BEYOND THE SEASON: BUILDING YEAR-ROUND RELEVANCE IN SEASONAL SPORTS

Seasonal sports have always had a rhythm. Pre-season buzz. Big event moments. A short off-season lull. Rinse and repeat. But in a world where audiences are constantly scrolling, clicking, and craving connection, that rhythm doesn’t cut it anymore.

Because while your sport might be seasonal, your fans aren’t.

Class One Powerboat Championship - AND THE NEW have been working with the sporting organisers for the past few years driving social growth and non-broadcast content for the series.

THE NEW CHALLENGE? STAYING RELEVANT 365 DAYS A YEAR.

At AND THE NEW, we work with sports brands, rights holders and sponsors who want to do more than spike interest for a few months. They want to build something lasting. Something cultural. Something commercial.

And it starts with rethinking the role of content and community outside of the live action.

WHY SEASONAL DROP-OFFS ARE A MISSED OPPORTUNITY

Let’s call it what it is: in some sports, the off-season is often treated like a dead zone. Brands go quiet. Content slows. Conversations drop off.

Meanwhile, the fans? Still there. Still passionate. Still scrolling. And more importantly, still ready to engage if you give them something worth showing up for.

We’ve seen this first-hand across motorsport, esports, football, and extreme sports. The audience doesn’t disappear but the content often does. And when that happens, you're not just missing engagement... you're losing momentum, loyalty, and long-term value.

What the most progressive sports brands are doing today is simple: they’re building year-round ecosystems that keep the conversation going when the live action stops.

Take fanbases like dirt bike culture, F1 sim racing, or grassroots football — their passions don’t take a break when the season does. They want:

• Rider or athlete stories

• Training tips and behind-the-scenes footage

• Culture-driven content they can share

• Content that teaches, entertains, or includes them

• A community that reflects how they see themselves

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You don’t need constant races or matches to fuel this. You need a strategy that respects the identity of your audience, not just the calendar of your sport.

THE FUTURE IS YEAR-ROUND, SOCIAL-FIRST, AND FAN-LED

Here’s what a successful always-on strategy looks like in 2025:

1. START WITH A CONTENT PLATFORM, NOT A CAMPAIGN

You’re not building seasonal hype, you’re building a destination. One that fans come back to week after week. That means defining content pillars (e.g. culture, tech, personalities, performance) and showing up consistently across platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and podcasts.

2. MAKE COMMUNITY YOUR CONTENT ENGINE

Turn spectators into contributors. Get fans to submit stories, react to events, vote on merch, join live chats. The more involved they feel, the more connected they become.

3. BRIDGE BROADCAST AND DIGITAL

Too often these two worlds are siloed. Your broadcast content can (and should) fuel your social strategy. Cut downs, commentary, real-time reactions - there’s so much value sitting on the cutting room floor if you’re not planning for this from the start.

4. MAKE CONTENT COMMERCIALLY SMART

An always-on presence isn’t just for fan service. It’s a brand partner’s dream when done right. With smart integration, your social-first strategy becomes a revenue driver through branded content, sponsorships, e-commerce, and premium experiences.

FROM CAMPAIGN TO CONTENT PLATFORM: THE SHIFT THAT UNLOCKS EVERYTHING

We've seen the shift from campaign thinking to platform thinking transform seasonal sports properties. It’s no longer enough to drop content around race day or game day. Brands need to create a home for fans. A narrative. A relationship.

The teams that understand are building a destination for fans. One that combines storytelling, content series, athlete access, tech and lifestyle, and community features into a year-round fan ecosystem.

And it’s a model more sports brands should be exploring.

IN SUMMARY: IF YOUR FANBASE IS ACTIVE YEAR-ROUND, YOUR BRAND SHOULD BE TOO.

Always-on doesn’t mean always posting. It means always providing value. Always listening. Always inviting fans into the story.

And when you do that? You don't just stay relevant, you build something that lasts beyond the season, the event, or the sponsorship deal.

At AND THE NEW, we help brands move from moment marketing to sustained fan engagement and we do it with the kind of creative, strategic, and commercial thinking that earns attention and drives growth.

If that sounds like the future you're building, let's talk.