Although sports is a major part of modern society, there are numerous cases of leagues and teams becoming defunct because of a lack of interest. What that usually translates to is a lack of profitability. As much as our local sports organizations are much cherished by their communities, it is a simple fact of business that if they cannot make money, they cannot be sustained.
The big professional leagues, such as the NFL and the NBA, are now very well established and have become multi-billion dollar industries in their own right. Teams and players make millions each year, are the subject of countless media operations, and now feature on all the best betting apps in New Jersey and elsewhere.
But newer leagues and teams have to work hard to break into the national consciousness. Even sports that have a huge following globally, like cricket and soccer, can sometimes struggle in the US. However, today’s modern, connected world gives these organizations a chance to become successful through technology. Many times it is the use of a successful SEO strategy that breathes life into their existence.
There have been plenty of examples in recent years of sports teams that have made a name for themselves despite the relative size and popularity of the league they play in. Detroit City is a small soccer club that uses social media and a successful website to spread the word well beyond the city’s boundaries. Being able to break through nationally and internationally this way is very impressive, especially considering it is a team that does not play in a major, top-tier league.
Sports fans in the US can be very loyal but it can be difficult for them to get behind a team or a league if they are unaware of its existence. That is where a good SEO strategy can really help – and it is one that is beginning to work for Major League Cricket. Although the sport is huge in the UK and parts of the Caribbean and Southeast Asia, it has never really taken off in the US. Being able to appeal to established fans who have moved to the States is one thing – but how does a minority sport break through when the NFL, NBA, and MLB take up so much of our attention?
Attracting big names is one surefire tactic that will work with fans of the sport. Major League Cricket was able to do this thanks to the belief of some of those involved who saw the US as a huge market waiting to be tapped. But spreading the word further than small, already committed communities is tough. Producing high-quality content on websites with specialist keywords is vital here.
By researching what cricket fans are interested in – and searching for online – Major League Cricket was able to become more well-known to the wider public. News sections, as well as live scores, forums, and merchandise opportunities on websites, are needed but internal links are also crucial for the word to spread. Major League Cricket would have been able to use internal links, and cross-linking between different teams and players to boost search engine optimization.
Blog articles are also a must. This not only gives visitors to the site a chance to find out more about the nascent league in the first place. But it also gives further opportunities for more internal and external links. By using recognized keywords in an innovative and captivating way, an organization like Major League Cricket would have more chance of getting its message out there. Creating interest and excitement – and basic brand awareness – is most important at the beginning of a sports venture like this. Major League Cricket had already been able to attract some of the best athletes to become part of what is still a relatively minor competition in the sport – but it then needed successful SEO strategies to push forward.
Social media is obviously a massive part of any SEO strategy these days and Major League Cricket was able to use its platforms to reach a wider audience. With a season that is not that long compared to other major leagues – and a game schedule that used only two venues for all of the teams in the most recent season – social media needs to be used wisely.
Major League Cricket was able to regularly share content in the run-up to the season, as well as during the game schedule. Engagement with high-profile cricket social media users and organizations was also key to gaining further exposure. Providing video highlights – as well as other informative types of content – also drummed up more interest and highlighted the competition. The very fact that cricket is not a major sport in the US is a selling point in itself to some and Major League Cricket was also able to capitalize on that through its social media content and insightful SEO strategies.
It remains to be seen if Major League Cricket will continue to be successful. The fact that a major international competition was jointly held in the US this year helped with the cross-promotion of the league and was used well as an SEO strategy in its own right. However, leagues for supposedly more popular sports, like the repeated efforts of XFL, have repeatedly failed in the US, so a couple of relatively successful seasons does not guarantee longevity.
But if Major League Cricket is able to continue its SEO work in its content, it will have a chance of breaking through and becoming a niche interest – hopefully with a large enough fan base for it to thrive.
