Gather Global Podcast

Storytelling. It’s a buzz word. But what does it really mean, and why is it a superpower?Effective storytelling can help golf brands connect with consumers. How, you may ask? We asked an expert. ASU Professor Kim Holst makes a living from words. Kim is a lawyer who teaches law students to write. She is also working on a PhD in journalism. Whether it’s rhetoric, analogy, or persuasion, Kim is fascinated by effective storytelling.We asked her: If golf wants to expand its reach, how should we tell stories differently?This is one of the most fascinating discussions we’ve ever had on the podcast.Have a listen to find out why storytelling is critical to your business success.Enjoy.Key discussion areas to listen out for:5:05 mins. Why Kim loves writing and words.6:52 mins. Why Kim believes words are powerful.14:25 mins. Why words matter in the golf industry, and why we should care about language.26:24 mins. As a consumer herself, how does Kim feel about brands when she sees sloppy writing?27:55 mins. What does storytelling mean to Kim; if Kim worked for a golf brand, how would she use storytelling to connect with consumers?31:57 mins. How do you use stories to change people’s perceptions of your brand? How do your own biases influence the story you are telling?37:10 mins. What brands do storytelling well?41:38 mins. How can golf media be better storytellers?42:52 mins. If golf wants to expand its reach, how should we tell stories differently?

“Content creators and influencers have essentially become new media – new points of attention for brands that are more effective than broadcast.” (Daryl Evans, Rocket Yard Sports)In the second of our three-part series with Rocket Yard Sports, we welcome back Daryl Evans, joined by special guest Trottie Golf. We delve deeper into the realm of golf marketing; exploring the impact of creator and influencer marketing on golf.With over 11.8M views on YouTube, Trottie speaks with deep experience about influencer marketing during this podcast.In this conversation, we talked about:How the creator space is changingHow talent agencies work with content creators to develop storylines for brands. And how those stories are told by the content creators. Trends in the golf creator spaceKey discussion areas to listen out for:3:54 mins. Trottie loved working with the world’s best players. But his audience reach is bigger by engaging fans through social media.  8:28 mins. “Content creators and influencers have essentially become new media – new points of attention for brands that are more effective than broadcast. Their audiences never really decline.”12:18 mins. How big is the opportunity for golf brands to have greater impact through relationships with content creators?16:44 mins. The critical importance for content creators to have a brand building strategy.22:05 mins. Who moves the needle when it comes to content creation in the golf industry?25:53 mins. How content creators and brands can leverage relationships with elite tour professionals.27:39 mins. Aligning brand and content creator values. 30:07 mins. “Building brand equity is the equity that matters.” Why brands still need guidance on working with content creators.35:22 mins. Content creators represent both the agency (Rocket Yard Sports) and the partner brands.37:14 mins. How did the Trottie Golf brand come about?39:36 mins. When did Trottie know it was time to double down on building his brand?43:35 mins. How does Rocket Yard Sports help content creators like Trottie build a legacy plan?45:31 mins. Where does Daryl and Rocket Yard Sports believe golf’s content creator space is heading in 5-10 years?48:36 mins. Which Marvel superhero would Trottie Golf be in this future golf content creator universe?49:48 mins. In Trottie’s opinion, what areas will golf content creation move into next?52:18 mins. What are the white space opportunities for the men’s and women’s professional tours? How could they be addressed by working with content creators, influencers and brands?57:21 mins. What happens if you don’t innovate as a brand?

Where is golf marketing heading?In our latest podcast, we spoke with Daryl Evans, Founder of Gather Collective Member Rocket Yard Sports. Daryl is an expert in positioning brands within sports and leveraging sports sponsorship to facilitate business growth.In this first episode of a three-part series, we delve into the trajectory of golf marketing across three distinct phases:The Past: How was golf communicated and marketed historically?The Pandemic Years: How did the pandemic reshape golf’s communication and marketing strategies? The Future: What emerging trends are telling us about the future of golf communication and marketing.Key discussion areas to listen out for:·        4:45 mins. Golf’s evolution since the 1990s and its implications for current marketing strategies. ·        8:00 mins. The pivotal role marketing plays in reshaping the perception of golf.·        9:40 mins. Reflecting on Golf Marketing 1.0 and its strategies, investments, and activations. ·        11:45 mins. Addressing the fracture in consumer attention and its ramifications for brands.·        14:00 mins. Lessons learned from the Pandemic Years and their impact on marketing.·        18.12 mins. Evaluating the repercussions of discount-focused marketing during the pandemic. ·        21:51 mins. Balancing performance and brand marketing in the golf industry.·        22:30 mins. Relationship funnels or sales funnels?·        25:12 mins. Identifying golf brands that create emotional connections with consumers through narrative.·        28:22 mins. The two most common marketing challenges for golf brands.·        30:34 mins. Comparing advertising on professional golf tours with influencer marketing.·        33:33 mins. Addressing the global reach of golf brands.·        37:00 mins. A 2-minute summary of golf marketing’s future. ·        39:00 mins. The critical importance of aligning with brand values when selecting content creators and influencers.·        42:02 mins. Recognizing the benefits of collaborative golf marketing.·        43:55 mins. How golf is a three-dimensional market. What white space opportunities is this creating?·        46:02 mins. Gather’s Non-Traditional Golfer Report. Why Rocket Yard Sports thinks it shows golf’s market opportunity,·        48:27 mins. “There is a disconnect between how brands think fans engage, and how they really engage”. The importance of storytelling-led branding.·        53.56 mins. A final message from Rocket Yard Sports to golf brands: Focus on the stories.

In the first of a three-part video podcast series with Gather Collective Member Old Tom Ventures, we look at an emerging trend within the golf industry – a rise in startups.Many founders and a number of investors have joined the Gather community, leading to interesting conversations about the investment opportunities that golf offers.Previously, golf was seen as a trophy asset in the portfolio of many investors, rather than a commercial opportunity. Now, given the landscape of golf, we are seeing new stakeholders enter the investment space. One of which is Gather Collective Member, Old Tom Ventures.Old Tom Ventures sees emerging golf companies as future market leaders. Through their fund, Old Tom Ventures invests in promising startups, guiding them through key growth stages. Old Tom Ventures expects these firms to add billions of dollars in golf market revenue in the next decade. By backing early-stage startups and acting as a syndicate, Old Tom Ventures offers vital support beyond just financial investment.Evan Roosevelt and Matt Erley from Old Tom Ventures have knowledge across various aspects of the golf industry. So, we wanted to bring you deeper insights from their unique viewpoint.Here are some key highlights to listen out for:4:00 mins. What is Old Tom Ventures doing for the golf industry and for investors? What are the signals that golf startups are “having a moment?”6.55 mins. Why is there opportunity for new founders in golf right now?10.35 mins. “I have an idea! How can I talk with potential investors and get good advice?”15.56 mins. Why is there an opportunity for investors to invest in golf right now?23.34 mins. How is Old Tom Ventures navigating investment opportunities? If you are a founder, should you try to raise investment? When should you reach out to Old Tom Ventures?29.30 mins. What are some big pitfalls that golf startups fall into?33.42 mins. Not every business is going to be venture scalable. Here’s why that is not a bad thing.35.16 mins. “I want to be a golf startup entrepreneur, where should I start?” 37.14 mins. Incubators and accelerators: do they exist in golf and would they be beneficial for our industry?43.35 mins. What’s one big advantage you have if you are trying to start a company in golf, compared to other sports?46.45 mins. What are the cheat codes for building a business in golf?48.42 mins. What is the spirit animal of the startup founder?49.50 mins. Put in place contingencies along the way to help you qualify your business idea.52.39 mins. Please send us your questions for Episode #2 in the Startup Series with Old Tom Ventures54.15 mins. INVITATION FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS: How to reach out to Old Tom Ventures and discuss some of the best opportunities.Enjoy!

How underleveraged actually is golf?There’s noise in men’s professional golf right now. And there’s plenty of commentary on whether this is a positive look for our sport, or whether it is damaging.What about if you take a very positive, but analytical lens on where this current period of flux might lead us? For both men’s and women’s professional golf, and our wider industry.Our guest this episode is someone who is a joy to listen to in this regard. Well respected, hugely experienced across golf (commentating and analysing) and the wider sports and media landscape. Sébastien Audoux is a sports and media expert and has spent over 20 years in the industry. This hour will advance your knowledge and leave you feeling optimistic at where we are heading.Some key highlights to listen out for:Start We know the fragmented nature of professional golf is frustrating to those of us working inside golf, but what about those outside of golf? “Let’s think about people (in media) that are not really following golf that closely….”5.50mins What if all the “disruption” and noise currently in men’s professional golf is what was needed to solve this fragmentation?7.30mins Complacency around the footprint in the US and the UK? “You expect a bigger willingness to try and attack those smaller markets…..we need to push in those other markets like the NFL, the NBA and many other sports have done so successfully.” 8.18mins A belief in golf is that it doesn’t really have a seat at the big sports industry table. Where does Sebastien think that golf now sits in the wider sports business conversation?12mins How underleveraged actually is golf? “Sometimes taking a risk for the long game, but be willing to accept some short term pain”17mins How does Sebastien think that golf stacks up against other tier 1 sports as a field of opportunity for tech companies to invest in? What’s the untapped potential for golf?24.50mins Is all PR, good PR? What’s this ‘stalemate’ between the PGA Tour and PIF going to do for golf’s image longer term?38.30mins What is the opportunity on the women’s side of the game in these areas? Is it an equal size of opportunity, or an even greater one. And what’s stopping this opportunity being realised? “The potential for growth is much higher than the men”55mins The missed opportunity because golf does not really “own” its storytelling…

Golf is a large global industry. With that comes noise.Headlines and statistics give short-term industry diagnoses. What these reports miss is a critical analysis of what the headlines or statistics mean for you and your business.At Gather, we believe golf industry professionals want to cut through this noise and identify what information is specific to their business. So, this week we recorded a 28 minute podcast that discussed how to separate the chaff from the wheat when it comes to information. What should the golf industry really be talking about? Of course, we’d love to hear what you think about our discussion. So please let us know your thoughts.In this conversation, we touch on:How can we make golf more entertaining?Has a switch flicked within golf? Is it perceived as an attractive commercial opportunity by investors, celebrities, sports stars – instead of a passion play?How can we make golf easier?The non-traditional golfer market is sizeable. So, what do we do about that?Geo-political shifts are moving golf’s power towards the Middle East and Asia. What does this mean for golf going forward?Will investment from the Middle East affect the golf sponsorship market?Will traditional golf sponsors continue to get the same ROI? If not, what will it mean if traditional sponsors start to step away?What are golf's workforce challenges and how are they being addressed?Is the golf industry environmentally sustainable? Does golf deserve the criticism it receives?Enjoy!

A massive thank you to those of you that joined us for our recent Mentor Room: LIVE! as we welcomed Nicole Wheatley and Jojo Regan, two Gather members who are at the forefront of brand positioning. Both are passionately helping drive a new image for the game to new audiences. Listen out for key insights on:Investing in branding/marketing/PR - the key decisions and opportunities for more golf businesses to consider.How we can speak as an industry to the non-traditional golf audiences?The "unknown" golf market. How do you approach the golf audience that doesn't sit within traditional demographics with very little known about them (e.g. GenZ, Millenials) ?NFT's and the world of crypto - are there genuine opportunities for golf in here?Read more and check out the highlights video over on our website.

“Golf needs to have the strength of will of character to look beyond the walls of its own self-worth.” Dan Green, Design Director at Zag.Are you in the mood for some Truth Bombs?Then this is the 15min audio for you.1.     What’s next for branding in golf?2.     Who does Dan seek inspiration from within branding in the sports world?3.     What’s Dan’s advice moving forward for golf brands to break through with Gen Z?4.     If anyone listening wanted to do an audit on their golf industry brand, hypothetically what could that look like?“Golf has always dined out on its history. It’s always an easy target and a quick win. “Ok, we need to create some content around this event or this course, let’s just tell people what happened 150 years ago, or even 20 years ago” which bears no meaning to the vast majority of the audience. And is really just a pat on the back, boys club, kind of a move ultimately and something that I think a lot of consumers are probably sick and tired of.’”BOOM! Welcome to: Cutting Through The BS with Dan Green.In just 15mins, hear from one of the brightest minds in branding, who also happens to love golf.Headquartered in London, Zag has earned a big-firm reputation with clients including Audi, BT, Discovery, Deloitte, Disney, Facebook, World Vision and Yamaha.Dan was also part of the project that re-branded The Open and the Women’s Open for The R&A, plus he created an even bigger emerging golf industry brand called Gather 😉

What if golf, was just golf?Not amateur and professional, with so many fragmented organisations. Not with organisations for men and women separately competing for the same commercial sponsors and media outlets?“We HAVE to look at golf differently now”This week, we are incredibly excited to share with you our first ever Women's British Open Champion as a Gather Guest, who has some fascinating insights to share from how Australia are challenging the previous norms.Transitioning from elite tour professional to senior leadership within the golf industry is a rare feat. In addition, being a leader that challenges the norm and trailblazes with new concepts and collaborations, is even rarer. We loved our chat with Karen Lunn (CEO, WPGA Tour of Australasia). Join us as we dive deep into a fascinating conversation on the Gather Global Podcast.Karen just offered up so many incredibly valuable insights in this conversation, and we're very excited to now share them with you. Here's some of the key areas we covered:Governing bodies in countries pitching against each other for sponsorship, television coverage and government support, rather than collaborating. "Seems like a no-brainer." Learn why the WPGA and PGA in Australia are doing things differently and what other countries and organisations can learn.How would Karen currently score our industry, out of 100, in its ability to collaborate effectively for the benefit of the game?The biggest standout from the Australia-wide golfers survey? Hear what the huge opportunity is…and why it’s not about ramming golf club membership down people’s throats!Looking at partners with disruptive ideas as an opportunity for the industry, not a threat to the game.Hear about the switch Karen has made from an elite player, a major winner, into working as a leader in the sport. Lessons in resilience and keeping your motivation when doors are closing on you. Have former professional tour players honed this skill better than many?Do we still place too much value on golfing ability when appointing people into golf industry roles?Does the research tell us that PGA training is now focused on the wrong candidates? Karen’s view on the biggest opportunity for the golf community in Australia over the coming 3 years.Enjoy