Branding sports teams is tricky business. The team already has a brand, whether they like it or not. Player styles, rivalries, fanbases and team performance combine to create athletic brands before ads and stadium deals enter the picture. We’ll look at the major league teams from the Bay Area (we’re a Berkeley company, after all) and weigh in on how effectively their recent branding efforts have capitalized on team successes or patched up brand weaknesses.
[N.B.: we’re excluding the Sharks and the Earthquakes, both because these teams don’t quite have enough brand perception and reach, and because we enjoy stoking the flames of controversy. Sorry San Jose!]
Oakland Raiders
The Situation: The Raiders’ brand has a long history of infamy. Its fans have a reputation not only for almost unmatched loyalty, but also for violence, a tradition that followed the team from LA back to Oakland. The team’s gear has been appropriated by NWA and (allegedly) East Oakland gangs, furthering the Raiders’ bad boy image.
The Fix: In the 2000s, team management struck at the root of the problem: violence at games. Fans caught fighting received season bans from theO.co Coliseum, and kids’ seating was added to the notorious Black Hole, the stadium’s fan section. The result? Same energy, fewer fights.
San Francisco 49ers
The Situation: The Niners have struggled with their reputation as a team with fair-weather fans. They’ve also struggled on the field in recent decades, and game attendance reflects this.
The Fix: Recent branding efforts include the addition of alternate jerseys, a relatively new trend in the NFL, and partnering with Levi’s to rename the home stadium. Time will tell whether these can bring fans back to the team.
Oakland Athletics
The Situation: An underdog team, the A’s boast loyal, longtime fans who remember the team’s great years (or wish they could).
The Fix: The team’s recent Green Collar Baseball ad campaign hits its mark. It positions the players as hard-working, scrappy sluggers, and rewards a fanbase which has embraced these values. Promotions like dollar hotdogs and discounted games keep fans loyal as well.
San Francisco Giants
The Situation: The Giants are a successful superteam and emerging dynasty. Calling them the Yankees of the West Coast would be apt, if it weren’t for the unfortunate stereotype of apathetic bandwagon fans.
The Response: Perhaps acknowledging that some fans aren’t there strictly for the baseball, Giants management has invested in amenities at AT&T park, including an organic garden and restaurant as well as the @Café, a “social media hub” that offers VR experiences.
Golden State Warriors
The Situation: Once perennial underdogs, the Warriors have risen to dominance in recent years. Co-captain and possible superhuman Steph Curry is a pop-culture juggernaut in his own right.
The Response: The “Strength in Numbers” ad initiative is a fusion of sports nerdery and respect for the fans. The numbers in question? Record season wins and Steph Curry three-pointers on one hand, and data about Warriors fans on the other.
So who did it best? We’ve got to hand this one to the Warriors. While the team’s stellar performance clearly boosted their brand, it’s the response that counts. “Strength in Numbers” succeeds by focusing its efforts at the core of the team: the fans. For a franchise like the Warriors, long-suffering devotees and brand new fans are packing into games. The campaign has something for both, explicitly honoring veteran fans and referencing the eye-popping statistics that drew in recent converts. The A’s “Green Collar Baseball” gets an honorable mention for its similarly savvy approach.
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