Niche properties like Olympic sports, outdoor events or extreme sports may not get the mainstream media coverage that traditional properties do, but their corporate hospitality opportunities can often be some of the most unique and creative in the sports world.
Take the Volvo Ocean Race, the triennial around-the-world sailing race that began in 1973 as the Whitbread, and just wrapped up its North American stopover in Newport, RI, on Sunday.
The race village at Fort Adams State Park may have been the biggest draw for the public, bringing in around 125,000 visitors – five times the foot traffic in Miami three years ago and five times the population of Newport itself – but it’s the on-site corporate hospitality program that should really pique the interest of sports marketers.
Volvo officials have always touted the race as not only a great event for families and sailing enthusiasts alike, but a terrific property to entertain corporate guests, as well. Indeed several years back when Swedish technology company Ericsson had two boats in the race, it was the business-to-business sales at each port stopover that was of vital importance to their sponsorship goals. In The Hague, where a 24-hour pit stop is scheduled for next month, 11,000 corporate tickets have already been sold – proving Holland’s hunger for that special VIP experience when the Volvo Ocean Race yachts roll into town.
There are four major events organized at every Volvo stopover that appeal to the corporate guest: Pro-Ams, Hospitality Pavilions/Tents, Hospitality Boats and the Awards Banquet.
Starting with the most exclusive experience of these is the Pro-Am Race, in which a handful of corporate guests go out for a sail on each of racing yachts on the Thursday and Friday before the final weekend of the stopover. Golf may be the only other sport that can offer such an experiential quality for individuals, in which the guests can experience – even sail – the boats themselves. Tennis tries the pro-am concept, but it’s often tricky with a solid level of tennis acuity required by the participants for any meaningful tennis. Volvo Ocean Race guests are given a presentation on the race by CEO Knut Frostad, issued special sailing gear – usually branded by the sponsor – and then head out on the water with their team for a one-hour sail. Stunning. There are few experiential opportunities like it in pro sports today.
On-site pavilions and tents are a more traditional avenue for corporate hospitality at stopovers. In Newport, most of the teams and several race sponsors set up venues with food, entertainment and an opportunity to mingle with sailors. In Newport, insurance giant MAPFRE offered tapas and Spanish beer; Vestas – a Danish wind energy company – featured its sailors at its hospitality tent; while both Volvo and SCA, a Swedish paper goods and hygiene company, had massive pavilions with interactive displays and top-notch food service.
On the final Saturday and Sunday of each stopover, the Volvo Ocean Race features an In-Port Race and Leg Start, which lead to the biggest number of corporate visitors, who watch from larger boats and beautiful classic yachts along the edge of the race course. These boats leave about one-hour before the race start and spend anywhere form 2-3 hours out on the water. Satellite sponsor Inmarsat offered live race commentary to guests onboard, while also featuring products like its global satellite phone or WiFi hotspot no matter where you are on the planet.
Lastly, the Volvo Ocean Race features a formal awards banquet at each stopover. At this gala, the top three teams for each leg are awarded their trophies – the drama of the leg relived with stunning videos and commentary from sailors and emcees. In Newport, the event took place under a massive white tent behind historic Marble House. In every stopover, the Awards Banquet generally reflects the hospitality style and food of the local city making it the must-attend event of the week for corporate guests and sponsor invites.
With the Volvo Ocean Race, it’s not a corporate suite in a polished glass stadium or a tent down the 18th fairway that makes for a special experience. It’s the unique experience of its Pro-Am Race, hospitality boats and awards banquet that align with the adventurous spirit of the ocean sailors themselves: you’re not being bold unless you’re trying something that very few have done before.
