During the pandemic, Tyson Apostol, a gregarious former contestant on multiple seasons of the hit CBS show “Survivor,” made a well-timed career pivot. He took a step back from reality TV and went all in on pickleball.
Click here to read the story at Bloomberg.com.
Discussion Questions:
- What is pickleball?
- Why do you think pickleball is booming in popularity?
- How might the sport’s explosive growth represent an opportunity for marketers?
- What is the difference between the marketing of sports and marketing through sports?
- Using the sport of pickleball, provide an example of each.
- When a brand sponsors a pickleball event, are they marketing sports or are they marketing through sports?
- Based on information from this story, describe three of examples of how brands are aligning with the sport of pickleball to promote their products and services.
- What is one example of a brand that might benefit from aligning with the sport of pickleball? Why?
- What is one example of a brand that might not benefit from aligning with the sport of pickleball? Why?
- In your opinion, will pickleball continue to increase in popularity or do you think it has peaked? Be prepared to discuss your answers in class.