This year’s Devotion Marketing Awards go to Bayern, Efes and Zalgiris

FC Bayern Munich, Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Zalgiris Kaunas were honored during Wednesday's 2024-25 EuroLeague Marketing & Ticketing Directors Meeting as this year’s winners of the Devotion Marketing Awards

The clubs were selected for their excellence among their colleagues based on marketing initiatives they had carried out in areas such as digital strategy, sponsorship activation, brand development and game presentation, among others.

Golden Devotion Award: FC Bayern Munich

Bayern was rewarded for its successful LED GlassFloor, which it used to raise awareness of the club’s new partnership with BMW and to promote a positive and emotional perception of the German automobile manufacturer. Via the LED GlassFloor, Bayern generated content for online and TV distribution.

The LED GlassFloor was one among many successful marketing projects undertaken by Bayern. The club also launched the “Dunks for Tomorrow” fundraising campaign for SOS Children's Villages; used influencers and content creators to raise its reach on social media; installed an AR Photobooth at BMW Park; and distributed VIP scarves, slapsticks and LED wristbands for spectators at BMW Park.

The stands at BMW Park were sold out for a club-record 13 times out of the club’s 17 EuroLeague home games. All told, 95 percent of available tickets were sold for the highest ticketing revenue ever in club history.

Silver Devotion Award: Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Efes repeated as the silver devotion winner after placing first in 2022. The club was celebrated for its “Not One Day For Equality” campaign to promote gender equality.

As part of the campaign, Efes increased the number of female employees in the club, ensured equal pay for women and men working in the same positions, raised the rate of female employees at agencies working for the club from 27% to 40%, raised the number of female security personnel working on game days from 10% to 25 %, raised the number of female ushers from 50% to 60%, and raised the number of female ticket inspectors from 25% to 35%. Moreover, the Anadolu Efes Fan Club reached its target of 50% female membership.

Efes also prioritized brands conducting special activities for women in their sponsorship agreements and maintained a 50-50 gender rate among One Team participants and special projects and activities focusing on gender equality.

At the March 7, 2024, game against FC Bayern Munch – the day before International Women’s Day, Efes publicized its effort with a video featuring players and coaches, with visuals on the arena’s LED screens, entertainment area and in the event announcements and through a televised message via the official broadcaster. At halftime of the game, female members of the Anadolu Efes Sports Clubs were honored on the court and a jersey signed by female fans was presented to team captain Shane Larkin.

Bronze Devotion Award: Zalgiris Kaunas

The 2019 Golden Devotion Award winner, Zalgiris’s marketing department brought home bronze this year for its successful rebranding campaign. Zalgiris changed its logo, introduced a new custom font (Zalgiris Sans) and established new brand identity milestones.

The campaign achieved 5 million direct impressions and mentions in 30 media outlets for a media value of 100,00€. The club’s online store saw a 110% increase in sales from September to March. Zalgiris also sold out 16 of its 17 EuroLeague games with 350,000 fans in attendance, a 10% increase from the previous season.

Together with Lithuanian hip-hop celebrity OG Version, the club introduced the Zalgiris Timeless merchandise collection. The new products and rebranding campaign attracted more fans than ever to the online store for a 38% growth in revenue and a 600% increase in app users.

Euroleague Basketball congratulates the three winning clubs and the many other clubs who also carried out excellent marketing projects during the season.