Happy Wednesday, and welcome back to the 29th weekly edition of Broken Marketing by Anvara, where we discuss marketing that breaks.

For those of you who are new here, we’re Nick and Andrei, the co-founders of Anvara. We’ve included you here because one way or another, we’re connected. We’re happy to have you as a part of the Anvara family.

Brands are taking sponsorships one step further - they’re using sports to showcase what their business can actually do. So when you see an IBM logo at Wimbledon, it’s more than just brand marketing - their top executives are hosting clients in a box and showcasing that the live stats on broadcast are made possible by IBM technology. And Wimbledon is paying for it, too - IBM gets a discount on the sponsorship for providing the tech.

Take Apple and the Barclays Women’s Super League, for example. Earlier this week, they announced a groundbreaking partnership that goes far beyond a logo or jersey patch. Apple is embedding its entire product ecosystem directly into league operations. Coaches are using iPads for real-time performance analysis, analysts are cutting video on MacBooks, and officials are managing matchday reporting on iPads.

This is a very similar move to how Microsoft has integrated themselves into the NFL ecosystem. It showcases the power of the product first-hand to passionate fans who live and die by their sport.

Cisco Systems powers 2/3 of NFL stadiums with end-to-end network infrastructure. High-density Wi-Fi, cybersecurity, and observability tools make modern gamedays possible. Wi-Fi costs teams money - in fact, millions of dollars per year - but instead of paying for it, teams can show Cisco’s logo and everyone goes home happy. It’s called “business-back” sponsorships.

T-Mobile announced they will be running the MLB’s new Automated Ball-Strike challenge system, powering facial recognition entry, real-time content delivery, and first responder communications.

These is more than traditional sports marketing. It’s a live product demo at a global scale.

For brands, this approach is stickier and more impactful than any billboard could ever be. They’re not just buying eyes on their product - they’re embedding themselves into the OPERATION of the property.

For sports teams, these deals bring in necessary infrastructure and new fan experiences - often at lower operational costs.

For global B2B giants, this shift is part of a bigger trend: deeply ingrained partnerships, not just sponsorships. The new game is about co-creation, shared value, and building something fans can actually experience. And it also allows these brands to trade their products and services for sports marketing - the most powerful and emotionally resonant marketing in the world.

The billboard era isn’t over. But the giant brands shaping the future aren’t simply standing alongside the action anymore…they’re powering it.

We might be watching the next big sports ownership wave unfold, and it’s happening in volleyball.

League One Volleyball (LOVB) - an emerging women’s volleyball league founded in 2020 - just announced that Alexis Ohanian (Serena Williams’ husband) and Seven Seven Six (his VC) will lead the ownership group for LOVB Los Angeles Volleyball, the new expansion team launching in 2027.

But this isn’t just another investor buying into a sports team. It signals a major shift for LOVB, moving from a centrally owned league model toward franchise ownership.

The centrally owned model is one of the most intelligent ways to build a new sports property. Instead of handing the keys to individual owners right away, the league controls all teams, operations, and major business decisions. This approach allows for steady, controlled growth, which is super critical in the early years of an emerging league. With one ownership group and one balance sheet, the league can manage costs, standardize operations, maintain quality across markets, and grow deliberately with a purpose.

That stability protects the integrity of the product and the brand.

That’s why so many modern leagues have used this playbook. Major League Soccer launched with a single-entity structure. Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) have all leaned on similar strategies to keep their growth both measured and sustainable.

For LOVB, this model has been the foundation. It allowed the league to build its ecosystem and fanbase from the ground up, without rushing into ownership with groups who aren't prepared. Now, by allowing independent ownership, LOVB is making a natural progression that unlocks capital, local engagement, and new growth opportunities - but sacrifices central control.

Ohanian, already an owner in Angel City FC and Los Angeles Golf Club (TGL), isn’t just buying into a team. He’s helping shape the next generation of professional sports leagues.

This move will likely accelerate LOVB’s expansion. Instead of relying solely on league capital, the organization can now bring in ownership groups that contribute their own marketing power, sponsorship opportunities, and fan engagement. If the model develops like MLS, it could lead to thriving local ecosystems around teams, real estate plays, sponsorship integrations, and year-round community engagement that extend far beyond the court.

This is more than a new ownership announcement. It’s a signal that LOVB has matured into its next phase of growth - and big sports investors are entering the arena.

⚽️ RECALL: La Liga Pulls out of Miami — Remember two weeks ago we talked about how UEFA sold its soul, bringing regular season games to the US? They just bought it back. UEFA is no longer having the game in Miami. I guess they read Broken Marketing and realized it’s a bad idea.

📡 Xfinity x NBA: Powering the Game, Not Just Watching It — Xfinity is entering a new multiyear partnership with National Basketball Association as its official residential internet and mobile partner. The deal centers on streaming, fan connectivity, and digital engagement, positioning Xfinity not just as a logo sponsor but as the infrastructure behind the NBA’s fan experience.

🥶 YETI Hits the Ice with the Canadiens — YETI and Montreal Canadiens have inked a new partnership that blends premium lifestyle branding with one of hockey’s most historic franchises. YETI will bring its rugged, outdoorsy image to the Bell Center.

🏌️ Good Good Goes Pro with the PGA — YouTube golf brand Good Good Golf just made history, becoming the title sponsor of a PGA TOUR event in Austin. No creator group has ever owned this kind of stage. This move plants Good Good squarely in golf’s big leagues and shows how influencer brands are evolving from content creators to major sports stakeholders.

Quote of the Week

“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love...” – Marcus Aurelius