Study: Brands Are Still Treating Sports As Media, Not Culture

(MENAFN- PRovoke) NEW YORK - For all their sports marketing spend, most brands still miss the mark with fans by mistaking visibility for cultural connection, according to new research from MikeWorldWide.

The firm's 2025 Fan Connection Crisis report, developed in partnership with brand intelligence platform BERA, finds that while brands are showing up in fan environments, few are building the kind of emotional and cultural resonance that actually matters.

“Visibility without relevance is a missed opportunity,” said president Bret Werner.“And the brands that stand out will be the ones that show up with purpose, participating in culture, and building rituals fans can own.”

The study looks at how sports fans perceive brands across five categories that make big investments in sports marketing: automotive, footwear, financial services, consumer packaged goods and casual dining. Using six drivers of connection (emotional connection, cultural relevance, societal commitment, employer brand, innovation with purpose, and distinctiveness) the research shows how far most brands are from establishing meaningful fan relationships.

The study found that footwear is“the benchmark for how to connect,” with brands performing across all six drivers. They scored an 82 in emotional connection and ranked at or near the top across all six brand drivers.

Footwear's success comes not just from presence, but participation, the study found.“They collaborate with athletes and influencers, and create moments that fans want to share,” the report says.“They aren't just worn. They're lived in - on the field, in the stands, and on the streets.”

Other sectors trail well behind.

Automotive brands ranked high for innovation (83) and standing out (78) but fell short on emotional connection (66) and societal commitment (71). The report notes that while they impress visually, they don't feel especially close to fans.“The goal isn't to stop impressing, but to start relating,” it says.

Financial services scored high in trust-related areas like societal commitment (79) and employer brand (78) but bottomed out on cultural relevance (52) and emotional connection (61).“They're stable but soulless,” the report observes.“Respected but rarely remembered.”

CPG brands, meanwhile, received the highest emotional connection score of all (92), reflecting familiarity and day-to-day presence, but faltered in cultural relevance (59) and innovation (61). That left them stuck in what the report calls a“goldilocks problem” - dependable but undifferentiated.

Casual dining brands landed at the bottom. They scored lowest in every area but emotional connection, with just 47 for innovation and 58 for standing out.“They're present but invisible,” the report says.“They've become background noise in the fan experience.”

The report also says that the data“reveals an opportunity hiding in plain sight,” with companies getting it right, like footwear brands, proving that“deep fan connection is achievable - if brands are willing to do the work”

“The new sports marketing frontier isn't about media spend or visibility. It's about emotional equity, cultural relevance, and meaningful differentiation on the field, online, and in fans' identities,” it said.“Brands that understand this will win. Those that don't will remain what they are today: seen but not felt, present but not powerful, visible but not valuable.”

To help brands close the gap, the report outlines four strategic imperatives:

• Feel human – Build emotional connections, not just transactional ones.

• Stand for something – Align with values that resonate with fan communities.

• Participate in culture – Show up authentically, not just through sponsorships.

• Create rituals – Offer fans experiences they can make their own.

“Success requires more than presence,” Werner said.“It requires understanding fan culture, participating authentically in it, and building relationships that extend beyond transactions.”

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