FRIDAY PRESS REVIEW - September 5 2025
Here are some of the most interesting articles of the last weeks selected by The Consultancy Group:
Young fans might skip watching the match, but they still love the game
Sport - Young sports fans are moving away from watching full live matches and instead engage with sports through short-form content, memes, behind-the-scenes clips, and creator-led commentary on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Athletes have become crucial connectors by sharing personal, authentic content that creates parasocial relationships with fans, while traditional sports organizations risk losing younger audiences by clinging to broadcast-centric strategies.
She avenged Caitlin Clark on the court. Now sponsors love her
Sponsoring - On June 17, Sophie Cunningham became a social media sensation after forcefully fouling Connecticut Sun player Jacy Sheldon in defense of teammate and superstar Caitlin Clark. The incident quickly translated into a once-in a life time opportunity, with Cunningham securing seven new sponsorship deals within weeks, including partnerships with Ring and Arby's. Her newfound fame as Clark's "enforcer" demonstrated how a single moment of on-court « drama » can create massive branding opportunities.
An IBM case study on the US Open
Data & AI - The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has partnered with IBM for over three decades to create a world-class digital experience for the US Open Tennis Championships, serving more than 14 million global fans through advanced technology. IBM helps transform over 7 million tournament data points into engaging content using hybrid cloud infrastructure. This technology partnership enables AI-powered features like match predictions, automated commentary, and real-time insights that enhance fan engagement while dramatically increasing content production efficiency.