The Snow Polo World Cup at Sky was a pilot project for a new business and commercial model in premium sports — built around a sport outside Sky’s traditional rights portfolio. By combining live sports, sponsorship, digital reach and cross-media brand activation, I helped develop one of Sky’s first integrated business cases beyond classic sports rights.
New opportunities for sports, brand and monetisation.
As one of Europe’s leading pay-TV and sports broadcasters, Sky was facing rising costs for premium sports rights and increasing competition for audience attention. At the same time, the company was seeking new audiences, premium sponsorship environments and additional revenue opportunities beyond its traditional sports portfolio.
Traditional sports rights were becoming increasingly expensive and competitive. The challenge was to identify new formats capable of combining sports, sponsorship, media reach and brand activation within a scalable commercial model.
– Traditional sports rights becoming increasingly expensive and highly competitive
– Strong market perception of Sky primarily as a football and sports broadcaster
– Limited ability to reach new audiences beyond traditional sports environments
– Growing need for additional reach and revenue opportunities in the premium segment
– Lack of innovative commercial models outside traditional sports rights
The objective was to develop new approaches to monetisation, sponsorship and audience growth within the premium segment. The Snow Polo World Cup served as a pilot project to test innovative commercial models beyond traditional sports rights and evaluate their business potential.
– Identify emerging sports with commercial potential beyond costly traditional sports rights
– Pilot a new monetisation model as a foundation for a potential strategic expansion into new sports categories
– Combine live sports, sponsorship and digital reach within a unified commercial framework
– Unlock new premium audiences, sponsorship opportunities and commercial environments for Sky
– Position Sky as an innovative premium entertainment and media brand
– Strengthen cross-functional collaboration across Sky to support broader business objectives
As Sky’s Corporate Spokesperson, I developed the strategy of using the Snow Polo World Cup as a pilot project to test a new business and commercial model beyond traditional sports rights. The model combined sponsorship, media monetisation and on-site event partnerships, with the initial pilot structured as a cost-neutral barter agreement rather than a traditional rights acquisition. Developed in collaboration with multiple business units and aligned with senior management, the project served as a strategic pilot model for evaluating new premium sports formats. From initial strategy and business case development through negotiation and implementation, I held overall responsibility for the project.
– Developed the strategy for a new business and commercial model beyond traditional sports rights
– Identified polo as a sport with potential to unlock new audiences, sponsorship opportunities and premium brand environments
– Developed and evaluated the business case as a strategic pilot model
– Selected the Snow Polo World Cup in Kitzbühel as the most suitable format for the pilot
– Negotiated the commercial framework and partnership agreement with the event organiser
– Presented and aligned the business case with internal stakeholders and senior management
– Structured and implemented the pilot as a cost-neutral barter agreement without a traditional rights acquisition
– Integrated multiple Sky business units into a unified framework supporting broader strategic objectives
– Integrated the Sky Foundation into the event program to increase awareness and generate charitable donations
– Coordinated internationally with organisers, partners and external service providers
– Led cross-functional collaboration across Sky Sport News HD, Marketing, Sky Media, Communications and the Sky Foundation
Piloting a New Sport at
Sky Deutschland
Explored new commercial opportunities beyond traditional sports categories
Cross-Media
Pilot Model
Combined live sports, event activation and digital audience extension
Cost-Neutral
Pilot Approach
Structured as a barter agreement without a traditional rights acquisition
Pilot Scaled for
Future Growth
Created the foundation for a German polo tournament series
– Successfully piloted a new business and commercial model in premium sports beyond traditional sports rights
– Positioned Sky as an innovative premium entertainment and media brand within exclusive sports environments
– Executed the pilot as a cost-neutral barter agreement without a traditional rights acquisition
– Delivered the first live television broadcast of a snow polo tournament in the German-speaking market
– Generated international enquiries from the polo community regarding future partnerships and follow-on formats
– Created a premium lifestyle and entertainment platform for sponsors and partners
– Received positive feedback from participants, organisers and commercial partners
– Delivered cross-media coverage with live broadcasts across Sky Sport News HD and Sky Go
– Extended audience reach through TV, app and social media channels
– Integrated the Sky Foundation into the event program through a dedicated charity auction
– Prominently featured a Sky Foundation information stand to raise awareness of the foundation’s projects
– Organised a children’s rodeo hosted by Sky presenters to generate entertainment and awareness for the Sky Foundation
– Raised €8,000 for the Sky Foundation through the auction of a VIP UEFA Champions League package — a record amount for the foundation
– Attracted more than 10,000 visitors from 35 nations to the event in Kitzbühel
– Recognised internally as a successful pilot and approved for further development
– Further developed the pilot into a strategy for a German polo tournament series and transferred it to internal business units for future scaling
Further information and references relating to this case are available upon request.
The following competencies were applied throughout this project and reflect the core areas of my expertise.
