HiCast Sports Network, a leading video streaming platform for youth and amateur sports, will continue to build on its advertising success with Rawlings Sporting Goods Company Inc.® and expand new sponsorship opportunities in 2025. These offerings provide family-friendly brands substantial reach and engagement in the $37.5 billion youth sports industry, allowing national, regional and local advertisers to engage with athletes and their families through more than 250 livestreams at elite sports venues nationwide.
HiCast Sports Network’s platform has enabled brands like Rawlings to connect directly with families, athletes and coaches through targeted advertising campaigns. Since launching earlier this year, Rawlings has executed seven campaigns across the HiCast Sports Network, reaching thousands of viewers and effectively engaging youth sports audiences. HiCast’s ads have contributed to over 81 percent year-over-year growth in referral traffic and engaged users on Rawlings' site, with a 17 percent increase in revenue from connected TV activities.
“We are committed to continuing to enhance our digital fan experience while ensuring that subscription pricing remains affordable for families,” HiCast Sports Network Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Calabrese said. “Building a robust advertising engine within our platform gives us and our venue partners the opportunity to collaborate with sponsors in a new way that enhances digital ad impressions and conversions.”
Rawlings’ Perspective on Partnership Impact:
Rawlings Digital Marketing Director Mike Poepping said HiCast Sports Network enabled Rawlings to achieve core marketing goals that align with its brand mission. “Our goals are always to immerse ourselves in the athletes’ backyards to help them see where our equipment can help them succeed and grow their passion for the game of baseball or softball,” Poepping noted. “HiCast Sports Network allows us to reach those athletes and decision makers while they are enjoying their favorite pastime, so we can match them up with the correct gear for their needs as they arise.”
Poepping highlighted that video advertising performance on the HiCast Sports Network has been highly effective, describing it as “equally beneficial to other CTV (Connected TV) and live-streaming ad networks we’ve used because we’re able to target specific ages and skill levels of play with products that suit those athletes in that moment dynamically as [Rawlings] scales. More well-targeted messaging and offers lead to more interest and buy-in from consumers, which is why this relationship has been great.”
Furthermore, Poepping emphasized his appreciation for the advanced targeting capabilities that HiCast provides, stating, “I appreciate the targeting of fields/complexes, athletes/teams, and the different ad types to make sure we’re effective in marketing and sales, but more importantly so we don’t annoy or upset end users/consumers while they try to watch their athlete blossom.”
Reflecting on future plans, Poepping noted that partnering with HiCast has influenced Rawlings’ marketing strategy for 2025. “HiCast has helped us see the need to stay immersed at the local, field level to ensure we’re meeting our athletes and their families where they are at, and as their needs for equipment arise,” he shared.
Advanced Advertising Features
HiCast Sports Network’s platform offers brands customizable options for flexible, targeted advertising:
- Campaign Versatility: Brands can choose from network-wide, venue-specific or sport-specific campaigns, strategically reaching audiences by event type, user group and location.
- Interactive Video Ads: Clickable ads provide a direct link to brand landing pages, exclusive offers or promotional codes, giving audiences immediate access to products or services.
- Comprehensive Reporting: Brands receive detailed monthly reports with insights on ad impressions, click-through and view-through rates, enabling them to monitor and refine their campaigns for maximum engagement.
Supporting Venue Partners through Sponsorships:
In addition to delivering effective brand connections, HiCast Sports supports venue partners through a revenue-sharing model. This arrangement generates valuable revenue for participating venues, allowing them to reinvest in youth sports programs and enhance their offerings to athletes and communities.
Developing Future Brand Partnerships:
As the youth sports industry grows, HiCast Sports Network is committed to working with brands whose goals align with its family-friendly, community-focused mission. This expanded approach reinforces HiCast’s commitment to delivering meaningful brand engagement opportunities while supporting the ongoing growth and enrichment of the youth sports ecosystem.
“Historically, banners on fences or in gyms have been the primary way for brands and businesses to gain in-park exposure when sponsoring youth sports,” Calabrese said. “Our platform supports venue partners by offering digital sponsorship opportunities that reach a broader yet more targeted audience, allowing viewers to connect directly and immediately to products and services of interest. Working with brands like Rawlings allows us to make meaningful connections at the heart of the game, and we’re excited to keep building on that shared commitment to support our viewers and the sport they love.” For sponsorship inquiries and more information on HiCast’s advertising solutions, visit HiCastSports.com.
About HiCast Sports Network:
HiCast Sports Network is a leading live and video-on-demand streaming platform and subscription-based service for amateur and youth sports, utilizing its patented technology to put games and the Moments That Matter™ in the hands of fans everywhere. HiCast partners with top-tier sports venues including the Jackie Robinson Training Complex, Ripken Baseball, and A5 Volleyball Sportsplex to deliver a premium viewing experience to families, coaches, athletes and scouts. HiCast Sports Network users from around the world have watched thousands of youth sports events encompassing nearly eight million game minutes year-to-date across more than 250 livestreams in Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
About Rawlings Sporting Goods Company Inc.®:
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an innovative manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods worldwide. Founded in 1887, Rawlings is an authentic global sports brand, trusted by generations of athletes of all skill levels. Rawlings' unparalleled quality, innovative engineering and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings. Rawlings is the Official Baseball, Helmet, Face Guard, Fielding Base and Glove of Major League Baseball® and the Official Baseball of Minor League Baseball™.
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