The best footy campaigns of 2023 on Campaignware were simple formats that clubs ran around every round: player of the match votes, tipping competitions, score predictors, trivia and lead forms. Our nine picks come from clubs including Hawthorn FC, Melbourne Victory, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, the Newcastle Knights and the Canberra Raiders.
2023 had already given us great footy moments across the codes by the time we wrote this roundup in August. Here are the best campaigns we saw, with what each one does well and how you can run it.
Key takeaways
- Run simple formats every round. A player of the match vote or a tipping competition keeps fans coming back all season.
- Capture data with every entry, so fans become contacts you can reach again.
- Build every campaign in your brand, with room for a sponsor's branding, banners and calls to action.
- Run campaigns in your fans' language: Campaignware supports 16+ languages.
The nine best footy campaign ideas of 2023
1. Player of the match vote
A player of the match vote is an easy way to create quick engagement and capture data around one of the biggest post-match debates. Clubs like Hawthorn FC ran one regularly, for each round of the season.
2. Tipping competition
A quick tipping competition for each match is an easy way to build engagement around footy, and in the UK and Europe the same format runs as a score predictor or prediction league. Add a margin question for an extra challenge. It works for major sporting events too: Melbourne Victory ran one for the Women's World Cup.
3. Score predictor
A great pre-match campaign that lets fans wear the selector's cap. A predict the score campaign is a perfect chance to capture leads and build the pre-match hype. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles asked fans not only which team would win, but what the score would be.
4. Squad predictor
Let your fans predict the squad. The Blues used great player headshots to make theirs look the part.
5. Leaderboard campaign
Set up a leaderboard campaign to engage fans across the whole season, with prizes for the top scorers that make it worth coming back every round.
6. Moment of the season vote
A simple post-season campaign that lets fans vote for the best moment. The Newcastle Knights used GIFs to bring each moment to life.
7. Footy trivia
Trivia works for fans and for business audiences. Run it at half time, before or after a match, around a major sporting event or all season long, and use it to feature a sponsor's content. The Newcastle Knights used trivia for strong lead generation.
8. Lead form
Simple and effective: a lead form for giveaways and registrations. The Canberra Raiders used one to do two things at once, promoting their new NRLW team while giving their sponsor a prominent place. Think about micro sponsorships too: you can place sponsors, banners and calls to action throughout a campaign. A giveaway form can also reach new fans: when Wests Tigers ran a signed bobblehead competition, half of all entrants were people the club had never had contact with before, and it took 25 minutes to build. Read the Wests Tigers case study.
9. Spin to win
Speaking of giveaways, a spin to win campaign gives fans prizes or discount codes as they play. It's quick to enter and easy to tie to a sponsor's offer.
How to run these campaigns with Campaignware
- Pick a template. Start with the tipping template for a season-long competition, the predict the score template for pre-match hype, or the squad predictor template for selection debates.
- Put it in your brand. Add your club's colours, logo and player images, plus your sponsor's branding where it fits.
- Set prizes and terms. Choose prizes fans want, add your terms and conditions, and set the data fields you need.
- Share it. Promote it on social, by email, in your app and website, and with a QR code on the big screen.
- Collect consented data. Every entry adds a fan you can reach again, and the data goes into your CRM.
- Report to your sponsor. Use the reporting in the platform, such as impressions, unique users, sponsor clicks and completion rates.
Each of these campaigns can be built in your brand, set up to your needs and ready to go live in 24 hours or less. In fact, most campaigns go live in under an hour. For more examples, see our best of footy 2021 roundup, or see how clubs and leagues use our fan engagement platform.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best footy fan engagement ideas?
The best footy fan engagement ideas are simple and repeatable: a player of the match vote, a tipping competition, a score predictor, a squad predictor, a moment of the season vote, trivia, a lead form and a spin to win. Each one gives fans a reason to come back every round and captures data the club can use again.
How do you run a footy tipping competition?
Pick a tipping template, add your club's or sponsor's branding, and load the fixtures for the season or the event. Add a margin question for extra challenge, set prizes for the leaderboard, and share it on social, email and your app. Fans tip each round, and every entry adds a contact you can reach again.
How can a sponsor be part of a footy campaign?
Give the sponsor a place throughout the campaign: its branding, banners and calls to action, plus a prize. The Canberra Raiders placed a sponsor in a lead form that promoted their new NRLW team. With dual opt-in, the sponsor collects leads too, and reporting shows what the campaign delivered.
Want to run these campaigns this season? Book a demo, or talk through your project.
