A Case Study in Military Sponsorship: US Army | UFL

Interested in reaching the military community through military event sponsorship?

 

Military event sponsorship doesn't necessarily mean sponsoring a military event. Any sponsorship can be a military event sponsorship based on the focus of the activation and the goals established for the sponsorship. 

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Today we're going to review how the US Army went about a sponsorship with the United Football League (UFL). 

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THE SETUP

Awareness.  Bringing a cause to the attention of the desired audience.  Doing B2C or B2B business.  Recruiting for staffing needs.  All of these require awareness of a cause, a brand, or an opportunity among a target audience.

 

Sponsorship is a strategic marketing tool that plays squarely in the awareness space.  Sponsorships align organizations with events or properties, such as sports leagues or teams, which then connect that organization to a passion point of the target audience.  Organizations which support the passion points of a consumer score higher brand metrics, including awareness, compared to those unaware of the organization’s sponsorship.

 

 

THE PROBLEM

Sponsorship is one avenue the US military is utilizing to address an ongoing recruitment crisis.  The United States Department of Defense, with an annual recruiting budget of over $1.6B, reports many military recruiting goals are not being met in the midst of what military recruiters have called one of the toughest recruiting periods in more than 30 years.  In a challenging climate and with a budget to play with, the US Army took a big swing to address recruitment challenges.

 

 

THE SOLUTION…OR AT LEAST A PART OF IT

In April 2024, the Army was announced as the presenting partner of the United Football League, which is playing its inaugural season after being formed by the merger of the XFL and the United States Football League.  The Army logo appears on players’ jerseys, on the field during games, and throughout other key in-game branding moments (including replays and social media posts).  Additional elements include televised sideline chats with Army personnel and veterans, along with hospitality areas where fans can speak with Army representatives.  The one-year deal, with a one-year option to renew, is worth close to $9M-$11M, according to various sources.

 

The sponsorship has been met with skepticism, to say the least.  Investments in minor league sports are risky, given relatively poor viewership, compared to more established major league sports.  Also, professional athletics is generally losing relevance with Gen Z, the prime demographic for Army recruiting.  During its first week, the UFL had 1.05 million views but that fell to 844,000 during its second week -- a 19% decline in viewership, according to reporting from the Sports Business Journal.  Another consideration is the timing of the partnership.  The league runs March 30 - June 16.  The Department of Defense’s fiscal year runs through September, at which point each service branch will have either met or fallen short of their respective recruitment goals.  The UFL provides an avenue for a final recruitment push against a measurement deadline.

 

Sponsorship isn’t measured on a straight linear basis, of spend v. result.  In addition to impacting recruiting, the Army entered into the UFL sponsorship as a strategic approach to change the perception of the Army brand. Increased awareness along with positive opinion and consideration increase the efficiency of additional marketing spends, which lead to the direct goals/objectives of an overall campaign.

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THE RESULTS…OR AT LEAST WHAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW

The impact of Army’s UFL sponsorship will need time before the partnership can be fairly evaluated.  With the 2024 UFL season mostly complete, we’ll review from a topline perspective:

 

1. Brand Visibility and Awareness: Collectively, the Army brand is being pushed out through broadcast, social media, and league-owned media assets (website, app, etc).  The league is averaging ~1M viewers per broadcast.  Viewership across several markets compares favorably against more established NHL and NBA teams.  In contrast, NFL games average ~17.5M viewers per regular season broadcast.

2. Differentiation and Positioning: The UFL’s partnership announcement states, “[we will] collaborate on leadership development initiatives, community engagement events, and increasing awareness of the opportunities the Army and UFL offer young leaders and athletes to create the future they want.”  The Army is leaning into this position while also leading the category ahead of other service branches also vying for the same recruits.

3. Audience Engagement and Connection: The end of this story is still being written.  Trackable engagement metrics, such as social media engagements, are up YOY.  Fan avidity, as it relates to an increased enjoyment a fan receives as a result of Army’s participation, can’t be measured until the conclusion of the season.  And true fan engagement directly with the Army brand will continue through the end of the UFL season.

 

While brand visibility is undoubtedly a crucial aspect of any military event sponsorship deal, the real value lies in the connections forged with the audience. Through its partnership with the UFL, the Army has the opportunity to interact with fans at games, host recruitment events, and provide informational sessions about military careers. These face-to-face interactions humanize the military experience, allowing individuals to see themselves as part of a larger community with shared values and goals.

 

Central to the Army's recruitment strategy is the emphasis on the diverse range of opportunities and benefits available to service members. Through its collaboration with the UFL, the military could showcase the various career paths, educational opportunities, and leadership development programs offered within its ranks. By painting a comprehensive picture of life in the military, the Army could aim to dispel misconceptions and attract individuals who might be seeking more than just a job but a meaningful and rewarding career.

 

What this all comes down to is whether the UFL provides the Army access to the correct audience.  If the 18-35 demographic of UFL fans show a willingness to listen and engage with Army-led messages, the partnership could prove out to be an effective spend.  If the league becomes what is viewed as “cool” by the 18-35 demographic of UFL fans, the Army – by adjacency – becomes cool.  And there’s value in that.  And if recruiting numbers increase as a result of the partnership, the Army will consider the dollars well spent.  Time will tell.

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[ADDENDUM TO THE ORIGINAL PUBLICATION]

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As it turned out, the Army did not see a lift to recruiting as a function of the UFL partnership. In fact, a NEGATIVE lift was attributed to the partnership, based on the position that had the spend been attributed somewhere else, the Army would have realized "X" number of new recruits. That total was subtracted from the total recruits attributed to the UFL partnership (0), creating a negative lift.

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Further, the sponsorship was viewed as such a failure that the Army has sought financial remedy based on unfulfilled sponsorship assets.  At this time, the Army is seeking ~$6M in restitution. 

 

 

OPPORTUNITY FOR EVENTS, PROPERTIES, AND RIGHTS HOLDERS

The takeaway here for events, properties, and rights holders is, if you can provide access to a younger demographic and you’re not speaking to a branch of the US military, you’re missing out on a partnership opportunity.  The Army spent a high seven- or eight-figures with the UFL.  The opportunity exists to build a sponsorship which provides access to a property’s fan base through both high-reach/low-touch and high-touch/low-reach assets and activation components.  The key is to focus on engagement opportunities, data collection and follow-up opportunities, and presenting the branch of service as “cool.”

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That said, any brand partnership should be entered into with very clear goals. This case study has presented the partnership as a failure -- and it was -- but not for the reason that the goal of recruiting was not met. The sponsorship was a failure because it started with a flawed premise, that recruitment would be driven by the partnership. The premise of any sponsorship, be it a military event sponsorship or something in the general market space, should be to create awareness. There are multiple steps after creating awareness to bring someone to a buying decision, or in this case, entice an eligible individual to enlist in the Army.

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The Army overspent on a partnership, leaning into the perceived star power of Dwayne Johnson and expecting the sponsorship to deliver against the goal of recruiting. There was misalignment from the start. The sponsorship didn't fail at all. In fact, awareness was the end result. Unfortunately, that wasn't the Army's goal. 

Brands typically make attempts to connect and engage with the military community on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.  Throw in a discount and this is what the market has told the military to expect in the way of outreach.  For a brand willing to do more, there is an opportunity to turn the heads of the ~40 million consumers that make up the military community.

 

Marketing to the military should be an “always on” mentality, not just a few touches throughout the year at the same time every other brand is doing the exact same thing.  The military community is one of the largest American consumer segments, made up of people from all walks of life.  Their diversity and lifestyle offer tremendous marketing opportunities to brands who serve every audience.  For a brand to really connect with this group, a level of understanding is required – not just check-the-box marketing done on Veterans Day.

 

Does your brand have an effective strategy to connect with the military community?  The Barracks can help.  Our team designs and executes marketing and sponsorship campaigns targeting the military community.  We deliver results because we understand the audience. We understand who they are, where they live, and what drives them.  We speak their language. We connect with the military community through authentic messaging in channels where they are, with information relevant to their lives.

 

Military event sponsorships help brands connect with the military community. Let’s talk about how we can help your brand.