The Road to Becoming a Maverick of Sponsorships

Corporate sponsorships have been a key source of revenue for professional sports teams. However, the era of buying a sign is no more. Now, it’s all about the experience. Game Changers host Katie Steinberg chatted with Michael Mattocks, Senior Director of Corporate Sponsorships for the Dallas Mavericks, to get his insights.

Mattocks has a unique career path. His fascination with the NBA was always a big part of his life, but he didn’t know it could be his job. After spending 15 years in the legal field, he made a phone call to the Mavericks that would change his life.

“I spoke to the head of HR to get some information on how to work there. He explained for an hour how teams are set up and recommended corporate sponsorship,” Mattocks explained.

That fateful conversation turned into a job interview and a career. He’s been with the company 17 years, and a lot has changed. “The sponsorship things we did 15 years ago, we don’t do at all now. Now, it’s about getting that one thing you can buy—the excitement of being at a game,” Mattocks said.

With the influx of technology and social media, sponsorship opportunities evolved. “The experience of the sound and feel of the game and melding that with a sponsorship brand integration generates affinity and excitement,” Mattocks noted.

Everything digital is also trackable and measurable, so sponsors understand the impact. One example Mattocks shared was the Mavericks partnership with Texas Oncology. “Patients came and told their stories, interacting with players. Seeing that is the best part of the job.”

On the Next Episode of Game Changers:

Host Katie Steinberg will be sitting down with CFL and NFL Hall of Famer Warren Moon. The duo will discuss how athletes navigate their post-playing careers, debate whether or not there is enough talent coming out of college to support an ancillary league like the XFL, and how philanthropy has affected Moon’s second half act.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Brand experience with APL
Stepping into the Future at Shoptalk 2024: Creating a Flagship Brand Experience with APL
March 28, 2024

The customers of today are no longer satisfied with mere products; they crave brands that provide immersive, distinctive, and tailored brand experiences. Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) epitomizes this shift, setting a new standard in the luxury performance market with its innovative athletic footwear. APL’s newly opened flagship boutique in Soho, with its artisan plaster walls […]

Read More
Balancing professional growth and personal well-being
Routines, Rituals and a Mission-Driven Approach: MarketScale’s CRO Tim Maitland on Balancing Professional Growth and Personal Well-Being
March 28, 2024

In a world that often demands the relentless pursuit of success, finding the sweet spot between professional growth and personal well-being can seem like an elusive goal. As we navigate the complexities of modern work-life dynamics, the conversation around maintaining this balance has become more pertinent than ever. In this episode of Growthwell, we […]

Read More
marketing careers
The Impact of AI on Marketing Careers
March 28, 2024

In this episode of The Marketing AI SparkCast, host Aby Varma, a B2B Marketing Leader and the Founder of Spark Novus, sits down with Matt Gill, the Founder and Managing Partner of MICA Consulting Group. Spark Novus is a consultancy specializing in strategic AI adoption in marketing. MICA is a leading boutique national marketing […]

Read More
healthcare cybersecurity
Continued Threats Require a Major Shift in Healthcare Cybersecurity Risk Perception
March 28, 2024

Recent cyberattacks on healthcare institutions have thrust cybersecurity from a back-office concern to the forefront of the healthcare industry’s agenda. A significant breach at Change Healthcare disrupted essential services, underlining the vulnerability of healthcare networks to such threats and the dire consequences for patient care. Government and industry responses have stressed the importance of […]

Read More