Music Experts Sound Off About Music's Role in the Sport Industry

Kathleen Davis
Executive Director Sports Management Research Institute

Music, coupled appropriately with the human spirit, can effectively change the outcome of a sporting event, add sizably to the satisfaction levels of spectators, and increase the perceived value consumers receive from their investment and sport, thereby impacting the revenue generation an event can realize.

Where sport marketers and promoters have "missed" the mark with the "music mix" is when they fail to understand the demographic/socio-graphic/cultural nuances that construct an audience. Too frequently at a number of sporting events we assess on an annual basis, the "selection" of music is mismatched with the target audience; the "volume" drowns out conversation and takes away from the game-day enjoyment the clarity/acoustics of the sound system is antiquated. Finally, a delicate balance of too much or too little musical support could potentially detract from the marketing vehicle entirely.

Some properties that have activated the music mix extremely effectively, adding to the perceived value of the event and, hence, positively impacting the loyalty/retention of the spectator base include:

•  Superbowl XXXVII: Tailors to the selection of live performances to the broad target market(s), including Celine Dion, Carlos Santana, Beyonce Knowles, Michelle Branch, Dixie Chicks and Shania Twain.

•  Extreme Sports: Created a product that markets and sells music CDs and event tickets to the X Games and Gravity Games. Music is integrated into live skateboard/dirt bike competitions.

What do these music-enhanced marketing acts have in common? Performers that feel passionately about the event, which translates into greater fan excitement, increased perceived value and more successful marketing activation.

Grade: C+