The NFL’s 100th season will be accompanied by a new sponsor after their deal with the rapidly-growing social media platform TikTok. The Chinese short video app has reached over 500 million global monthly active users. This multi-year partnership enables TikTok to launch an official NFL page with short video highlights, memes, and hashtag challenges. The NFL views this collaboration as an excellent marketing opportunity to initiate more fan engagement and capture new fans. Blake Stuchin, Vice President, Digital Media Business Development for the NFL, detailed the benefits of the partnership saying, “Partnering with TikTok is a natural extension of our media strategy. The platform reaches a fast-growing global audience of NFL fans and future fans.”
This partnership also represents an outstanding business opportunity for TikTok as voiced by Mayan Scharf, Head of Global Partnerships, who stated, “We’re thrilled to partner with a powerhouse in the sports industry like the NFL to bring new life and a fresh perspective to the sports entertainment experience.” This partnership forecasts to be highly advantageous to both sides as TikTok gains more expansive content resources, as well as heightened brand recognition, while the NFL broadens its social media coverage to boost engagement with young fans and reach new global markets. This news validates TikTok as a premier player in the social media landscape with their expanding list of notable partners who are recognizing the value of utilizing the digital platform to boost brand presence.