Only in the last 20 years has it been possible to accurately measure the ROI of media advertising, and the demand for TV sports by fans and advertisers has been growing ever since. Sports account for about 95% of the highest rated shows on television. The reach and impact of sports TV is indeed legendary. Now that streaming has democratized video even more than YouTube and Meta did, US Youth Soccer (USYS), the largest youth sports organization in the country, is leading the charge of youth sports onto streaming television, and at the same time helping to roll out the world’s first positive social media platform, WeAre8.
"We believe in the power of sport to unite, inspire, and uplift. By partnering with WeAre8, we can provide our US Youth Soccer community with a healthier and safer way to share our stories on social media. We believe it's more important than ever to protect and foster a healthier relationship with technology, and WeAre8 sets the right tone when it comes to empowering young people to drive positive change in the world. Whether it's game day or spotlighting the people who make our incredible community so amazing, we will be sharing our stories and our impact on WeAre8. Come and join us."
— Skip Gilbert, CEO of US Youth Soccer
"The US Youth Soccer commitment to positive change through sport aligns perfectly with our mission to empower individuals and communities to come together, feel inspired and make the positive change we all want to see in the world. With our unique application of validated identity, AI infrastructure, and social feeds with no algorithms, we provide people with a ‘safe social home’ and a viable social alternative where they are seen by their friends and free to express their biggest selves, without fear. People are valued with micro-payments with every ad viewed and discover the amazing power of their values to support others. WeAre8 literally puts the power back into the hands of the people and reconnects us with communities we love."
— Zoe Kalar, Founder & CEO of WeAre8
I started writing about the power of bringing uplifting content through the media in the prior century, and in the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) Journal of Advertising Research (JAR)I published a meta-analysis of 28 studies showing the ROI of what I call “True Sponsorship” – meaning positive branded content with no feeling of it being advertising. This was shown to have 7X the persuasion effect of a 30” TV commercial. This is the high values content that both organizations, WeAre8 and USYS, epitomize.
I reported that WeAre8 is proving high branding and conversion effects for high values, based on the advertisers’ own questionnaires. Then we reported again when Lumen showed astronomical attention scores for WeAre8. The WeAre8 advertising user experience is under the user’s own control, and they get paid for doing it, plus money goes to charity in their name. The feeling is more like a collaboration than an “exposure”. The user decides whether or not to watch the short video typically 15-45 seconds long. Then they get the option to see more. Then they get rewarded into their wallet and then they see the positive effect they have made with their donation. It’s all just us good guys, there are no bad guys. If ever there were a media type that is set up to create positive feelings, this is it.
OUTFRONT Media’s Social Media Coordinator Briana Draguca, writing in MediaVillage, described WeAre8 as “an influencer platform that specializes in connecting high-profile brands with micro-influencers who are skilled at creating and amplifying content.”
We can see coming a wave of youth sports influencers who will be great role models for other kids.
WeAre8 is the perfect partner for USYS, whose Vision is “bringing communities together… lifelong”, and whose Mission is “helping every member fulfill their goals on and off the field.” Their top three in a list of 11 Core Values are Innovation, Integrity, and Respect. Both teams are about helping each other, teamwork, and unity.
The opposite of the finger-pointing culture which has descended like a supernatural demon upon so much of the populace.
The combination of USYS and WeAre 8 – and we suspect others will be entering the high values cross-platform space – could be next year’s retail media. And a good thing, too, because advertising would be wise to morph into True Sponsorship – authentic valuable and uplifting content brought to you by a brand. The growing adversity to ads per se, the shrinkage of TV ad units and rise of SVOD as Josh Chasin has pointed out, itself suggests a morphing is due.
What do we care about as much as we care about our kids? Pretty much nothing. Almost all of us would die for them. To be able to see your kids on television – all the time – and on digital video – all the time – and to see them grow up strong and happy and well-adjusted, sometimes even heroic – after all, sports is an opportunity to show your leadership, courage, teamwork, cool-headedness, integrity, sportsmanship.
Youth sports is real life. Having more of it on television is going to have a major impact on audiences. It will make sports sponsorships affordable for all American businesses. Having the players also as creators/influencers on user generated content at the same time is an integration made in heaven.
According to Statista, in 2023, 25.7% of the US population took part in team sports, up 2.5% from 2022. That’s more than 86 million people (US Census Bureau January 1, 2024, projection of 335,893,238). That’s a lot of built-in viewers.
As I said earlier, I’ve been recommending True Sponsorship and high values content for decades, and seeing youth sports and WeAre8 teaming up makes me “feel happy and proud” (Yiddish/showbiz=”kvelling”).
(Total Transparency: I’m proud to be part of this movement and of the sports consultancy The NewStar Group which Larry Novenstern, Keith Ferguson and I founded a couple of years ago and is partnered with USYS and with WeAre8.)
Images source: US Youth Soccer (USYS)
Posted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership self-publishing platform.
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