Legacy Sports Media ( Final Campaign )

  

 

“LIVE YOUR LEGACY”

Final Campaign

 

 

 

 

Introduction: 

For many generations, African Americans were barred from any sort of leisure activity in American society. Whether this was stepping inside to get a cold drink and something to eat or going to a sporting event or even playing in said event, this large population of American citizens were treated like second class member of society, but as time went on African Americans started to gain more respect and received more human rights that were given to other members of American society.  One of the first ways that African Americans started to gain respect in American society is through sports. Sports has always meant something more. Sports was a way for these people to use their voice. One of the greatest examples of this is during the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games where sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos wore black gloves and socks on the medal podium to protest civil rights issues pertaining to African Americans. This is just one example of how African Americans have used their platform in sports to relay a bigger message of inequality and injustice. This is one of the reasons why there are so many passionate sports fans that consider themselves African American. 

African Americans have always had to scour channels looking for places to see them represented in the media in an equal and just way. In January of 1980, BET or Black Entertainment Network became available to the public. BET provided a place for African Americans to sit down and watch people on TV that look like them and tell their stories. This allowed such a large population to finally feel represented. In the sports community, representation started when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947 but that didn't end the hardships that African American athletes and their fans faced. For years after the integration of Major League Baseball, African American sports fans were forced either to watch in the worst parts of the stadium or not permitted in the stadium premise at all. As time went on and these segregation rules were lessened and lifted, African Americans started to consume sports at a higher rate than any other race. This can be seen in the population of African American athletes in professional sports today. According to Staista, Over 70% of the NBA ( National Basketball Association) is made up of African American players and the same can be said about the NFL (National Football League) where over 53% of the athletes playing in that league are African American. 

In recent years, broadcast networks and media outlets have become much more diverse, but it is now time that African American sports fans receive a network of their own. With the death of cable television and consumers wanting to access content at any moment, streaming has become the new go to for the younger generations of content consumers. With this in mind, it is time that African American sports fans receive a place of their own to stream games and broadcasts from people who look and relay the game in similar ways as they do. This streaming service will be partnered with Landscape, a subsection of the ESPN family that already creates content catered toward the African American audience. This streaming platform, called Legacy Sports Network  will provide audiences with games, analysis and candid TV shows catered toward the African American sports fan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statement of marketing goals or objectives:

 The primary goal of this campaign is to build a loyal, engaged audience. The audience we are most catering for is African American sports fans, but also sports fans in general.  Legacy Sports Network will be advertised as a main streaming service and leading platform for live, culturally relevant sports content and TV and Podcast shows.

1. Increase Platform Subscriptions

-       Gain 25,000 new  subscribers within the first 6 months of launch. Our target audience would be mostly focusing on U.S. markets. Mostly advertising to the African American community through social media, online advertising and TV commercials.

2.Social Media Growth and Engagement

-       Grow the streaming service and combined social media following by 50,000 new followers across Instagram, TikTok, and X within 3 months.

-       Maintain an average engagement rate of 5% or higher by posting relevant content, live tweeting, athlete takeovers, and short form highlight clips.

3. Build Brand Awareness through Partnerships

- Secure content collaborations or features with major platforms like Players TV, I Am Athlete, Uninterrupted and Night Cap media groups. Collaborating with these already established podcast and streamers is a great way to boost viewer retention to our streaming platform.

 

Target segment and its justification: 

Sports was one of the first ways that African Americans were accepted in American culture. Because of this, within African American communities, Sports has always meant more to this community.  From being barred from playing sports in general to winning hard fought battles just to be represented in the best leagues in the world.  African American athletes felt the need to do “better” than their counterparts. Work harder, run faster, catch better, hit more. Even the way African American athletes have dressed has always shown the importance of sport and the statements that can be made in it. Sports is arguably one of the ways this country was united, Because of this African Americans have a long tradition of being loyal and passionate sports fans, and this is why it is time to make a streaming service catered to the African American sports fan

There are fans of the Dodgers to this day because of what Jackie Robinson did and the stories that were passed down from generation to generation. The tradition of being a Dodger fan because great grandpa became a fan when Jackie Robinson became the first African American baseball player in the MLB is a real phenomenon.  African American sports fans have a passionate sports culture that extends beyond simply watching games. These cultural characteristics are in community, history, and identity. From debates at the barbershop to online social media discussion, sports serve as a way to connect with others but also a way to challenge societal norms just like Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson and others did before.  

Dr. Brandon Brown, researcher at NYU and the creator of The Black Market: Re-examining African American sports fans in the 21st century analyzed which race was the most “passionate” group of sports fans.  The way they determined their scores was based on these criteria.  “For our investigation we measured participants’ passion towards their favorite sports team or athlete. The study’s questions towards passion intended to measure how a favorite sports team or athlete inhabits one’s inner emotions (i.e., the heart), one’s consistent thoughts (i.e., the mind), and one’s time and energy (i.e., the body). Taking into account all three of the factors - the heart, mind, and body - is important, for this allows us to understand passion towards a sports team or athlete as an all-encompassing endeavor.” Dr Brown explained. In their study they came to the conclusion that African American sports fans are the most passionate group of fans than any other race. Understanding the passion of one group can provide deeper insights to product consumption, social media interaction as well as buying behaviors

African American sports fans make up a very diverse population of people. From the wide range of sports this group of people follow to the different cultural influences that shape their love for sports, African American sports fans are one of the most diverse groups of people. While basketball and football tend to dominate in popularity, there are also strong followings within the African American community for UFC, boxing and track and field. There are also emerging interests in soccer, hockey, and Formula 1. Some African American sports fans gravitate toward global sports, such as Tennis supporting African American athletes like Serena and Venus Williams, or in Formula 1, like Lewis Hamilton. 

According to a study done at New York University by Dr. Brandon Brown,  investigated African American sports consumers in the 21st century, African Americans are most passionately following the National Basketball Association followed by the National Football League and Collegiate Football. African Americans rank highest among any other race when it comes to viewership and following the NBA or the National Basketball Association. 32% of African Americans say that they are most passionate about following the NBA. While only 6% of African Americans say they passionately follow the MLB and only 1% watches the National Hockey League passionately. 

 

 

 

 This diversity extends beyond just sport preferences, it also includes a variety of ethnic identities within the African American community. African American sports fans come from African Caribbean ethnicities (Multiracial Non Hispanic African American people), Afro Latino ethnicities (African American Hispanic people) and many more.  Each brings unique cultural perspectives to sports.  Haitian and Jamaican Americans may have a stronger connection to track and field due to their countries dominance in sprinting, while people who consider themselves Afro Latino may take pride in soccer because of the popularity of the sport within Latin and Hispanic cultures Additionally, within the United States, regional differences play a role in shaping fandom. An African American sports fan from New York might be more into baseball and basketball because of the dominance of the Knicks and Yankees in their respective leagues. African American sports from the South may have a stronger allegiance to college football due to the popularity and success of the schools in that region.  Despite these differences, there is often a shared sense of pride in the excellence of African American athletes in sports.  Whether it’s celebrating the legacy of Jackie Robinson each April 15th during Jackie Robinson day  or Muhammad Ali’s activism through boxing, the African American sports fan base is as diverse and dynamic as the athletes they support. 

As the African American population is relatively young, it is important to understand how different ages and generations of African American sports fans choose to consume sports and how they go about doing that. According to the same study done by Dr. Brandon Brown at New York University studying the African American sports consumer in the 21st century, Gen Z is the generation consuming the most amount of sports right now in the African American demographic. Similar to the entire African American population, NBA Basketball, NFL Football and NCAA Football are the three most popular sports for Gen Z. One of the major differences when analyzing how different generations consume sports is that Gen X and Boomers prefer NFL Football over any other sport. Over 46% of African American baby boomers prefer NFL Football over any other sport.  This differs from the entire population that prefers to watch NBA basketball. 

 

This passion for sports presents the strong case for the creation of a dedicated streaming network that caters specifically to the interests of these people.  This streaming service would highlight the wide range of sports that resonate with African American audiences. From basketball, football, and track and field to the growing interest in soccer, Formula 1, and tennis. All of this while also celebrating the culture and influences that shape fandom.

Positioning/Product Placement: 

1.Online Streaming Platform 

This will be the main way that our consumers will be able to reach all of the content on Legacy Sports network. Legacy Sports Network from Andscpe will live stream games and events, provide insight and analysis of these events and be a home for some of African American sports fans favorite podcasts and shows. Legacy Sports Network would create original content based around post game analysis, weekly analysis of different games happening in the future but it would also be a place to find some of your favorite content creators as Legacy Sports Network looks to foster multiple collaborations. 

Some of these games and events are shown on exclusive networks or platforms that are very expensive. African American to this day are still one of the most improvised communities in all of America. Because of this our streaming service will be priced at 10 dollars a month. This would give African American sports fans a home to view their favorite teams, players and content catered to them without having to pay a exclusive price for this product. 

2.     Social Media Integration/ Influencer and Athlete Partnerships

Social media will play a large role in promoting Legacy Sports Network. Different networks like ESPN already has a substantial following on different social media platforms. Since ESPN has worked with Andscape in the past, they could create different content promoting the creating of this African American centered streaming service. Athletes could also promote the network, telling their fans to tune in on different episodes they are featured in. 

 

 

(Fake Instagram Post by Lebron James) 

 

 

3.Community Events and Pop Ups

Being active in different communities is another way that Legacy Sports Network aspires to create excitement about this new product and promote it. Being active in the community would give Legacy Sports Network more credibility that just posting on social media, In the African American community, face to face interactions are extremely important in order to build trust and a strong relationship. These are all things that Legacy Sports Network inspires to produce within the African American community. In the first few weeks of production Legacy Sports network would go into different African American communities and give out free subscriptions. Legacy sports network would also host pop up events where more people can learn about Legacy Sports Network and give their opinions on how it could be better.

 

Promotion strategy based on consumer insights: 

 

 

The growing number of African Americans in the United States is due in part to how diverse the African American population is in America. The Pew Research Center recognizes these diversities within the African American population through four different groups. These groups are Single race, Non-Hispanic Black people, Multicultural Non-Hispanic Black people, Black Hispanics and the Black population as a whole. 

The Pew Research center also gives us information on the age demographics of the African American population within the United States. The median age of African American people according to this study was 32.6 years old. This is about 6 years younger than the average median age in the United States which sits at about 38.6 years old. 30% of the population of African American’s is under the age of 20 while 12% of people are older than 65.

As a representation of over 14% of the country, African American consumers are a substantial influence in the economy simply based on the size of the population within the United States. ​ According to ThinkNow, an organization that does Cross cultural research, African Americans have over 1.6 trillion dollars of buying power within the United States.  That is just over 9% of the total spending in all of America. In order for the NBA, NFL, NCAA, MLB, NHL etc to make money they need their fans to be consuming their product. Whether that is by buying tickets and being in the arena or paying for a television subscription, either way these leagues are dependent on their fans to make money.  African American sports fans are active consumers of sports media, utilizing platforms such as television, online streaming, and social media to engage with content. Included in the study by Dr. Brandon Brown at New York University, researchers analyzed which races were more likely to watch or consume sports on television. Which race browses the web for information relating to their favorite app or sports team. Which race would watch highlights of their favorite sport or athlete on a mobile device and which race would watch sports talk shows, news shows about their favorite sports or athlete. The researchers based this on a scale from 1-5. 1 representing that this race is unlikely to engage in this activity and a 5 being this race or ethnicity is very likely to be involved in this activity. African American sports fans were rated the highest in each category. African American received the highest score of 4.8 when asked if they watch live events of their favorite athletes or teams on television. 

Gen Z African American sports fans are consistently watching games on TV. This is the same for Millennials and Gen X as they all received scores above 4.5 in that category. Millennials and Gen Z are typically consuming sports in a similar manner while Gen X and Baby boomers have a large gap in how they consume sports. Baby Boomers are far less likely to consume or engage in sports than any other generation.   This could be because they are often putting their money into other things like retirement savings, grandkids and vacations.

There are still many economic disparities between African Americans and the other races that make up the United States. Although the disparities have been lessened  since the 1960’s and 70’s, According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness,  In 2022 among all racial groups, Black Americans are second most likely to experience poverty, with 21% living below the poverty threshold, following Native Americans at 25%. Black Americans in particular have only ten cents for every dollar in wealth that white families have. Attending a sporting event or even grocery shopping in today's world is the most expensive it has ever been in the history of mankind.  This could be a reason why more African American sports fans are watching live sporting events on Television rather than spending anywhere upwards of $300 for a game in whichever NBA arena that is closest. This graph overall shows how passionate African American sports fans are when it comes to engaging with their favorite sport or athlete. 

 

Identification of media resources and strategy

Understanding African American sports fans as a market segment means recognizing the deep historical, cultural, and social connections they have with sports. African American sports fans not are not only passionate for their team a but also engaged in the broader conversations that sports inspire. This includes activism to community building. African Americans have faced more hardships than any other group of people looking to root on their favorite team African American sports fans loyalty, influence on trends, and strong presence in both live events and social media make African Americans a key demographic for brands, teams, and media companies. 

To effectively connect with African American sports fans, it’s essential to offer content that resonates with their identity and preferences. African Americans are  deeply passionate and engaged in sports but this group of people often feels underrepresented by mainstream media. With the rise of streaming platforms, there’s a unique opportunity to provide authentic, relevant sports content that speaks directly to this audience.

This media strategy combines social media, print media,  different website and  podcast companies to promote and collaborate streaming service tailored to African American sports fans. By focusing on engagement, exclusive content, and community driven feedback, Legacy Sports Network aims to build a platform that not only delivers live sports but also celebrates the stories and voices that often go overlooked in traditional media. 

How We Will Promote the Product

1.     Social Media Engagement and Influencer Collaborations

2.     In person pop up shops and get togethers 

3.     Partnerships with different media catered to the African American Community 

 

 ESPN (advertsiment and collaboration)

●      Founder :  Bill Rasmussen / Jimmy Pitaro (CEO)

●      Founded on Septermber 9 1979

●      Key Outlet TV (ESPN, ESPN2), ESPN Radio, Podcasts, Andscape

 

Cultural Relevance: One of the most prevalent broadcast outlets for African American sports fans is ESPN. ESPN is the go-to broadcast network for sports fans. From F1 car racing to Canadian football, ESPN shares anything and everything that happens in the sports world. The company was started on September 7 1979 in Bristol Connecticut. Their first show was SportsCenter, which is still what the network is known for. Now ESPN is home to events that happen all around the globe in all types of sports.  Founder, Bill Rasmusen founded ESPN because he believed there needed to be a news network dedicated to sports. (Hopkins- Jenkins 5)

ESPN is and has been a platform for African American sports journalists and editors. An article done by Richard Lapchick explains ESPN’s diverse set of journalists.  “ESPN's contribution is visible in racial percentages as well, as 61.1% of all assistant sports editors of color analyzed worked for ESPN, while 37.0% of all columnists of color analyzed worked for ESPN.”  Lapchick explains.  (Lapchick 7) All though there is still work to be done, ESPN is trying to do their part to be more inclusive and diverse. "The stories that are being told should reflect those on the field as well as the audiences that they reach” said  Rev. Jeese L Jackson, founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. (Lapchick 7) ESPN has given a platform to many African American anchors and hosts like Malika Andrews and Stan Verrett. Stephen A Smith, the host of First Take, a show on ESPN, is one of the most sought-after sports personalities due to his flamboyant  and fiery personality. ESPN also hires former African American athletes to be analysts on shows like NBA today, NFL Live and Sports Center. Athletes like Ryan Clack, Sam Acho, Kendrick Perkins, Shannon Sharpe and Chiney Oguwimke all have prominent roles within different shows at ESPN.  This impacts the community because African American kids can see these faces on TV and dream of being in that role one day. 

 

ESPN and Andscape the platform that the service will be streamed off of are already partners and have worked together in the past. ESPN is a world wide network and could produce advertisements for Legacy Sports Network to help it get off the ground and running 

 

 

 

PlayersTV (Collaboration)

●      Founders: Deron Guidrey, and Collin Castelltaw and athlete partners (Kyrie Irving, De’Aaron Fox, Deandre Jordan, Baron Davis)

●      Founded April 2018

●      Key Outlet(s): Streaming TV (Samsung, Roku), Mobile App, YouTube

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Cultural Relevance:  Players TV is the first ever athlete owned media network and provider. Founded by Deron Guidrey, who is African American, and Collin Castelltaw in 2018. Player’s TV goal is to give athletes, former and current, a place to create content and media. The network will be focused on culture, entertainment and the sports lifestyle presented through reality shows, documentaries, comedies, podcasts, and more. Players TV can be viewed on Samsung TV which is an option to over 4o million homes all over the world. They also struck a deal with Reach TV. This would allow Players TV to be accessed in Airports and hotels, where Reach TV mostly operates. Some of the athletes that already have shown on Players  TV include, Nuggets Center Deandre Jordan who has a reality show called Mindful Life. Baron Davis has a show, and podcast called the WTF Baron Davis Show. Kyrie Irving, who is a 9x NBA all-star, NBA Champion and the Chief Visionary Officer for Players TV, directed a TV special following the murder of Breonna Taylor. This TV special called for justice and action for her death by Louisville Police. “Players TV sets a solid foundation for future entrepreneurs in sports and entertainment to build content, generate wealth, and own their intellectual property. Whether it’s leveraging this inclusive platform to share black and brown stories, identifying collaborative partnerships, or solidifying various acquisitions to further the business.” ( Hall 4) said Kyrie Irving.   As CVO, Irving is certain on  pushing  the boundaries of traditional TV, focusing on innovation, and connecting  with African American communities. Other athletes like De’Aaron Fox intended to use Players TV as an outlet for fans to see his interests outside of the game of basketball.

PlayersTV would be one of the established sports media companies that Legacy Sports Network would be interested in collaborating with. Through our collaborations, Players TV will still be able to create their same content and post on their channel. But they would also create  exclusive content for Legacy Sports Network. This would draw in fans from a already large fan base and help Legacy Sports Network get off the ground. Legacy Sports Network would also help give Players Tv more notoriety. As the streaming service got bigger, more people would become informed about the great sports documentaries that are produced by Players TV

 

I Am Athlete

●      Founder:  Brandon Marshall

●      April 2020

●      Key Outlet(s): Podcast, YouTube Channel, REVOLT TV

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Cultural Relevance:

●      The I Am Athlete Podcast was created in April 2020 by Brandon Marshall and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson. Johnson and Marshall are both former all pro NFL wide Receivers. The Podcast show started as a source of entertainment for fans during the COVID pandemic but also a way for Marshall, Johnson and other NFL stars to stay in touch with one another during the lockdown. Now I am Athlete is a high-quality podcast that discusses topics from mental health to fashion and culture. They have over 1.o5 million subscribers on YouTube and a 4.4-star rating on Apple podcasts.   Similar to Player TV, I am Athlete or (IAA) is all about creating athlete-led content allowing these athletes to tell their stories as they want them to be told. IAA is culturally relevant to African American sports fans because they provide raw, uncut conversations about life, mental health, business and pop culture. The IAA podcast also allows fans to connect and get to know some of their favorite athletes in ways that was unlikely to happen before. Due to the comfortability of all the members of the show, conversations can get real and emotions can be shown. I think this is important and culturally relevant for the African American community especially the African American male community, where showing emotion is often thought to be a sign of weakness.  The IAA podcast is a good representation of some of the most strong, courageous and athletic African American athletes breaking down emotionally and being real about their mental health and life experiences.  (Simeone, 10)

 

Similarly to the Players TV collaboration, Legacy Sports Network featured on Andscape, would look to collaborate with members of the I am Athlete Podcast to feature exclusive content on Legacy Sports Network. Whether this is live analysis of games, post-game analysis, podcast, videos, etc. These are all featured and candid shows that Legacy Sports Network would be interested in featuring on their streaming service.

 

Uninterrupted

●      Founder: LeBron James & Maverick Carter

●      Founded: December 2014

●      Key Outlet: HBO,  Podcasts, Digital and Print Extensions

●      Cultural Relevance: Like Players TV and the I am Athlete podcast, Uninterrupted is a podcast network created by Maverick Carter and the NBA’s all time leading scorer and 4x NBA champion Lebron James. Carter and James bout self-funded the venture in goals of telling first person athlete testimonials. Athletes like Rob Gronkowski, Ronda Rousey and Draymond Green all appeared on Uninterrupted giving takes on their sports careers. In 2017, Carter, James and the uninterrupted team created a show called “The Shop.” The set of the show was set in a barber shop, and athletes would hold relaxed conversations similar to ones African American men would have at a barber shop in their hometown. The shop has gained cultural relevance by providing fans with a extremely authentic experience almost giving the fan they are in the “shop” with LeBron and whichever guests him and Maverick Carter have on the show. Topics discussed include how to save and be smart with your money, life stories, and funny moments 

This is another collaboration opportunity for Legacy Sports Media. Lebron James and Maverick Carters, Barber Shop episodes could be streamed on Legacy Sports Network through Andscape. This will give viewers who don’t have access to HBO and other streaming services a cheaper option to watch some of their favorite shows.

 

Print media can play a vital role in promoting this new sports streaming network catered for the African American sports fan by leveraging credibility and storytelling power of legacy Both magazines can use their print and digital reach to offer exclusive previews, incorporate QR codes that link readers directly to trailers, signups, or behind the scenes footage. Print media can help build awareness, trust, and excitement to dedicated and culturally engaged audience like the African American Sports Fan. Two pieces of print Media that could help us advertise the product is Slam Magazine and Ebony Magazine.

 

Social media will play a crucial role in promoting Legacy Sports by creating direct  real time engagement with its target audience. Social Media Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X allow the network to showcase highlights, athlete interviews, behind the scenes content, and culturally relevant moments that resonate deeply with fans. Social media also gives the network a space to amplify voices within the African American community athletes, influencers, and fans are all people who can share what they want to see on Lagacy Sports Network. 

Through viral clips, hashtags, and interactive posts like polls, the network can build a loyal following while sparking conversations around sports culture. Additionally, social media enables the  Legacy Sports Media to respond to current events and cultural moments instantly, helping it stay relevant and connected to the pulse sports fandom. This level of visibility and interaction not only drives traffic to the streaming service but also creates a strong community of people willing to support its initiatives. One possible collaboration is with Hoop Spaces on X

 Hoop Spaces (Twitter/X Community)

●      Type: Social media community & audio discussions

●      Founder: Chris Barnett (host and creator)

●      Founded: Gained momentum in 2020s

●      Location: Twitter/X (virtual)

●      Key Platforms: Twitter/X Spaces, YouTube,

●      Market Reach: National, online sports fans and analysts

 

Secondary Research 

4.     Purchasing Power:
African Americans have $1.6 trillion in purchasing power (Selig Center, 2022), and young Black consumers are highly influential in the entertainment and media sectors, often driving trends within pop culture.

5.     Representation Gap:
A study from the University of Missouri school of Journalism, 35% of African American audiences have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of representation in mainstream sports coverage. This presents a gap that the streaming service can fill by offering diverse athlete stories and perspectives true to the African American experience.  It is important that everyone feels included and seen and sports is a great way to make that happen 

 

 

 

Guidelines for implementation:

 

When implementing this product there may be several different concerns or constraints. One constraint for our streaming service is getting the rights to stream live games NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB. These leagues are very particular about who gets to stream or broadcast their events. Legacy sports Network would never want to illegally stream or broadcast a game without said leagues consent. This would be a constraint because a new streaming service wouldn’t have the credibility or the money to be trusted by one of these leagues. That is why our collaborations with athletes and Andscape would be vitally important. Another area of concern when implementing this streaming service to African Americans is creating contracts with different creators. Some creators may be more willing to produce content or give up their content to Legacy sports network than others. Finding creators that are willing to produce content for a new streaming service could be a challenge for the same reasons that it would be a challenge to work with any of the professional sports teams. Money and Trust.

 

Suggestions for the evaluation of effectiveness

 

There are many different ways to evaluate the effectiveness of Legacy Sports Network. One of those evaluation tactics would be evaluating subscriptions and sales metrics. These metrics could include monthly active subscribers, conversion rates from free trials and from paid memberships. These figures will show not only how well the service is attracting consumers but also how well it retains them. These qualities would highlight the appeal and quality of the content produced on Legacy Sports Network.  The second way that Legacy Sports Network can evaluate the effectiveness of their campaign is through social media engagement.  Social media serves as a marketing tool and a measurement platform for any company that chooses to employ it. These metrics include follower growth across different platforms like Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook. Legacy Sports Network could track engagement likes, shares, comments, saves mentions and hashtags to track the engagement on their social media. Using social media also gives Legacy Sprots Network he ability to use influencer and athlete partnerships. These partnerships can inspire more likes and a higher draw to Legacy Sports Network because of the fame and notoriety of these athletes. Legacy Sports Network will track the number of posts and  engagement of posts from collaborators on their different social medias. If Legacy Sports Network  sponsors or promotes live events, attendance numbers and audience demographics should be tracked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Sources Cited 

1.“About Us.” The Shadow League, Theshadowleague, 14 Feb. 2023, theshadowleague.com/about/. 

2.“Black American Market Research.” ThinkNow, 17 June 2024, thinknow.com/black-american-market-research/. 

 

3. Clifford, Carolyn. “Why Community Is Top of Mind for Rich Paul, Founder of Popular Sportswear Brand Klutch Athletics.” WXYZ 7 News Detroit, WXYZ 7 News Detroit, 25 Apr. 2024, www.wxyz.com/news/nfl-draft/why-community-is-top-of-mind-for-rich-paul-founder-of-popular-sportswear-brand-klutch-athletics. 

4.“The Cupola: Scholarship at Gettysburg College.” Site, cupola.gettysburg.edu/. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025. 

5.  Hall, Mark. “Star Athletes from the NBA and NFL Announce Financial Investment in New Player-Led Video Content Platform Playerstv.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 27 Aug. 2020,

 

6. “Homelessness and Black History: Poverty and Income.” National Alliance to End Homelessness, 21 Feb. 2025, endhomelessness.org/blog/homelessness-and-black-history-poverty-and-income/. 

7.Hopkins-Jenkis, Amber E. “Bill Rasmussen: Alumnus Founded ESPN, Creating First 24-Hour TV Network.” Rutgers Education, ucmweb.rutgers.edu/250/sites/default/files/RutgersRevolutionaries_07-Rasmussen.pdf. 

8. Jones, Jason. “How Slam Magazine Went from NBA ‘outcast’ to a Hall of Fame Publication in 30 Years.” The New York Times, The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/athletic/5586231/2024/08/20/slam-magazine-hall-of-fame-30th-anniversary/. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025. 

9. Lapchick, Richard. “Sports Media Remains Overwhelmingly White and Male, Study Finds.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/32254145/sports-media-remains-overwhelmingly-white-male-study-finds. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025. 

10.Martinez, Gracie. “Facts about the U.S. Black Population.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 23 Jan. 2025, www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/fact-sheet/facts-about-the-us-black-population/.

11. Meyersohn, Nathaniel. “Why Buying Tickets to a Game Has Become so Unaffordable | CNN Business.” CNN, Cable News Network, 4 Feb. 2024, www.cnn.com/2024/02/04/business/its-not-just-the-super-bowl-going-to-a-game-is-becoming-unaffordable/index.html. 

12. “New Study Conducted by the NYU School of Professional Studies Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport Indicates That African Americans Are Currently the Most Passionate and Engaged Sports Fans across Multiple Generations.” Sps.Nyu.Edu, www.sps.nyu.edu/homepage/communications/press-releases/2020/new-study-tisch-institute-

13. Robelia, Peter. “What Is a Market Analysis?” Hanover Research, 26 Nov. 2024, www.hanoverresearch.com/insights-blog/corporate/market-analysis/. 

14. Simeone, Matt. “Brandon Marshall’s ‘I Am Athlete’ Joins SiriusXM with New Show & Other Projects.” SiriusXM, www.siriusxm.com/blog/i-am-athlete. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025. 

15. Sports | National Museum of African American History and Culture, nmaahc.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/sports. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.