In today’s fast-paced digital sports environment, social content is not just about engagement – it’s a revenue engine. In a recent webinar featuring industry leaders Stuart Drew (Director of Social, U.S. Soccer Federation), Alex Kopilow (Creator, Sponcon Sports), and Dan LaTorraca (Director of Marketing, Zoomph), experts outlined the seven common mistakes that can derail your gameday monetization efforts.

1. Not Prioritizing Gameday Essentials

Not all content needs to be a high-production video series. While video can be engaging, it demands significant resources and doesn’t always guarantee strong performance.

What to Do Instead:

• Focus on essential gameday content like lineups, milestones, quotes, and score updates—these posts drive high engagement and are easier to produce.

• Track performance of all social content in Zoomph so social and brand value can be measured and utilized for deals. 

• Utilize existing data to accurately project the value and performance of these posts for potential sponsors.

2. No Tagging Strategy

A structured tagging strategy is crucial for campaign tracking, reporting, and optimizing performance.

How to Fix It:

• Establish a clear tagging strategy before the season begins.

• Assign responsibilities for tagging sponsored content.

• Use tools like Zoomph’s AI logo detection and automatic tagging to streamline organization and reporting.

3. Social Channel Flooding

More is not always better. Overloading a single platform with sponsored posts can lead to diminishing returns and audience fatigue.

Best Practices:

• Maintain a balance between organic and sponsored content.

• Avoid overwhelming followers with excessive sponsorships in a short time frame.

• Optimize post placement across different platforms instead of relying on a single channel.

4. Overloading Gameday Windows

Overselling sponsored content before, during, and after games can negatively impact fan engagement.

Tips for Success:

• Distribute sponsored content strategically across the entire gameday window.

• Leave room for spontaneous and organic moments that naturally excite fans.

• Avoid selling fragmented portions of a content series (e.g., only selling “Player of the Game” posts after wins).

5. No Shared Tracker in Place

Without a centralized tracking document, misalignment between partnerships and social teams can lead to lost revenue and missed activations.

Solution:

• Use a shared spreadsheet or tracking platform to provide visibility into sponsorship activations and inventory.

• Ensure real-time updates are accessible to both teams.

• Have the partnerships team shadow the social team on gameday to better understand workflows and improve collaboration.

6. Not Walking a Mile in Their Shoes

Misalignment between sponsorship and social teams can cause inefficiencies, as seen in an example from the Chicago White Sox and FanDuel.

Key Takeaway:

• Understand the social team’s workflow before making sponsorship commitments.

• Work with sponsors to establish pre-approved activations that streamline execution and avoid delays.

7. Lack of a Communication Process

A lack of proactive communication between social and sponsorship teams can lead to missed opportunities and strained relationships.

How to Improve:

• Social teams should regularly share performance insights.

• Sponsorship teams must keep social in the loop to ensure alignment.

• Avoid selling digital sponsorships without consulting the social team.

• Proactively build and share inventory lists to assist with sales planning.

Game days present a golden opportunity for teams, leagues, and sponsors to engage fans and generate revenue through social content. However, common mistakes can diminish the value of these efforts. 

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This blog post recaps insights from the Zoomph x Sponcon Sports webinar held on February 26, where industry experts shared their strategies for avoiding common monetization mistakes in gameday social content. By implementing these practices, your team can maximize both revenue and fan engagement.