December is one of the busiest retail seasons of the year. With Christmas and other festivities dominating the calendar, many business understandably try to capitalise on such a cultural phenomenon. However, we have also seen that most major sports are hesitant to hold any events during this very same time. Why is this the case and what have been the motivating factors behind this tradition? Let’s take a close look at a handful of the main reasons and why they make a great deal of sense.
The Allure of the Holiday
First, we need to recognise that many fans will opt to take holidays abroad with their families to locations such as Spain and other more temperate climates. While some spots could be equipped with satellite television, the proportion is still rather small. So, many events would be paying for airtime that is not being viewed. Also, we should not forget that stadium capacities would dramatically fall. In this sense, cash is indeed king. Hosting major events when so many people are away from home would undoubtedly lead to to a considerable amount of wasted revenue.
Family as Opposed to Fanatical Fans
December and the holiday season have both always been about spending time with one’s family and other loved ones. While the retail sector and commercial ventures have tried to creep in upon this month, this has been met with success as well as disaster. In the United States and the United Kingdom, tradition is still very important (think of the holiday specials which predictably air on television every year; the family will still gather around to experience them). So, many sporting agencies and coordinators are wary to infringe upon this time. There could even be the risk of losing loyal fans if they feel that they are being targeted during a more “private” time period. However, we should make no mistake in one observation here. This is as much of a shrewd marketing ploy as it revolves around the respect of holiday traditions.
A Tasteful Appeal
Besides facts such as inclement weather and a portion of the fan base that is abroad, there is another reason why December lacks major events. We can envision this much in the same way as we could imagine a person who has not had his or her favourite meal for over a month. Once this meal is presented to them, it will look much more appealing. In other words, a lack of events in December will allow a great deal of anticipation to build up in relation to the next game. This has always been seen in many sports (think of the lull in action before the American football season or the European football timetable). More is less and by presenting tempting predictions designed for the new year, events will market themselves while the promoters can reap the benefits in the near future.
So, we can see that there are some very solid reasons as to why there are so few sporting events leading up to Christmas and the rest of the holiday season. Still, we should recognise that not all of the motivations are behind profit alone. After all, the players themselves will wish to spend time with their family, friends and loved ones. The same can be said for the event organisers and anyone who is involved with ongoing marketing campaigns. It therefore only makes sense that fans will have to wait until the following year to once again follow their favourite players and teams. In many ways, it is very much worth the wait.
Tim Aldiss writes for Generate the sports sponsorship consultants.