Intro

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Trade deals are everywhere in sports—but most teams treat them like “free marketing” instead of what they actually are: untracked investments. In this episode, Jeremy breaks down how trade really works, where it provides value, and why it often fails to drive results. If you’re relying on trade without accountability, this will change how you think about it.

Key Topics Covered

• Why trade isn’t free—and how teams unknowingly give up real revenue
• The right way to use trade: unsold inventory, awareness, and sponsor amplification
• Why trade is almost always a top-of-funnel channel (not a ticket sales driver)
• The biggest mistakes teams make: no tracking, no accountability, wrong expectations
• How media partners often deliver leftover or low-value inventory
• The problem with inflated trade value across different market sizes
• Why digital add-ons (email blasts, banners) are often overvalued and underperforming
• How to treat trade like paid media with promo codes, landing pages, and performance reviews

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Intro: Why trade is everywhere—but rarely measured
• 01:25 – What trade actually is (and why teams love it)
• 02:23 – The “free marketing” illusion
• 03:47 – Why lack of accountability is the real issue
• 04:16 – Where trade actually works (unsold inventory + awareness)
• 05:56 – Budget constraints and why trade is so attractive
• 06:24 – Using trade to enhance sponsorship value
• 08:13 – Creative community exposure opportunities
• 09:08 – Trade = top-of-funnel (not direct response)
• 10:37 – The expectation gap: trade vs. paid media
• 11:07 – The tracking problem (and why nobody knows what works)
• 12:56 – Leftover inventory and bad placements
• 15:18 – Inflated value and market-size mismatches
• 16:00 – Why accountability disappears in trade deals
• 17:09 – The truth about digital add-ons
• 20:31 – How to actually use trade the right way
• 21:22 – What to avoid (high-demand inventory, no tracking)
• 22:47 – Treating trade like real media
• 23:16 – Final takeaways: awareness vs. revenue

Episodes Mentioned:
125 - I saw your ad but didn't buy
111 - Building Your Marketing Budget Like a Funnel

Call to Action

If you’re doing trade deals and not sure if they’re actually working, let’s take a look.
 Head over to sportsmarketingmachine.com and schedule a free 30-minute call—I’ll help you evaluate what you’re getting and where you might be leaving revenue on the table.

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