FRACTIONAL CMO
SPORTS & EVENTS BRANDS
Embedded senior marketing judgement applied inside high pressure growth environments.
15 years building global sports events and entertainment properties.
Why sports brands struggle with marketing leadership
You've built an incredible property, but the marketing isn't delivering commercial results.
Sound familiar?
These symptoms are not execution issues.
The challenges you're facing:
Struggling to scale revenue streams? Your team executes campaigns, but ticket sales plateau, sponsorship deals stall and you're missing the strategic direction to turn marketing into measurable commercial growth.
Can't justify £140k+ for a full time CMO? You need executive level marketing leadership, but the cost of a permanent Chief Marketing Officer (£140,000+ plus benefits) is prohibitive, especially when you need flexibility, not another fixed overhead.
Tired of agencies that don't get sports? Traditional marketing agencies lack the industry expertise to navigate the dynamics and unique commercial models that drive sports properties. They advise from the outside but don't understand the game from the inside.
With aggressive launch timelines, tight budgets and high stakes partnerships on the line, there’s no room for guesswork.
Your brand needs specialist marketing leadership that understands the sports industry and can embed with your team to drive results from the outset.
Embedded marketing leadership for sports properties
Porter Wills provides expert fractional CMO services created specifically for the sports, events and entertainment sectors. We solve the leadership gap by embedding a senior marketing leader inside your organisation.
We do not advise from the outside, we become part of your team, accountable for performance and driving your objectives forward. With 15 years of experience building and scaling global sports championships, we bring a level of expertise that is difficult to find.
We understand the specific challenges of participation sports, event technology platforms and touring properties because we have been there.
Our sports marketing fractional CMO engagements are flexible to suit your needs, offering day rates, intensive week sprints for urgent projects or ongoing retainer partnerships. We are relentlessly focused on turning marketing activity into measurable commercial outcomes like ticket sales, sponsorship revenue and fan growth. We have built the properties you admire. Now we help yours scale.
How we work with sports brands
Our fractional CMO sports industry services are designed for flexibility and impact.
We offer three core engagement models to provide the right level of marketing leadership for your brand.
If you want to understand how we operate before choosing an engagement model see how we work.
1. Fractional CMO
Ongoing strategic marketing leadership to guide your team and drive performance. We embed with your organisation for one to two days per week, providing clear direction, team leadership and full accountability for marketing results.
£3,500/month (1 day/week, 3 month minimum)
Best for: Brands with marketing teams needing strategic direction
2. Week Sprints
Rapid diagnostic and prioritised action plan delivered in five days. Our week long sprints are designed for urgent new launches, rebrands or market entry campaigns where speed and precision are essential to success.
£4,500 per week (5-day intensive)
Best for: New property launches, rebrands and market entry
3. Project Engagements
Focused project work for specific outcomes over four to eight weeks. We develop launch strategies, repositioning plans or marketing transformation programmes that deliver measurable commercial impact for your brand.
£12,000 - £18,000 (4-8 weeks)
Best for: Property launches, brand repositions and marketing transformation
LOOKING FOR THE COMPLETE UK GUIDE?
If you need a full breakdown of how fractional CMOs work in the UK, including responsibilities, pricing, engagement models and when to hire one, read our master resource:
What sports marketing leadership delivers
We provide the fractional CMO sports brands need to achieve ambitious commercial goals.
While respecting client confidentiality, the results below demonstrate the impact of our embedded marketing leadership across global properties.
These are real outcomes from our 15 years in the sports industry.
Why sports brands choose fractional CMO leadership
Choosing the right marketing leadership structure is critical. A fractional CMO offers the perfect balance of expertise, cost efficiency and flexibility for growth stage sports brands.
It provides access to top tier talent without the long term financial commitment of a permanent hire.
The message is clear. Get CMO level sports expertise at a fraction of the cost, without the commitment of a permanent hire.
Our fractional CMO services are built for the pace and demands of the sports industry.
How we start working together
Our onboarding process is designed for speed and clarity. We move from initial conversation to impactful execution within three weeks, providing the immediate momentum your brand needs.
Week 1: Discovery
A free 30 minute strategy call to understand your challenge, commercial goals and timeline.
The outcome: A clear recommendation on the best engagement model for your specific situation and whether we're the right fit.
Week 2: Diagnostic
A thorough review of your current marketing activity, team structure and commercial performance.
The outcome: A prioritised diagnosis of what's working, what's broken and where your biggest revenue opportunities lie, with an actionable 90 day roadmap.
Week 3: Execution
We embed with your team as your fractional CMO, leading strategy and guiding execution.
The outcome: Immediate momentum on your roadmap with clear accountability, strategic direction and measurable progress from day one.
Built for the sports industry
Effective sports marketing requires more than just marketing skills. It demands a deep understanding of the unique commercial ecosystem that powers the industry.
A generic fractional CMO cannot deliver the same value as a dedicated sports specialist. Our 15 years of experience is focused entirely on this world. Unlike generic fractional CMOs serving D2C ecommerce or B2B SaaS, our entire career has been building sports properties. This specialisation means we understand your challenges instinctively and can deliver impact from day one.
We bring specialist knowledge of:
Sports commercial models - Understanding how sponsorship, ticketing and media rights work together to drive revenue, not in isolation
Rights holder negotiations - Experience working with governing bodies, federations and rights owners to secure partnerships and navigate complex approval processes
Ticketing platform dynamics - Knowledge of conversion optimisation, dynamic pricing strategies and the specific challenges of event based sales cycles
Athlete partnerships and talent management - Building authentic athlete led campaigns that drive fan engagement and commercial value
Participation sports economics - Understanding registration conversion, repeat participation drivers and building communities that fuel long term growth
Event technology platforms - Positioning and scaling SaaS solutions built specifically for the sports and events ecosystem
Sponsorship activation strategies - Creating partnership programmes that deliver measurable value for sponsors while growing your revenue
Launch strategy for competitive markets - Taking new properties from concept to market in saturated categories with aggressive timelines
Scaling global properties - Proven experience expanding championships and events across UK, European, Middle Eastern and North American markets
Our experience helps you navigate the sports industry's unique challenges and build a competitive advantage.
FAQs
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Sports has unique commercial models, shorter sales cycles around events, passionate fan communities and complex stakeholder ecosystems including athletes, sponsors, venues and governing bodies. A specialist approach is essential.
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Yes. We have launched properties from concept including team championships and touring series. If you have product market fit and need marketing leadership to scale, we can help build your foundation for growth.
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Absolutely. Commercial partnerships are core to sports economics. We strengthen sponsorship proposals, identify ideal sponsor targets and build activation strategies that deliver clear value for partners and grow your revenue.
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Extensive. We understand the economics of mass participation events, from optimising registration conversion rates to fostering repeat participation and building a community that drives long term growth and loyalty.
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Yes. While we work internationally across Europe, the Middle East and North America, we are UK based and regularly support British sports and events brands with fractional CMO leadership, sponsorship strategy and commercial growth.
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We can typically embed with your team within one to two weeks from our initial conversation. We offer fast start options for projects with urgent launches or competitive deadlines.
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Perfect. We do not replace your team, we lead them. Most sports brands have good people who simply need clear strategic direction, accountability and senior leadership to unlock their full potential.
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This depends on your specific challenge. However, typical outcomes in the first 90 days include clearer market positioning, a stronger commercial narrative, improved team performance and measurable progress on key metrics like ticket sales or sponsorship pipeline growth. See our for examples.
Ready to scale your sports property?
Whether you are launching a new championship series, repositioning an established event or need urgent marketing leadership for a critical growth phase, we embed with your team to deliver results under pressure.
With 15 years building global sports properties, Porter Wills provides the fractional CMO leadership ambitious sports and entertainment brands need to win. Let us turn your marketing into your most powerful commercial asset.
Pricing Reminder: Week sprints £4,500 (5-day intensive) | Monthly retainers from £3,500 (1 day/week)