Sports Marketing Machine Podcast

Send us a textSummary In this episode of the Sports Marketing Machine podcast, host Jeremy Neisser discusses how to strategically plan your marketing budget to maximize ticket sales. Whether you're just starting out with a small email list or you have a $20K marketing budget, Jeremy walks you through exactly where to invest at each stage. You'll learn why building your owned audience first is crucial, where display ads and Meta campaigns fit in, why smart list buying beats random ad spending, and how to stretch every marketing dollar for maximum ROI.✅ TakeawaysMatch your marketing spend to your stage of growth.Focus on building your email list before jumping into higher-cost tactics like texting.Think about your marketing budget like a sales funnel: Awareness ➔ Interest ➔ Conversion.Invest in low-cost, high-impact awareness tools like Awarity and Blip billboards.Smart list buying (e.g., Chamber of Commerce lists) can deliver great ROI for group sales and hospitality packages.Always stretch every dollar by segmenting audiences and retargeting high-intent fans.🎧 Sound Bites"Build a strong owned audience first.""Buying a chamber list is a great ROI.""Low-cost awareness always wins."📖 Chapters 00:00 — Introduction: Maximizing Your Marketing Dollars 01:12 — Building a Strong Owned Audience First 03:59 — Smart Budget Allocation for $20K Teams 07:22 — Advanced Tactics: YouTube, Spotify, CTV 10:30 — Why Awareness & Retargeting Should Dominate 12:52 — Final Key Takeaways🚀 Episode OutlineStage 1: Foundation First (Small Email List Teams)Prioritize building your database (email over texting).Start Meta ads for lead generation.Layer in low-cost digital display (like Awarity).“You wouldn’t build a house on quicksand — same thing here.”Stage 2: Smart Spending ($20K Budget + Sizable List)Funnel your spend:Awareness (40%) ➔ Awarity, Blip billboards.Interest (40%) ➔ Meta ads (Landing Page Views, Lookalikes).Conversion (20%) ➔ Direct mail to a bought Chamber list.“Buying 1,000 mailers for $2K can drive real group sales and sponsorship ROI.”Optional Upgrades for Bigger BudgetsYouTube Pre-Roll Ads (great if you have game day hype content).Spotify Audio Ads (for big promotions).Connected TV (for major pushes like Opening Night).SMS Marketing (ONLY if you’ve built a good opt-in list).SummaryBuild the base first.Think like a funnel.Stretch every dollar.Invest smartly based on your current stage and goals.🎧 Don’t forget: If you found this helpful, please subscribe, rate, and share the Sports Marketing Machine podcast to help others grow their fan base and sell more tickets too!Episodes Mentioned:22 - How to buy Billboards For CHEAP to Promote Your Games37 - Cold Audiences & Warm Audiences - The Differences For Your MarketingSports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

Send us a textIn this episode of the Sports Marketing Machine podcast, host Jeremy Neisser wraps up the 4-part Meta Ads 101 series with a deep dive into retargeting—what it is, why it works, and how to do it effectively.Jeremy walks through step-by-step how to retarget website visitors and social media engagers, while showing you how to exclude recent ticket buyers so you’re not wasting ad dollars. Plus, he explains why timing matters more than you think and how to set the right window (3–7 days or 10–14 days) for maximum conversions.🧠 TakeawaysRetargeting helps you re-engage warm, high-intent audiences who didn’t convert the first time.Website visitors from the past 3–7 days are your best bet for quick wins.Use exclusion lists to avoid showing ads to past ticket buyers—save budget & reduce fatigue.Social media engagers (likes, shares, comments, video viewers) are great to retarget within 7–14 days.Set up rolling audiences to keep campaigns automatically refreshed.$5/day budget can go a long way when ads are highly targeted.These tactics work best during your season when web traffic is high.Big brands do this daily—you can too, without a big budget.Combine retargeting + exclusions + time window for highest ROI.🔊 Sound Bites "If you're spending $35 a week to stay in front of high-intent fans—that's worth it."⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Intro to Retargeting 01:12 – Website Visitors: The Most Valuable Warm Audience 03:46 – Creating an 8-Day Retargeting List 06:10 – Building Your Ad & Excluding Ticket Buyers 08:48 – Social Media Engagers: Likes, Shares & Views 11:36 – Why Timing (3–7 or 10–14 Days) Matters 13:22 – Recap & How to Test for Just $5/DayWatch the tutorial on Youtube🎧 Subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help others grow their fan base and sell more tickets too!Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

Send us a textIn this episode of the Sports Marketing Machine podcast, host Jeremy Neisser explores one of the most powerful (and underused) Meta Ads tools: Lookalike Audiences. As part three of the Meta Ads 101 series, this episode unpacks how sports teams can find new, high-quality fans by targeting people who are most similar to those already engaging—like video viewers, past ticket buyers, and website visitors.Jeremy walks through how to build these audiences, when to use them, what mistakes to avoid, and how to combine them with smart exclusions for even better performance.🧠 TakeawaysLookalike Audiences let you find new fans similar to your best existing ones.Use high-quality source audiences: video viewers, past purchasers, website visitors.Avoid low-quality sources like general followers or homepage visitors.Target hot, warm, and cold audiences separately for better optimization.Combine Lookalikes with exclusions (from Ep. 108) to avoid wasting ad spend.Update your source audiences regularly to keep your targeting fresh.1% lookalikes = most accurate match, 5% = broader but less precise reach.Run A/B tests across multiple audience “buckets” to identify top performers.Categorize video viewers: 25% = warm, 75–95% = hot leads.Track landing page views and conversions, not just clicks.🔊 Sound Bite“If someone’s watching 75% of your video—they’ve already watched a commercial about you.”⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Introduction to Lookalike Audiences 01:10 – How Meta Tracks Behavior 02:50 – Building Lookalike Audiences from Video Viewers 05:32 – Better Sources = Better Results 08:24 – Layering Location, Demographics & Exclusions 10:46 – How to Organize Campaigns by Audience Type 13:20 – Cold vs. Warm vs. Hot Audiences 17:15 – Recap & Best Practices📺 Want to see Jeremy build a lookalike audience live?YouTube tutorial link.Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

Send us a textIn this episode of the Sports Marketing Machine podcast, host Jeremy Neisser continues the Meta Ads 101 series with a practical deep dive into exclusion lists—one of the most underrated ways to stretch your ad dollars and reach the right fans.Jeremy walks through why every sports team should separate their audiences (like single-game buyers vs. season ticket holders) and how to use Meta’s built-in tools to make sure you’re not wasting money advertising to people who’ve already converted. Whether you're promoting mini-plans, season tickets, or group packages, this episode gives you a clear game plan to refine your targeting and boost your ad performance.If you’ve ever wondered how to avoid annoying your most loyal fans or throwing budget away on audiences that already bought—this one’s for you.🧠 TakeawaysSeparate your lists: Create distinct lists for single-game buyers and ticket plan holders.Exclude past purchasers from ads promoting plans or packages.Helps reduce ad fatigue and increase relevance score.Boosts ROI by only showing ads to people who haven’t converted.Exclusions work for more than just tickets—use them for groups, one-time events, and more.Meta allows layered exclusions, giving you precision control over who sees your ads.Regularly update exclusion lists to keep your targeting sharp.Saves budget and increases campaign efficiency.🔥 Sound Bite“You're wasting marketing dollars advertising to people who’ve already bought.”⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Intro to Episode 108 00:28 – Why Exclusion Lists Matter 02:18 – Setting Up Targeted Campaigns in Meta 06:06 – Real-World Use Cases and Pro TipsWant to watch how Jeremy builds these campaigns in real time? 🔗 Check the YouTube walkthrough.Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

Send us a textIn this episode of the Sports Marketing Machine podcast, host Jeremy Neisser kicks off a brand-new four-part series on Meta Ads, breaking down small but powerful tweaks that can make a big difference in your campaign results.Today’s focus? The critical difference between Link Clicks and Landing Page Views. While they sound similar, choosing the wrong one can tank your ROI.Jeremy walks you through step-by-step inside Meta Ads Manager and explains why optimizing for Landing Page Views—not Link Clicks—delivers higher-quality traffic, more engaged visitors, and better conversions.If you're running ticket sales campaigns and sending fans to your website, this episode will change the way you set up your Meta campaigns from now on.✅ TakeawaysLink Clicks ≠ Quality Clicks: Many clicks are accidental or from people who bounce before your site even loads.Landing Page Views = Higher Intent: Meta optimizes for people who wait for the page to load—more likely to convert.Better Data: Landing Page Views deliver more accurate performance insights (lower bounce rates, higher ROI).When to Use Link Clicks: Only if your website loads instantly or if your goal is pure awareness (and even then, there are better options).Always Monitor: Watch your landing page views, bounce rate, and conversions—not just CTR.🛠️ Action StepNext time you create a Meta Ads campaign to drive traffic to your website:Choose Traffic as your objective.In your Ad Set, select "Landing Page Views" as your performance goal (not Link Clicks).Monitor for real engagement—not just inflated click numbers.⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Introduction to the Meta Ads Series 00:26 – Setting Up a Campaign in Ads Manager 01:19 – Understanding the Campaign Structure 02:19 – The Common Mistake: Choosing Link Clicks 03:15 – Why Landing Page Views Are Better 04:07 – Your Action Plan & Final ThoughtsIf you found this helpful, stay tuned for next week’s episode as Jeremy dives deeper into the world of Meta Ads and shows you how to build smarter, better-performing campaigns for your sports organization.Watch the Tutorial on YouTube🎧 Subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help others grow their fan base and sell more tickets too!Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

Send us a textIn this episode of the Sports Marketing Machine podcast, host Jeremy Neisser discusses the pros and cons of buying email lists for sports marketing. He outlines when it makes sense to purchase a list, such as for new teams, urgent campaigns, or targeting specific demographics. The episode also covers the benefits of buying lists, including fast access to potential fans and targeted reach, as well as best practices for ensuring compliance and engagement. However, Neisser warns of the potential downsides, including data quality issues and uncertain ROI. He emphasizes the importance of building an organic list as a priority.TakeawaysBuying a list can expand your reach.Fast fan base with purchased lists.Work with a reputable provider.Data quality can be unpredictable.Low engagement and deliverability issues.ROI is going to be uncertain.Buying a list makes sense for one-time events.Gradually warm up the list.Quality beats quantity every time.Building organically should be priority number one.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Buying Email Lists01:11 When to Consider Buying a List06:51 Benefits of Buying a List07:19 Best Practices for Buying a List09:39 Cons of Buying a List14:23 Main Takeaways and ConclusionInterested in buying a list and want recommendations - email jeremy@sportsmarketingmachine.com. Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

Send us a textIn this episode of the Sports Marketing Machine Podcast, host Jeremy Neisser explores four unconventional marketing strategies to help sports teams reach new fans and grow their brand. The strategies discussed include partnering with community events, leveraging hotel and tourism partnerships, utilizing movie theater advertising, and engaging in influencer marketing. Each strategy is designed to create unique opportunities for teams to connect with potential fans and increase ticket sales.TakeawaysPartnering with community events can expand your audience.Cross-promotions with local events create win-win situations.Hotels can be great partners for reaching visitors.Movie theaters offer a captive audience for advertising.Influencer marketing can drive engagement and ticket sales.Micro-influencers are often more effective than big names.Creating unique experiences for influencers can enhance promotion.Utilizing local events can build community connections.Think creatively about where to promote your team.Choose one new tactic to implement this season.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Unconventional Marketing Strategies01:38 Partnering with Community Events04:25 Leveraging Hotel and Tourism Partnerships07:46 Movie Theater Advertising: Captive Audiences10:10 Influencer Marketing for Sports12:55 Final Thoughts and Actionable TipsSports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

Send us a textIn this conversation, Jeremy Neisser and Andy Milovich discuss the importance of personalization in sports marketing through Revelocity Sports. They explore the challenges teams face in engaging fans, utilizing data effectively, and the significance of targeted marketing strategies. The discussion highlights successful case studies, the impact of creative campaigns, and the necessity of building long-term relationships with fans through effective communication and automation. In this conversation, Andy Milovich discusses the importance of engaging fans on a deeper level to enhance their experience and increase repeat attendance at sporting events. He emphasizes the need for sports teams to leverage data analytics to understand consumer behavior and personalize their marketing efforts. By breaking down silos within organizations and fostering a sense of community, teams can create meaningful connections with fans and drive revenue growth. Milovich also highlights the significance of tailored communication strategies for different audience segments and the critical role of data in sales and marketing efforts.TakeawaysRevelocity Sports leverages technology to build personalized fan journeys.Effective marketing requires understanding audience segments and their interests.Automation and personalization are key to driving ticket sales.Teams face challenges with turnover and complexity in marketing.Data utilization goes beyond ticket purchases to understand fan behavior.Creative campaigns should resonate with specific audience segments.Success stories demonstrate measurable impacts on ticket sales.Personalization enhances the fan experience and drives engagement.Streamlining marketing tools can reduce chaos and improve efficiency.Building long-term relationships with fans is essential for retention. Engaging fans emotionally leads to repeat attendance.Understanding customer acquisition costs is crucial for teams.Data analytics can enhance fan engagement strategies.Different demographics require tailored communication.Breaking down organizational silos improves efficiency.Sales confidence is driven by data understanding.The volume of data is rapidly increasing and must be harnessed.Now is the time for teams to invest in data-driven strategies.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Revelosity Sports and Personalization02:52 Challenges in Sports Marketing and Fan Engagement05:52 Data Utilization in Fan Engagement08:49 Segmentation and Targeted Marketing Strategies12:11 Creative Campaigns and Audience Engagement15:07 Success Stories and Measurable Impact18:00 The Importance of Personalization in Ticket Sales20:53 Streamlining Marketing Tools and Automation24:08 Building Long-Term Fan Relationships26:41 Engaging Fans for Repeat Attendance28:35 Leveraging Data for Fan Engagement30:36 Understanding Consumer Behavior in Sports32:32 Personalizing Fan Experiences34:01 Effective Communication with Diverse Audiences39:47 Building Community Through Sports41:45 Connecting Organizational Functions for Success45:06 Harnessing Data for Enhanced Sales and MarketingContact Andy and the Revelocity TeamRSports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

Send us a textIn this episode of the Sports Marketing Machine Podcast, Jeremy Neisser explores the importance of personalization in sports marketing, drawing parallels with Amazon's successful strategies. He discusses the psychological principles behind why personalization works, how Amazon utilizes data to enhance customer experience, and offers practical examples for sports teams to implement similar strategies to boost ticket sales and fan engagement.TakeawaysPersonalization can significantly enhance fan engagement.Amazon's success is rooted in understanding customer behavior.Familiarity breeds comfort and increases purchase likelihood.Social proof influences consumer decisions.Simplifying choices can lead to better decision-making.Sports teams can leverage geo-targeting for personalized offers.Birthday promotions can enhance fan loyalty.Recognizing first-time attendees can improve fan experience.Predictive analytics can anticipate fan needs.Personalized upselling can increase revenue opportunities.Chapters00:00 - Introduction to Personalization in Sports Marketing02:07 - The Psychology Behind Personalization05:27 - Amazon's Personalization Strategies07:14 - Applying Personalization in Sports Teams10:04 - Enhancing Fan Experience Through PersonalizationCheesecake Factory Menu - Decision FatigueSBJ - Personalization in Fan ExperiencesFans Want PersonalizationSports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

Send us a textIn this podcast episode, Jeremy Neisser hosts Ben Hall and Bryant Hafemeyer from the Minnesota Wild, along with Amanda McGuckin Hager from TrueDialog, to discuss the impact of text messaging on fan engagement and ticket sales. The conversation covers the selection of TrueDialog as a partner, the importance of a service-first approach in communication, the evolution of fan communication strategies, and the measurement of success in enhancing the fan experience. The episode also delves into balancing service and sales through text messaging, highlighting the impressive ROI and conversion rates achieved through their campaigns. In this conversation, Jeremy Neisser engages with Amanda McGuckin Hager, Ben Hall, and Bryant Hafemeyer to discuss effective marketing strategies in sports, focusing on SMS marketing, conversion tracking, and upcoming promotional campaigns. They explore the importance of planning and sophistication in marketing efforts, the significance of engaging single game buyers, and the innovative features of TrueDialog that enhance deliverability and customer engagement. The discussion also highlights the differences between short codes and long codes in SMS marketing, emphasizing the need for effective list-building strategies and compliance with legal standards.TakeawaysText messaging is crucial for real-time fan communication.True Dialogue's integration with Oracle Eloqua enhances marketing efforts.A service-first approach helps build a loyal fan base.Text messages are more likely to be seen than emails.Clear and concise messaging improves fan experience.Measuring success involves tracking repeat business and engagement.Balancing service and sales is an ongoing challenge.  The sophistication of marketing planning can lead to better results.Inbound campaigns are essential for building a marketing list.Short codes provide better deliverability than long codes.Planning campaigns around events can maximize engagement.Using SMS marketing effectively requires understanding legal compliance.Innovative marketing strategies can improve fan experiences.Continuous learning and adaptation are key in digital marketing.Chapters00:00 - Introduction to Text Messaging in Fan Engagement03:05 - Choosing TrueDialog: A Partnership for Success06:01 - Service-First Approach: Enhancing Fan Communication08:59 - Evolving Fan Communication Strategies11:52 - Measuring Success: From Policies to Repeat Business15:02 - Balancing Service and Sales in Text Messaging18:13 - ROI and Conversion: The Power of Text Messaging22:58 - Tracking Conversions and Marketing Sophistication25:27 - Upcoming Campaigns and Promotions27:57 - Engaging Single Game Buyers30:05 - Inbound Campaigns and List Building33:10 - TrueDialog's Innovations and Features36:21 - Deliverability: Short Codes vs Long CodesTrueDialogAmanda from TrueDialog's contact info: ahager@truedialog.com & LinkedInBen Hall from the Minnesota Wild - LinkedInBryant Hafemeyer from the MinnesotaSports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine