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As the AFC stars defeated the NFC stars in dramatic fashion on a last-second field goal in the 57th Pro Bowl, State Farm also reaped the rewards as title sponsor of the NFL’s annual all-star game.
According to ROI analysis conducted by Front Row Marketing Services, a naming rights marketing and sponsorship research firm and a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment firm Comcast-Spectacor, State Farm received $2.06 million in exposure from its title sponsorship during the Pro Bowl’s Saturday evening broadcast on CBS. State Farm received 5 minutes and 42 seconds of in-broadcast exposure during the game from on-screen graphics and verbal mentions. The broadcast media value was determined by comparing the total amount of in-broadcast exposure with the estimated cost ($225,000) for a 30-second broadcast commercial spot.
Eric Smallwood, VP of Marketing and Research for Front Row Marketing Services said, “The exposure and value that State Farm received indicates that presenting sponsorships are very valuable branding tools.” Smallwood continued, “Corporations should take notice at the value that they could receive from these partnerships, especially when they are aligned with high profile events.”
State Farm is the first-ever presenting sponsor of the Pro Bowl. Sports Business Journal reported the value of the package at $15 million a year. The deal includes regular-season media commitments and runs for two years with a mutual option for a third. State Farm receives broad insurance category exclusivity, six spots in CBS’s Pro Bowl telecast, mentions and graphics in and around CBS’s broadcast of Super Bowl XLI, camera-visible signage at the Pro Bowl, title sponsorship of ESPN’s weekly “NFL Matchup” show, inventory on NFL.com and NFL Network and tickets and hospitality at the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl.
Front Row Marketing Services, a subsidiary of Comcast-Spectacor, is based in Philadelphia, PA with offices in Tampa, FL, Ridgefield, CT, Ft. Collins, CO, Des Moines, IA and Detroit, MI. Front Row has conducted sponsorship evaluation analyses for numerous municipalities, sporting events and sports properties, including the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, MLB's Pittsburgh Pirates, NFL's Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles, Wachovia Center, the PGA and LPGA Tours, Dover International Speedway, and Boston University. Additionally, Front Row generates incremental revenue for public assembly venues and stadiums, sports teams and municipalities through the marketing and sales of naming rights, advertising/sponsorships, exclusive product and vendor rights agreements, premium seating and hospitality features. The company currently develops incremental revenue for over 29 accounts.
Comcast-Spectacor (comcast-spectacor.com) is the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company which owns the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA), the Philadelphia Phantoms (AHL), the two arenas in which their teams play, the Wachovia Center and Wachovia Spectrum, four Flyers Skate Zone community ice skating and hockey rinks and Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia. In addition, Comcast-Spectacor is also the principal owner of Global Spectrum, the fastest growing firm in the public assembly management field with more than 60 facilities throughout the United States and Canada; Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage service provider; New Era Tickets, a ticketing and marketing company for public assembly facilities; Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company; and 3601 Creative Group, a full-service in-house advertising agency. In a partnership with Disson Skating, Comcast-Spectacor annually produces 10 nationally televised figure skating spectaculars on NBC.
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