It would probably be fair to say that marketing and football go hand-in-hand: from Nike’s ‘Secret Tournament’ adverts to Pepsi’s ‘Medieval Fight’ campaign, the most memorable football ads merge marketing and sport in a way that not only builds brand loyalty but which stays with fans for the rest of their lives.
Whilst TV spots and shirt sponsorships are beyond the reach of most small- and mid-sized businesses, pitchside advertising boards can be a fantastic choice for brands who wish to capitalise on the advertising opportunities offered by the market. A mounted board at the side of a sports pitch can target supporters across a wide range of demographics, and—when done right—leave a lasting impression.
At The Bank, our media buying experts have extensive experience procuring pitchside advertising inventory for businesses of all sizes. Our marketing team advise clients on brand and target audience strategy, before using close industry relationships to secure the best possible deals on advertising boards. No matter your budget or your marketing goals, The Bank are on hand to help you achieve them!
Contact us today to speak to one of our account managers, or keep reading for our expert guide to pitchside advertising boards.
What Are Pitchside Advertising Boards?
Pitchside advertising boards—also known as pitchside hoardings—are large sign panels that surround the playing surfaces of sports clubs and stadiums.
Although most commonly found around a football pitch, rugby field, cricket ground, or horse racing track, pitchside hoardings are found across all sporting disciplines, both indoor and outdoor.
Like those used in the building and construction industries, the primary purpose of pitchside hoarding panels is one of safety. Positioning is based on the protection of players, staff, and fans. However, with such a huge audience, these panels provide a perfect option for revenue generation, with sponsors vying for advertising materials at these high-impact, high-engagement spots next to the pitch.
Types of Football Advertising Boards and Pitchside Hoardings
Traditional
External advertising hoardings are commonly created from weatherproof materials such as PVC or polypropylene, or fashioned around a wooden frame with Dibond printed sheets. Dibond is an aluminium composite, that provides stability and durability in all weathers, and is designed for long-term use.
For internal advertising, boards can be fashioned from lightweight materials like Correx, offering the same potential for creative image media, but at a significantly lower cost.
Digital
As the number of digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising options continues to grow across all areas of the country, so too are an increasing number of stadium and venue operators choosing to take a digital approach to advertising boards.
LED-based pitchside hoarding panels offer a number of distinct advantages over traditional:
- Engagement: Digital panels are more eye-catching than their static counterparts, and can be updated in real-time to reflect changes in the scoreline or other key match information.
- Flexibility: Many digital panel providers offer cloud-based content management systems (CMS), allowing businesses to update their ads without the need to liaise directly with publishers.
- Creativity: With their ability to display video content, animation, and other creative visuals, digital hoardings provide significantly greater options for developing creative business ad media.
The Cost of Pitchside Advertising
The cost of pitchside advertising can vary wildly, based on several significant factors. Prior to undertaking a pitch board ad campaign, it’s important to consider the following:
Sport
The cost of pitchside hoardings will be significantly higher for marquee sports such as football and rugby, which attract greater numbers of viewers (both in-person and on television), than less popular disciplines.
At the same time, sports such as athletics may receive limited exposure throughout the year, but see a significant increase in audience figures throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Stadium
As with every form of billboard advertising, the size of your immediate audience will play a huge part in the amount you pay for advertising space.
A major stadium can house upwards of 90,000 people, with pitchside advertising costs in the tens of thousands; a pitch fixture at a smaller local club, meanwhile, can cost as little as £500 per season.
Level
Whilst true across most sports, when looking at football advertising boards in particular, the level of the club can have a huge impact on the amount you will pay to advertise.
As a very broad example, advertising boards at a low-level Premier League club might generally cost around £2,500; at a Championship club around £1,100; and at a League One club as low as £350.
Whilst this may seem like a great deal on the surface, there is one factor which can bump these site fees considerably…
TV or Not TV, That is the question…
Whilst a non-broadcast game might see your ad shown to several thousand stadium-goers, for televised games your advert will gain exposure to a market of potentially millions of people, not just in the UK, but across the world.
Unsurprisingly, most clubs will take advantage of this fact by raising publishing fees for camera-facing advertising boards. The £2,500 you paid for that Premier League ad board could easily jump to £15,000 when people at home are watching.
Media Buying with The Bank
At The Bank, we work with publishers across a wide range of sporting disciplines and levels, from the Premier League down to the lower echelons of non-league football.
Whether you’re a large-scale business with an extensive advertising budget, or a small local company looking for low-cost exposure, we can help you to find the perfect pitchside hoarding solution.
We can assist with sourcing and booking ad space, designing and creating your advertising artwork, printing, installation, and a whole lot more.
So, if you’re interested in creating a pitchside advertising campaign for your company, give us a call today. We can’t wait to get started!
