Are We Really Selling Our Fanbase to Sponsors?

Analyzing the sponsorship landscape, I think too often property reps try to sell the fact that they have 70,000 persons in attendance each game or 675,000 fans in attendance over the course of the season... But who are these fans? How often do we dissect who these fans are and what they really like? Most properties now provide potential corporate partners with traditional Scarborough demographics (Gender, Race, HHI, etc.), but do we do a good enough job understanding and selling their purchasing tendencies?

What got me thinking about this topic was a recent article in Event Marketer magazine (February 2008 edition):

"Gone Daddy Gone. - Not only are married women controlling more family purchases than ever before (even in traditionally male-dominated areas like cars, insurance, and electronics), single and divorced men may be byepassing their married counterparts as one of the fastest-growing consumer power markets. According to a recent U.S. Men's Market study by market research firm Packaged Facts,  never-marrieds - especially those under the age of 35 - are serious shoppers, especially for gadgets and personal style products. The popular "metrosexual" demographic also needs a skeptical second look, says the study. Marketers should dig deeper to divide then conquer their single male targets into groups like more traditional men whom the study calls "machosexuals", blue collar men and college educated men."

A few questions to consider:

• When we are selling sponsors in the CPG, auto, insurance categories, should we be looking to provide more of this detailed information, especially if we have young, single males?
• If we have a fanbase that skews female, shouldn't we be selling the "married women are controlling more family purchases than ever before" pitch?
• Have you ever considered the machosexual vs. metrosexual angle? or blue collar vs. white collar? or marrieds vs. singles/divorcees?

It is one thing to sell a sponsor on your fanbase's demographics... it's another to have concrete details to support your numbers and really show sponsors true value.