Prerana Dhawan on navigating the complex dynamics of sports management & marketing

In the fiercely competitive and rapidly evolving landscape of sports, breaking barriers and driving innovation are not just goals, but necessities for survival and growth. In a country where cricket has long dominated the sports narrative, football is making significant strides, capturing hearts and imaginations across the nation. At the heart of this football renaissance is South United Football Club (SUFC), a beacon of innovation and resilience in India’s evolving football landscape.

In conversation with Adgully, Prerana Dhawan, COO and CMO, South United Football Club, speaks about tackling gender bias to leveraging digital marketing, and nurturing grassroots talent, the driving forces behind SUFC’s success, masterclass in navigating the complex dynamics of sports management and marketing. Here, we uncover the tactics and insights that could potentially shape the future of football in India, inspiring a new generation of players and fans alike.

Navigate and overcoming challenges related to gender bias or stereotypes in professional journey

For me personally, overcoming gender bias and stereotypes has been an ongoing process and has required internal determination and external support from the people I am surrounded with most times of the day. Some things I practice are:

• I feel confident in my own abilities and contributions. I share my point of view regardless of the outcome.
• I surround myself very consciously with mentors, allies, and peers who support my professional growth
• I upgrade my skills and knowledge frequently. I try to excel in my role, not just meet the KPIs. By being in a leadership position because of the quality of my work & by setting a positive example, I can help break down barriers for myself and others.
• I am verbose when it comes to advocating for fair treatment and opportunities for myself and others, if need be. It takes a lot to embarrass me.

Key strategies that were implemented to maintain profitability in a sector known for its financial struggles

The football sector in India indeed faces financial challenges, but by adopting a multi-faceted approach that addresses various aspects of the football ecosystem, stakeholders in India can work towards maintaining profitability and sustainability in the long term. Some of the major strategies we implement at SUFC are:

• We invest in infrastructure. Developing modern turfs and training facilities can attract more players for the club and academy as well as fans who want to support them. Our goal from the word go was to improve the overall footballing experience, leading to increased life time value of an academy student or a club sponsor. Making them a part of our community rather than our customer or client.
• Forming strategic partnerships with corporate sponsors and advertisers can provide a steady stream of revenue through sponsorship or revenue share deals. We have partnered with some of the loved brands in Bangalore to build an ecosystem that gives more than football when you come to our Ulsoor venue. Maverick & Farmers, the coffee makers and cafe owners, Multifit, Tagda Raho, and Puma are some of the other brands that reside at our facility and bring about additional footfall and an amazing vibe to the venue that adds value to participation for the sport.
• Hosting leagues and tournaments like the Blue Cub League adds credibility to an upcoming club or academy. When we do that, we involve a much larger community of other academies, schools and clubs to participate and build a brand that not only players, but also other brands want to associate with.
• Investing in grassroots and youth development programs can help identify and nurture talented players early on. Developing a pipeline of homegrown talent can create long-term cost savings.
• Diversification of revenue streams beyond traditional sources, such as e-sports, merchandise with Puma, ground booking for relevant events etc. has been a big boost to SUFC’s sustenance financially speaking.
• Implementing strict financial controls, budgeting processes, and cost-saving measures can help mitigate financial losses and ensure that expenses are kept in check.

Measuring the success of marketing initiatives at SUFC

We regularly monitor and analyze key metrics of all our marketing initiatives, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to optimize our strategies to achieve business objectives and targets. Some of the key metrics we chase closely are:

• Enrolment numbers
• Conversion rates and reasons
• Retention rates and reasons
• Attrition rates and reasons
• Website traffic and engagement
• Social media metrics
• Lead-gen metrics
• Referral and word-of-mouth metrics which showcase brand awareness and perception

Trends in sports marketing which are critical for the future growth of football clubs

• Building a community - If a club or an academy manages to create this over a period of time, it will be followed by many benefits and revenue streams. Clubs can organize grassroots programs, coaching clinics, and community events to nurture young talent, promote active participation in football, and strengthen ties with local stakeholders.
• Creating view-worthy content for digital - This has the potential to stay and become viral online for a long time. We’re operating in an era where communicating through content is key and leveraging that nuance appropriately is critical to a brand’s growth regardless of the sector.
• Partnerships with other relevant brands, not necessarily only sports, but also lifestyle brands to expand outreach.
• Fan experiences - Innovation in this space is under-rated and long due pending in India and has a potential of a massive impact for the brand when done consistently.

Personal sports background influencing business strategies in the sports industry

My personal sports background, integrated with my marketing domain knowledge, has led me to execute many strategies successfully and accomplish desired business goals.

• Empathy - personal experience as an athlete can provide firsthand insight into the needs, challenges, and aspirations of athletes. This understanding helps develop products, services, and programs that will enhance athlete performance, well-being, and career development.
• Culture - having a personal sports background provides insights into the values, traditions, and dynamics of the sporting world. This helps in making business decisions and strategies that resonate with stakeholders in the sports industry.
• Respect for fair play and integrity.
• Teamwork - when you’ve played a group sport like basketball or water polo growing up, you know what that powerful feeling is like of having your team’s back and your team having yours to achieve a single objective of winning or just playing the best we can together. No business can sustain without respect and trust amongst team members and that’s why someone who has grown up with those teamwork values will automatically deploy them in everything they do including their time at work.
• Leadership - All of the above qualities lead to imbibing leadership skills and qualities.

Role of digital marketing in SUFC’s strategy and its impact on the club’s success

Our outreach and engagement with our fans, players and potential partners have escalated many folds since our transition to more online and less offline. Our key go to strategies are:

• Create view worthy content
• Distribute that content on all relevant platforms like Meta, Google, WhatsApp, newsletters, etc.
• Innovate in the fan engagement area
• Monitor ROIs on all spends very closely, make edits or decisions & optimise fast.
• Drive traffic to the website. We own that identity rather than external identities that may be more popular. We use those too but focus on elevating the experience on our own website will have many long term benefits.
• Cross market and showcase that collaboration online through social and the press.

Impact on SUFC’s success

• More organic and relevant engagements leading to more enrolments.
• More brand conversations amidst our audience.
• More clarity on what to do next for our fans and players.
• More monetary efficiencies.

Advice to marketers looking to transition into sports marketing

Have a genuine interest in sports. If one doesn’t have a background in sports, that’s okay. But an interest in the field that they want to professionally operate in, is primary and non-negotiable.

Follow trends to keep yourself updated before venturing into that particular sport.

Choose a favourite player or a team. That showcases passion and keeps one motivated and happy and there is always something to talk about with a fellow enthusiast or a potential employer when you meet one.

Meet as many people as possible with a sports marketing background and learn from their experiences. Aside from learning from them, building a network and keeping in touch with them and knowing what they’re up to, in any profession, can add more efficiency to ones decisions.

Learn from others. Some of the most amazing marketing campaigns are executed in the sports sector, study those case studies and get inspired.