NFL Marketing Strategy: What Small Businesses Can Learn

The NFL is a marketing powerhouse – after all, it generates more revenue than any other sports league and continues to gain traction year after year.

But, how did the NFL get here? Wasn’t baseball “America’s Past Time?” And bowling (yes, bowling) once reigned supreme as one of the most popular sports in the U.S. What happened to these leagues, and how did the NFL overtake them?

This post will explain why the NFL’s marketing strategy is so effective. We’ll dive into the different campaigns that fuel its revenue streams and what small business owners can learn from them. By the end of this post, you’ll have a complete picture of the NFL’s marketing strategy and how this league became so successful.

Let’s review the components that go into the NFL’s marketing strategy and highlight examples of each.

1. Brand Identity: Merchandising

When I was a kid, I saw a New York Jets jersey for sale at Sports Authority. It was one of my favorite players, and I begged my parents to buy it. To this day, I wear that jersey to every Jets game, watch party, and even on my couch at home. It’s one of my favorite pieces of NFL merchandise, and I am very proud to own it.

Sports fans are incredibly passionate. Your favorite team is part of your identity, and the NFL has done an amazing job of leveraging that passion in its branding and merchandise. The NFL owns the rights to all of its teams’ merchandise sales, so my jersey doesn’t just benefit the New York Jets, but the NFL as a whole. This structure helps the NFL expand its brand through its teams rather than the league.

What can small businesses learn from this?

If you own a small business, find out what makes it unique. Maybe it’s your products. Or, maybe you provide excellent customer service. Whatever it may be, you should identify what differentiates you from competitors and leverage that to create a memorable brand persona.

If you’re franchising, look for ways to make each location stand out. Research their communities and use local marketing strategies to attract and retain customers. A personalized approach will be more effective than a generic ad.

2. Event Marketing: The Super Bowl

Did you know over 120 million people watched the Super Bowl this year? That’s more than a third of the U.S. population.

The Super Bowl might be the poster child for event marketing. It pits two of the best teams against each other in a winner-takes-all finale for the season. Not to mention, there’s an epic half-time performance that’s hyped up for weeks. This year, Usher and Ludacris performed on stage in front of millions.

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The game is great, but the NFL has an equally impressive marketing strategy leading up to it. Exhibits, activities, and displays are set up throughout the host city. Team interviews are conducted on Radio Row, where dozens of media outlets gather to cover the event. It’s like a festival dedicated to the NFL that you can visit whether you’re attending the game or not.

What can small businesses learn from this?

If you’re going to host an event, do it the right way. Give yourself ample time to plan and gather the resources needed to create an enjoyable experience. Hosting one great event is better than four or five subpar ones.

Event marketing takes time to perfect. When I was an event planner, my first project was a disaster. Nobody showed up, and I had angry sponsors who didn’t make money. So, I gathered feedback from attendees and spoke with people who said they would go but didn’t. I surveyed my audience, and over time, I learned how to host an awesome event like this one:

Pro Tip: Keep your events simple. Larger events are more complicated and require more resources.

3. Customer Experience: The Membership Club

The Membership Club is a perks program for NFL season ticket holders. Members receive exclusive discounts from brands like SiriusXM, Marriot Bonvoy, Gatorade, and more. They can also purchase premium subscriptions like NFL+ for a fraction of the normal cost.

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These perks are great because they complement an NFL fan’s customer experience. Hotel discounts are great for traveling to games, and SiriusXM has exclusive channels for sports fans. This package adds value to the customer experience by making going to games and following your favorite team more enjoyable.

What can small businesses learn from this?

NFL season ticket holders have high customer lifetime value. They spend more than the average fan and generate the most revenue for each team. It makes sense that the NFL offers perks to keep them happy and help them get the most out of their customer experience.

As a small business owner, you can use your CRM to identify your highest-value customers. Then, craft automated marketing campaigns that nurture customer relationships and keep them happy over time. You’ll stay in contact with your most valuable clients, increasing the chances to upsell and providing personalized customer service.

4. Content Marketing: NFL RedZone

NFL RedZone and NFL Network are content machines for the NFL’s marketing strategy. RedZone exclusively shows viewers teams that are about to score, while NFL Network covers games, news, and highlights from around the league. These channels generate round-the-clock marketing content that captures fans’ attention and increases brand awareness for the NFL.

These are also premium channels, so users have to pay for subscriptions to each. If you can’t watch your favorite team on Sunday, both are great alternatives for following the NFL.

What can small businesses learn from this?

Content is one of the best ways to build brand awareness for your business. It helps you get discovered on Google, and it fuels your other marketing channels, such as social media. The more (good) content you have online, the easier it is for people to find you.

Don’t have time to create content for your business? This video can walk you through the right ways to use AI for content creation.

5. Community Activation: NFL Flag Football

Leagues like the MLB are actively trying to advertise to a younger audience because they need to appeal to the next generation of fans. If kids don’t fall in love with football, that means fewer fans in the future.

The solution: NFL Flag Football.

Rather than tackling, kids pull flags off each other. It’s safer, and almost anyone can play.

The NFL has sponsored hundreds of flag football leagues throughout the U.S. It introduces football to kids before they’re ready to play the real game.

What can small businesses learn from this?

Get involved in your community. There are plenty of rec leagues and clubs that could use a small business as a sponsor. Partnering with them will increase brand recognition and help you network with other organizations in your area. That can connect you with new customers and forge valuable partnerships with local businesses.

6. Partnerships: Lowe’s

The NFL has dozens of partnerships, but one that stands out is its longstanding partnership with Lowe’s.

As part of this deal, Lowe’s gets a “Home Team” roster of NFL stars like Dak Prescott and Travis Kelce, who represent the brand throughout the season. As the “Official Community Improvement Partner of the NFL,” players on the Home Team partner with Lowe’s associates to support community improvement projects. Last year, the NFL and Lowe’s helped build a community garden in Kansas City and renovate a USO space in Missouri.

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What can small businesses learn from this?

This campaign focuses on customers, not companies. Both organizations are working together to build better communities. They’re not telling people to watch the NFL or buy stuff from Lowe’s. They are, however, increasing brand awareness and building goodwill in their local markets.

Make your partnerships meaningful. When working with another company, consider how you can share each other’s resources and add more value to your customer experiences. For example, a dog groomer might partner with a dog walker to create a referral program and provide discounts for each other’s services. Customers get deals for pet services, and both companies benefit from attracting new customers to their businesses.

7. Customer Loyalty: Fantasy Football

There are several ways that the NFL builds customer loyalty, and fantasy football is a good example. If you’re unfamiliar with fantasy football, friends come together and draft teams of their favorite players. When the athletes play on Sunday, their performance is graded through a points system. The team with the most points wins.

Fantasy football is popular because it makes fans care about more than just their favorite teams. You can root for players on your fantasy team, which means watching more football and buying more merchandise. These leagues carry over year after year, so you have a reason to come back and follow the games. As a fan, this makes me more loyal to the NFL because I get more value by following the league and staying updated on the latest news.

What can small businesses learn from this?

Customer loyalty means giving customers a reason to keep doing business with you. In this case, the NFL provided a free and entertaining resource for fans to follow the league.

Your small business can do something similar. Maybe you have a weekly newsletter that includes exclusive offers and updates. Or, create a points program that customers can redeem for free products and services. These incentives give people a reason to return to your brand and focus on you, instead of your competitors.

8. Social Responsibility: My Cause My Cleats

My Cause My Cleats is an NFL charity that helps players raise money for organizations of their choosing. Players design and wear cleats like this, bringing awareness to a charity or cause close to them.

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The cleats are then auctioned off to fans, and 100% of the proceeds are donated to the charity.

Campaigns like this are a form of social responsibility. Social responsibility means that the organization recognizes the platform it has access to and uses its resources to help others. In this case, the NFL is giving a way for players to use their platform to raise awareness of a cause that’s meaningful to them.

What can small businesses learn from this?

Small businesses don’t have the same resources as the NFL. But, you can be charitable. Participate in local events and lend your time and services to your community when possible. Not only will it be fulfilling, but it will help you connect with new customers in your area. People will see your good deeds and might be inspired to work with you.

9. Brand Value: International NFL Marketing Strategy

Did you know brands have a monetary value? It’s called brand equity, and it represents the tangible and intangible assets of your brand. For example, the NFL’s social media accounts would be a tangible asset, whereas its persona and tone would be an intangible asset.

The NFL is constantly looking to increase its brand value. That’s why it’s expanding into international markets where it can attract new fans and launch new teams. Historically, the NFL has been a U.S.-based brand, but as it gains marketing rights in countries like Germany, Japan, and Nigeria, its viewership has gone global. In fact, this year, there was a 10% increase in international viewers for the Super Bowl.

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What can small businesses learn from this?

One way to increase brand value is to expand your business. If that’s not in the cards, you can invest more time into your current branding.

For example, a good place to start is your online listings. Do you have them? Are they updated? Use an online listings management tool to optimize your company information and ensure your business is on sites like Yelp, Google, and Bing. The more accessible your company is, the easier it will be for customers to find you online.

10. Technology: NFL Pro Era

NFL Pro Era is a video game for Meta Quest, a virtual reality console. You read that right. You put on VR goggles, and suddenly, you’re playing quarterback against the Kansas City Chiefs – watch out, Patrick Mahomes.

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VR goggles are one example of the NFL investing in new technology. The NFL wants to evolve with its customers and keep up with the trends that fans are following. This effort will keep its marketing strategy updated, so it can continue to create personalized offers and relevant content for its audience.

What can small businesses learn from this?

It’s important to keep an eye on new technology. If AI has taught us anything, it’s that new tech can open up a world of possibilities for small business owners. Following these trends and testing new technology is a great way to keep your marketing strategy fresh.

For example, one AI marketing trend is automated email marketing. You can create “workflows,” which are automations that are triggered when an action is taken, like completing a form or responding to another email. Rather than you having to do this work manually, the AI does it for you, saving time and resources.

Learning From the NFL’s Marketing Strategy

The NFL marketing strategy is a fun case study for small business owners. While there’s clearly a difference in resources, the principles behind its branding and content apply to any business size. Use the examples above to learn from the NFL’s marketing strategy and replicate some of its success for your own.