Editor’s note: This excerpt is from “Beyond the Scoreboard: The Ultimate Guide to Sports Event Presentation” (Sports Business Journal Publishing, September 2025), by Don Costante.

When people attend a sporting event, they do so for a variety of reasons. Some are dedicated fans of the sport, while others may be attending because a significant other (e.g., dad, mom, brother, sister, boyfriend, girlfriend) has brought them along. Some attendees might even be there because their company sponsors the organization (or team). Regardless of the reason, it’s an organization’s responsibility to develop an event presentation that leverages all available resources to connect with and entertain everyone in the audience.

Take basketball. True basketball enthusiasts find enough entertainment in watching the game itself. However, for those less invested in the sport and attending mainly to accompany someone else, it’s the other entertainment elements (outside of the game) that will keep them engaged. I’ve dedicated an entire chapter to how entertainment resources can add value and enhance the experience for those attending events. Alongside these assets, organizations should view the promotions they implement during an event as essential tools for engaging and entertaining the audience, whether sponsored or not. Well-crafted promotions entertain while effectively fulfilling a partner’s objectives when sponsorship is involved. This chapter will outline some of the best strategies for developing and implementing event day promotions, leading to an enhanced........

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