Illustrative engagement. A representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work in sport. It does not describe a specific client; outcomes are described qualitatively.
Industry overview
What is shaping sport
Sport connects leagues, clubs, brands and fitness businesses with fans and participants. Engagement, sponsorship value and participation trends shape investment.
- Fans follow sport across TV, streaming and social
- Sponsors want measurable value
- Fitness participation is growing in cities
Client background
An esports agency, working in India. This is an illustrative engagement: a representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work, not a named client project.
- Organisation
- An esports agency
- Sector
- Sport
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Business panel, Qualitative research
Client challenge
The agency wanted to attract more sponsors.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: sponsor perceptions of esports.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of brands.
- Uncover the motivations and barriers people do not state in a survey.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 5 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 25 brands.
- brands25
Audiences we typically reach in sport
Fans and viewersPlayers and participantsSponsorsGym and fitness membersParents of young athletes
Geographic coverage
Coverage: India. Market: India.
- India
Research methodology
A qualitative design, built to uncover motivations, decision processes and the language people actually use.
- 1Brief
- 2Sponsor interviews
- 3Insight
We interviewed brand managers about esports perceptions.
Business panelQualitative research
Sampling strategy
- brands
- 25
- Business respondents were screened on role, company size and involvement in the decision before being invited.
- Online respondents were drawn from verified panel members who matched the screening criteria, with quotas on key profile attributes.
- Qualitative participants were recruited purposively to cover the full range of experiences that mattered, rather than for statistical representation.
Data collection
- The online survey was mobile-friendly and offered in respondents' languages.
- Interviews and discussions were led by experienced moderators using a guide agreed with the client.
Data quality & validation
- Digital fingerprinting and duplicate checks
- Attention, speed and straight-lining checks
- Review of open-ended answers
- Recordings and transcripts for every session
- Re-screening of qualitative recruits
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Thematic coding of interviews and discussions
- Journey and decision mapping
Key findings
- Brands wanted audience data.
Data unlocks sponsorship.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: data unlocks sponsorship.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: brands wanted audience data.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The agency created audience reports.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Interview summaries and key verbatims
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: what did a sponsorship deliver?