• Advertising Age, Friday, May 1, 2009 10:45 AM

In a new marketing campaign, NBC Sports will attempt to tie together its broadcasts of seven championship events, including the Kentucky Derby and Wimbleton. Under the rubric of "Championship Season," NBC will run print ads and on-air promos that tout spring and summer sports telecasts that reach high-end consumer niches. Along with tennis and horse-racing championships, the telecasts include golf's Players Championship and U.S. Open Championship; and hockey's Stanley Cup Final.

Over the years, NBC has gradually distanced itself from many big-ticket sports properties. Yet the network does broadcast events, such as tennis and golf, that tend to appeal to wealthy consumers. "If successful, this branding approach could help NBC establish an image that used to belong to ABC back in the days of Roone Arledge's 'Wide World of Sports' -- the network for people who love all sports," says marketing professor Thomas Boyd.

Also, with more advertisers holding tighter to their dollars, the network hopes that creating a broader property could persuade marketers seeking that niche to buy across the various events.

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