Are we entering a new era of sonic sport brands?

Despite the terrible weather, it’s already been an exciting summer for sports fans. UEFA Euro 2024 wrapped up on Sunday, and while it may not be coming home this time, we’ve experienced over a month of thrilling action on the field from the Three Lions. Meanwhile, leafy southwest London has been buzzing with excitement over the past few weeks, culminating in two epic finals last weekend to secure the Wimbledon title. And we haven’t even made it to Paris yet.

These kinds of collective cultural moments are gold dust for broadcasters. Sport, and to a lesser extent reality TV, are among the few remaining events that attract large audiences to live broadcasts. But when you have this audience, you’ve got to grab their attention out the gate.

A sport intro is a broadcaster’s secret weapon. It can build a sense of excitement and tension even before the drama unfolds on the pitch, court or field. It says you want to watch this using dynamic visuals and, of course, music.

My mind goes back to the cheeky playful ident for BBC’s Grandstand, the absolute banger that is Ski Sunday, and, of course, the iconic sound of Match of the Day. These theme tunes, that have slowly evolved to become iconic sonic identities in their own right, made the most of the limitations of the time. With no ‘on demand’ options, producers had just 30 seconds to capture your attention.

Not anymore.

In an increasingly fragmented digital ecosystem, with new media channels appearing every day, sonic identities must be both memorable and flexible. Understanding how to utilise melodies, chords and musical ideas to work cross-channel and be adaptable is how broadcasters will score the all-important goal: bringing new audiences to the sport.

The winning shots on social

Sound in sport broadcasting should be structured within a cohesive system. Look at the way a sport programme is formulated: alongside the main titles, there are wipes, idents, bumpers, and stings. Each element should respond to the core musical theme, woven throughout the show but adaptable to different contexts..

This helps create excitement in the context of long-form content (the show) and can also generate more excitement through short-form content. Look at the famous F1 ‘Podium theme’ played to celebrate the victory of a wild competition. The piece is Georges Bizet’s Les Toreadors (Carmen Suite No.1) which when you hear its energetic bounding energy you instantly think of the chequered flag waving and the champagne spraying

Repurposing this classical piece has made it synonymous with F1 competition, but it’s actually much longer than most realise. When you think of the song, you’re really only thinking about the first 30 seconds, yet that’s only a small bite of the  whole piece of music, which ebbs and flows beautifully and could be used for different purposes cross-channel. Short bursts of it are already used on F1 fan accounts on TikTok, but its variability means it can be tailored for each channel, responding to the changing way audiences consume sport.

Nothing offers more flexibility than an ‘owned’ sonic identity, crafted specifically for the sport by the broadcaster. This unique sound can be adapted in various ways without risking unwanted associations..

Having a memorable sonic thread which ties the sport back to a specific broadcaster becomes even more valuable for recognition given the increasing number of highlight reels, replays and analysis shared across social media. This is particularly relevant as content becomes shared, edited and diluted by other creators and channels.

Broadcasters should be thinking about creating impactful music designed for maximum impact on short-form content, whilst still retaining the iconic hallmarks of their longer-form broadcast music.

Try to reach new audiences

This cross-channel approach is brilliant for engaging multiple generations and reaching platforms where younger audiences are active. This can be done through effective sound design.

When we created the Rugby World Cup’s sonic identity, our goal was to craft a sound that reflects the future of the game. First launched for the women’s tournament in 2025 and will be later for the men’s in 2027, the intention is to capture the evolving nature of both the game and its audience, ensuring the tournament’s music mirrors these changes. 

Rugby is often seen as ‘traditional’, with sonic identities associated with anthemic, choral scores. Our approach was to create something uplifting, rousing and more modern which speaks to younger generations, with consideration towards women and young families.

The track is also varied across its runtime. Periods of low-but-powerful energy transition to moments of unity and celebration, reflecting the flow of a match. This allows the broadcaster to carve up slices of the piece and repurpose areas for different idents and channels. Pieces like these can tap into all moments of the match, using sound to bring new audiences to the sport.

Don’t start audio on the bench

Broadcasters are sometimes seen as quite traditional in how they approach sonic identities for their sport programmes, but if they can think progressively and cross-channel they’ll be able to grow and stay relevant to multiple generations.

Music can be the connective tissue here, bringing sport back to the broadcaster in an age where content is shared far and wide and no longer exists solely on the channel it was intended for. Broadcasters who understand how to craft a malleable sonic signature for their sport programmes will be the ones more likely to find themselves in pole position for securing new fans and better engaging their audience.

Gus Nisbet is head of creative strategy at MassiveMusic