Sport Beach CEO Beth Sidhu on Leveraging Athletes for Brand Growth
Beth Sidhu, CEO of Sport Beach, discusses the evolution of sports marketing, the importance of treating athletes as partners, and the growing opportunities in women's sports.
Sport Beach, initially conceived in 2022 by Stagwell as a platform for athletes, marketers, and creatives at the Cannes Lions festival, has evolved into a significant sports marketing entity. Beth Sidhu, appointed CEO earlier this year, has guided its expansion beyond Cannes to major events like the Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Weekend, and CES in Las Vegas.
Evolution and Growth
Sport Beach was born from the observation that the Cannes Lions festival lacked a dedicated space for sports-related discussions. "The idea was around sports at the beginning," Sidhu stated, recalling how it started as "Sports Beach" before evolving. She described the initial phase as a period of promising a credible event, contrasting it with potential pitfalls. "Year one was just me running around promising people it wouldn’t be Fyre Festival 2.0, and now I really think Sport Beach is the premier and premium home of all sport in Cannes and in many other places," she said.
The platform has seen substantial growth since its inception. In its first year, athletes such as Carmelo Anthony, Maria Sharapova, and Sue Bird participated, lending their stories and helping to build business. Subsequent years introduced elements like Travis and Jason Kelce, a climbing wall, a wine and spirits festival, and an expansion to Davos. While specific revenue figures for individual agencies are not disclosed, Sidhu noted that Sport Beach is a "growing, profitable company" that drives significant value for clients, athletes, Stagwell, and its sister agencies, with public statements indicating revenue in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Power of Sports Marketing
Sidhu attributes the enduring popularity of sports to its status as "the last appointment viewing" and its resistance to AI disruption. Furthermore, she highlighted sports' increasing role as a "cultural mover and a technology mover." Her theory posits that "everyone’s a sports marketer now," encompassing brands across all sectors, whether they directly engage with sports or not. This ubiquity stems from sport's "incredible breadth, incredible diversity and incredible power to move culture."
Best Practices for Brand-Athlete Collaboration
When working with athletes, Sidhu emphasizes the importance of treating them as "genuine co-conspirators" and "equal partners." She advocates for a co-creation model where athletes are viewed as "business partners, as creators, as thinkers." This approach moves beyond superficial endorsements, such as a "logo slap or an NIL [name, image, likeness] slap," towards more meaningful collaborations in developing content, products, or campaigns.
Advancing Women's Sports
Sidhu expressed strong support for the growth of women's sports and highlighted Sport Beach's recent launch of its Women’s Leadership Council. This council aims to move beyond general investment and viewership, focusing on concrete advancements. This year's initiative centers on "coaching and representation," with plans to produce intellectual property to foster progress at the highest levels of coaching for women. Brands like Gatorade, PepsiCo, and Elf Beauty were cited as examples of companies effectively engaging with women's sports through science-backed research and innovative campaigns.
Future Outlook and Extensions
Sport Beach has facilitated numerous partnerships, including NFL players securing Super Bowl ad campaigns, Olympians signing year-long contracts with telecommunications companies, and podcast deals. Looking ahead, Sidhu sees potential extensions into other passion-driven industries, with music identified as a key area. Sport Beach announced plans for its first country music concert in 2027, aiming to merge sport and music, further solidifying its position as a nexus for major cultural and commercial intersections.