Umbel Equips Sports & Entertainment Brands with Digital Sponsorship Suite

AUSTIN, Texas, March 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Down. Set. Score. At the outset of the Sports Convergence track at SXSW, Umbel, a first-party data management platform focused on sports and entertainment, announced today a new offering for sports and entertainment franchises who need to understand fans, drive marketing and sales strategies, and sell tickets and merchandise.

Leaders in sports and entertainment can now easily buy and sell digital sponsorships. They do so by leveraging Umbel to collect and use first-party data directly from fans instead of data gathered from various third-party sources.

"Changing consumer behavior is disrupting all aspects of sports and entertainment," said Lisa Pearson, Umbel's President. "Increasingly distracted fans mean teams, leagues, and venues must hone in on engagement in order to monetize the 95% of 'fans' who will never attend an actual game."

Umbel's Digital Sponsorship Suite will drive innovation in the market by connecting fans, sponsors, and property owners through data-driven personalized engagements. According to IEG Sponsorship Report, sports and entertainment companies represent an 80% share of sponsorship spending, which is poised to grow to $62.8 billion dollars globally in 2017 and outpace advertising growth.

"Brands want more than their logo on a scoreboard or a TV replay, and they're demanding real return on their sponsorship investments," said Natasha Morgan, Umbel's Vice President of Marketing. "They need to be able to connect with fans directly and they'll require data to support how they make their investments."

Umbel works with top teams and events in sports and entertainment to help reach and engage their fans. Umbel's client list includes teams across the NFL, NHL, NBA, and NCAA, including the Florida Panthers, Brooklyn Nets, Arizona Coyotes, Phoenix Suns, Oregon Ducks, Indiana Pacers, and New York Islanders. Entertainment clients include AEG Presents UK, Front Gate Tickets, and Turner Broadcasting, along with venues such as Austin City Limits Live and Circuit of the Americas, which plays host to the Formula 1 US Grand Prix.

"Umbel is really working for us," said Chris Kaiser, Director of Marketing and Brand Strategy for the Phoenix Suns. "We're collecting useful fan data, getting quality leads, and selling tickets."

ABOUT UMBEL
Umbel helps the most admired companies in sports and entertainment understand and engage their fans. The leading first-party data management platform, Umbel empowers you to grow your fan base with engaging data collection campaigns, know your audience with a unified view from any source, and drive revenue with hyper-targeted advertising. Our goal isn't for you to just collect data—it's to make data the most valuable asset you own. Founded in 2010, Umbel is headquartered in Austin, Texas. Visit www.umbel.com to learn more or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

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