Here’s how to deliver a memorable fan experience using livestreams — and fundraise suc­cess­ful­ly while doing it.

There’s no single solution to replace the fan experience, but livestreaming can help. And if you get creative with ideas for sponsorships, online marketing or charging a fee for views of your sports teams, you can be profitable with your streams.

Sponsorships

The extra funding that comes from the sponsorship of a local business can go a long way in giving your sports teams the best possible resources and making up for lost revenue. Here are a few ways to highlight sponsors on your website and livestreams.

Location, location, location

Find placements that will deliver value to your sponsors and ensure their logos are being seen by viewers. If you have a Hudl Focus camera, consider putting a few of your biggest contributors directly below the scoreboard since it’s included on the livestream view at all times. And take advantage of those empty stands—place as many logos as you can in the bleachers directly across from the camera. You could also work with your local print shop to source larger vinyl banners for high-paying sponsors.

Broadcast advertising

Advertising during your live broadcast is another way for businesses to get their name out there. There’s plenty of time to announce, advertise and thank sponsors before and after the game and during long breaks. Or break it up and have businesses sponsor entire quarters or sets in a volleyball match.

Individual sponsorships

Leverage community ties by tasking each player with finding a business to sponsor them individually. Then, put the logos on each athletes’ roster page on your website and announce their sponsor during introductions before the game. This is an easy way to crowdsource funding and encourage your athletes to engage with your program and their local community. Sounds like a win-win.

Online Marketing

If you’re not using social media for your athletic department, you should be. It’s a great way to pump up players and keep fans in the know. But you can also use it to generate revenue and grow partnerships with existing sponsors.

Sponsored posts

Have a lofty following already? This is a simple way to bring in some cash. Post a weekly schedule, game recaps or MVP shoutouts, then have a business sponsor each of these posts by putting their logo in the graphic or adding a mention at the end.

Email newsletters

Newsletters are a powerful, personalized way to deliver the right message to your fans at the right time. Consider sending out a weekly email to subscribers letting them know about upcoming livestreams, game recaps and your sponsors.

Competitions

We’re all going to miss the student section chants, and athletes are definitely going to miss competing for a crowd. So take some of that competitiveness digital. Post a poll on Twitter or Facebook asking followers to vote for who they think will win a matchup. You could even have a business sponsor the poll, set a dollar amount and have them donate it to the winning team.

Charge Viewers

One of the easiest ways to be profitable with your livestream is to charge viewers to watch.

Season passes

When you stream to YouTube using Hudl Focus, a YouTube channel is created for your athletic department. If fans want to become season ticket holders, they can pay your department a one-time fee to access your channel’s link and tune in to any event throughout the season.

Single-game tickets

Some matchups will draw bigger crowds than others. And Great Uncle Jim might not need (or want) to watch every football game, so it’s a good idea to offer a single-game option too. When your coaches start a new livestream, a unique URL will be created for that game. So once the game starts, just send the link to people who paid for it.

Sponsored livestreams

If it’s not feasible to sell passes and tickets, see if a local business will sponsor your livestreams for the season. Putting their name out there during every sporting event this fall will broaden the audience and increase brand awareness for the sponsor.

Video Hub

Consider creating a website to house links to your YouTube channel, live games, and on-demand recordings. This is an easy way to put everything in one place and charge fans for access just once. (Plus, you don’t need a design or programming degree to use the platforms below.)

Google Sites

If your district uses Google, create a free Google Site. Templates make it easy to get started and you can customize your page using background images, thumbnail graphics and text.

Wix

Not a Google district? Use Wix to create a free webpage. Similar to Google Sites, it’s easy to create and customize a landing page that can house all your livestream information, plus your MVP and game recap content.

There’s a lot of uncertainty around this fall. But now’s the perfect time to plan for how you’ll boost your department, promote your programs, and provide a safe and engaging environment for fans. Check out our livestreaming guide to learn more about broadcasting technology, then get in touch to find the solution that’s best for your school.