If you really want to engage fans in real-time with compelling content, you need to get ballsy. You can connect better with them emotionally if your content is Brave, Actionable, Likeable, Long-lasting, Surprising and You-centric. Jon from TBC London unpacks all of this for you and even introduces a new fun way to do all of this in the pub with a Cards Against Humanity style card game.

1. BALLSY CONTENT STRATEGY
Six Steps To Bigger, Bolder Sport Content

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3. PASSION
Soccer + Newsjacking + Ballsy
Prerequisite to BALLSY approach: Jon followed his passion. HIs first job: The US
Soccer Federation. He’s nuts about the sport. And nuts about helping folks create and
share content. This led to his Newsjacking book then #BallsyBrands. Your passion?

4. A Ballsy Warning: Don’t let your passion for new lead you to forget that we’re all
human. Jon builds newsrooms for brands that have a right to create content in
real-time. Mouth-wash brands, fresh breath has no relevance to the World Cup.

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Second Ballsy Warning: Creating content in real-time can be very frustrating if
you don’t know what you stand for. Go ahead. Take it out on me and let’s move
on. No more brand spam please. We can help brands stop ballsing it up.

6. Passion Ticket Implant: Argentian club Tigre encourages fans to surgically embed
season tickets under their skin. Similar tech used to help owners find their cats.
BALLSY Lesson: Go the extra mile to show die-hard fans you ‘get’ them in fun ways.
ULTRA-PASSION
Is your passion at Tigre level?

7. BALLS-UPS
Best Examples of Extreme Fails

8. What A Balls-up Feels Like: When Liverpool lost the Europa League Final, a fan
asked for a selfie. This is what brands do when they hijack events. BALLSY
Lesson: Brands, know when/where you’re wanted. As Elvis says, don’t be cruel.

9. The Sponsorship Balls-Up Of The Year: AC Milan performed the All Black’s haka
before a match for a Nivea ad. Fans on Twitter were livid. BALLSY Lesson: Think
of fans first. Would they benefit from the sponsorship/idea? If not, don’t do it.

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Sponsor Balls-Up Post Of The Year: A driver fighting for his life (he died) and a
sponsor tried to grow their engagement on Facebook? An Ill-conceived sympathy
card? BALLSY Lesson: Be human. Be cautious when death’s involved.

11. Sick/Twisted Post Of The Year: Don’t want CR7 to score? Ronaldo voodoo doll?
High-speed rail? Ronaldo finds creative ways to humiliate himself. Doesn’t need
your help. BALLSY Lesson: Be provocative. Avoid murder/torture if possible.

12. Best Sis Banter of the Year: Personal tweet. Work account. Common balls-up.
When Everton did it, it led to some great banter, i.e. fans asked if Everton’s sister
could score them tickets. BALLSY Lesson: Mess up. Admit it. Move on.

13. BALLSY CONTENT
A Case Study For All Six Steps

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BRAVE
Is your content taking risks?
Fan-Powered Racing: To attract young fans, Formula E created Fan Boost where
drivers get 40bhp of extra power if they get the most fan votes. BALLSY Lesson:
Don’t bend the rules. Change them. Do whatever it takes to get fans on board.

15. Clubs Signing eSports Stars: To embrace young fans and what they’re into, clubs
have signed eSports stars. Fans will challenge them on the big screen on match
days. BALLSY Lesson: Embrace the new but be authentic or love becomes loathe.
ACTIONABLE
Inspire action/interaction?

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The VR/360 Drug: It creates a legal high. Connect with your heroes in a visual
way. Pitch-side with the All Blacks? Toe-to-toe with Sharapova/her backhand?
BALLSY Lesson: Pick an emotional high for your VR experience or it’s a gimmick.
LIKEABLE
Illicit an emotional response?

17. LONG-LASTING
How memorable is it?
March To The Match: Seattle Sounders fans march to the stadium. Fireworks.
Flares. Full brass band. 90 minutes of singing. BALLSY Lesson: To create
content for the fan that’s on the frontlines every week, it’s got to be memorable.

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Ajax Fan Chauffeur: Willem can’t make it to matches after 60 years’ support. Ajax
and a car sponsor arranged transport for the season. BALLSY Lesson: Social
listening is more than customer service. Find ways to surprise/delight fans daily.
SURPRISING
How unexpected is it?

19. YOU-CENTRIC
What would you, the fan, want?
Take 3D You (Not Me) Out To The Ballpark: A 54-camera photo booth creates
personalised 3D-printed figurines for Detroit Tigers fans. BALLSY Lesson: Focus
on your fan’s self-love. Give selfie-obsessives the best gift ever. In glorious resin.

20. BALLSY BRANDS
Fan Engagement Card Game

21. The Card Game That Puts Fans First: Jon has created many different card games
featuring the best and worst examples of sports content and fan engagement
ideas. He prints out personalised packs for clients and friends. Got yours?

22. Ballsy Brands Game Played Live: In addition to playing Bally Brands: The Card
Game live on-stage at his keynotes, Jon uses live video on Blab.im to challenge a
global audience of clients/friends to be ballsier with their fan engagement.

23. A workshop inspired by Jon’s book and his
experience building creative newsrooms with a
focus on the role culture has in content.
Newsjacking1
An action-packed workshop where we explore
the importance of a written content strategy in
creating both planned and reactive content.
Content Strategy2
A fast-paced masterclass involving super rapid
experimentation to identify the best ways to get
eye-balls to your brand/team.
Growth Marketing3
WHAT’S NEXT?
Cup of Tea and Intro Workshop?

24. THANKS
jon@theburkhartco.com