Do sports brands really need ads now?

[mukeshsharma1106]

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about sports ads and whether they’re actually worth the effort for brands. I’m not a marketing expert or anything like that, but as someone who follows both sports and online trends, I’ve noticed how much the advertising side has changed. A while back, I probably would have said that sports brands don’t really need ads because they already have fans and loyal followers. But now, I’m starting to see it differently.

The doubt for me came from seeing smaller sports brands struggle to stay relevant. I always thought the big names like Nike or Adidas don’t need much promotion since they already have recognition. But when you look around, it’s the smaller or mid-sized sports brands that are competing for attention, and honestly, without advertising, they just get buried. Even bigger names seem to keep running ads non-stop, which made me wonder: if they’re still doing it, maybe there’s something more to it.

One pain point I’ve seen is that a lot of people assume good products will sell themselves. I used to believe that too. If you’ve got quality sports shoes, jerseys, or even supplements, why wouldn’t people naturally buy them, right? But the reality I’ve noticed is that there are so many products out there now that even the best stuff can go unnoticed if nobody knows it exists. This feels especially true in sports, where trends change quickly and audiences have endless options.
I tested this idea out in a small way with a friend who runs a local sports gear shop. He never really cared about ads and relied on word of mouth. The shop did okay for a while, but then sales slowed down because people weren’t finding him as easily. He decided to try a simple online ad campaign—nothing fancy, just a few targeted ads during a local sports season. What surprised me was how quickly it made a difference. People who didn’t even know his shop existed started showing up, asking about the products they’d seen online.

It wasn’t like the ads magically transformed his business overnight, but it gave him visibility. And that’s what clicked for me: sports ads aren’t just about selling; they’re about reminding people you exist, showing up where your audience hangs out, and staying on their radar. If you don’t do that, it’s very easy to get forgotten, even if your brand has been around for a while.

Of course, it’s not all smooth sailing. Ads can get expensive, and if you don’t know your audience, you can waste money fast. My friend told me his first batch of ads wasn’t great because he targeted too broadly. He learned that narrowing it down to local sports fans and people interested in fitness actually made the ads worthwhile. So, I’d say ads only work if you’re intentional about them. Just throwing money at random ads doesn’t guarantee results.
Personally, I feel like sports ads are less about chasing big profits and more about staying relevant. People are constantly scrolling through social media, watching games online, and seeing brand messages everywhere. If your brand isn’t part of that stream, then it’s almost invisible. That’s probably why even the big players keep investing—they don’t want to be out of sight, out of mind.

I came across an article recently that summed it up pretty well. It talked about different reasons sports brands should invest in ads, and it really lined up with what I’ve been noticing. The piece explained how ads aren’t just about selling but also about building long-term visibility and trust with fans. That hit home for me, because it’s easy to forget that ads shape how people feel about a brand, not just whether they buy today.

So, from my perspective, the answer is yes—sports brands do need ads today. Maybe not in the same flashy way as before, but in a smart, consistent way that keeps them in front of their audience. Even if you’re a smaller brand, the right ad strategy can make a real difference. And if you’re already established, ads are like maintenance—keeping your brand’s presence strong so someone else doesn’t steal the spotlight.

I’d be curious if anyone else here has had a similar experience. Have you noticed ads changing how you see certain sports brands? Or maybe you’ve tried running ads for a smaller sports project yourself? For me, it was eye-opening to realize that in the world of sports, even passion and loyalty sometimes need a little boost from advertising.