking advantage of that power to sell their brand.
Finally, affiliate marketing benefits both the partners. Sponsors get to work with big-time celebrities, raising brand awareness, and attracting new people. On the other hand, the sponsored party gets a financial boost, as they make a commission for every sale that they made possible. Of course, there is a huge caveat to all of this.
At the end of the day, the power that influencers have comes with great responsibility. While there have been examples of scandals, where a celebrity has endorsed a sub-par product, the resulting outrage has usually led to the person losing face, and the brand losing a lot of money. For that reason, most companies and those willing to work with them are looking to advocate for top-quality products.
