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How Sports Micro-Influencers Are Building Active Communities and Driving Brand Engagement
When you think of micro-influencers and communities, there’s a good chance you think of social media. Influencers are a product of the online world, and until now, this is where they have always existed. There is, however, a change beginning to happen, especially in the world of sports influencers.
Content creators, while still conducting the bulk of their business online, are now beginning to create active communities in the real world through organised events. This provides businesses with the opportunity to collaborate with them and shine a spotlight on their products, giving potential customers the chance to experience them firsthand.
An Influencer Revolution
This influencer revolution, if you will, is happening in streets and parks all around the world. Currently, there is a trend, particularly in the fitness and sports influencer space, for active involvement and building real-world communities. This trend presents some incredible opportunities both for micro-influencers and the brands they represent.
Trends are, by their very nature, cyclical, and we are starting to see a major shift in the way people want to engage with one another. We have spent the last decade or more glued to our screens, building communities, swiping right, and creating digital relationships. There is a growing revolt against this type of interaction.
Head down to your local park a few evenings a week, and there is a good chance you will see a stampede of active young people come flying past you, chatting with one another and very often wearing the same sports gear.
The running club boom is just one example of how online communities are now beginning to engage in the real world. Micro-influencers are starting to organize meet-ups and host events, all of which are encouraged to drive engagement and foster real-world connections.
Gen Z audiences, in particular, have shown a strong craving for authenticity, and this shift into the real world highlights that. Social media allows people to build carefully curated profiles, but this is stripped back when you attend one of these events and get a chance to really engage with communities.
A Unique Opportunity
This genuine engagement presents a powerful opportunity for sports brands and marketers, and we are seeing it unfold in real-time. A quick Google search of run clubs or meet-ups taking place in New York in June 2025 shows sponsored events from Lululemon, Gym Shark, and several other major brands.
There are also several coffee shops within the city hosting running clubs, and some holding hiking events and a monthly cycle.
These are moving endorsements from online to the real world. Let’s say, for example, you are a small sports shop in Austin and you want to target customers in the city. Teaming up with a local micro-influencer and hosting a running event or hike with them will not only get you exposure, but it will also allow you to let attendees try your products.
This has been extremely effective for many sports brands in the last few years, and given the current appetite for these kinds of events and clubs, you can rest assured that if they like your product, attendees will do the heavy lifting for you on social media.
Brand Benefits
What’s more, these kinds of events are extremely cost-effective. You don’t need to spend any money setting up the event; all you need to do is create a partnership with a micro-influencer, provide them with some free samples, and you’re good to go. Of course, the more involved you are with the event, the better.
Unlike many social media opportunities, these in-person events can be an excellent way for micro-influencers and brands to interact in real-time. This presents a unique opportunity to showcase shared values, demonstrate products, and genuinely engage with potential customers.
Of course, this also helps the online influence of micro-influencers grow stronger. Once people have had a chance to engage with online communities in real life, they are more likely to keep that engagement going online. This, in turn, empowers the endorsements of micro-influencers, which is hugely beneficial for businesses.
This change also marks a new era in the world of digital and social media marketing. Businesses now have the chance to collaborate in the real world, and we at SGG Media have a network of micro-influencers who have the power to make these kinds of events and interactions happen. Marketing evolves, and this is an exciting new era that businesses should look to throw their arms around and embrace.
Author: Troy Paul, CEO of SGG Media
The Global Esports Federation at its 16th Board Meeting approved the draft program for the Los Angeles 2026 Global Esports Games, to be held in December 2026. This follows the earlier announcement of Los Angeles as host city at a major ceremony hosted by Los Angeles Times Media Group Executive Chairman & CEO Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel—now marking a significant milestone on the road to GEF’s flagship event in the United States.
The GEF Board also unanimously elected Paul J. Foster as President of the Global Esports Federation. Paul, who is GEF Chief Executive Officer, was appointed President ad interim following the resignation of founding President Chris Chan in July, and now assumes the role of President & CEO through December 2027.
In addition, the GEF Board approved the establishment of frameworks to develop the esports ecosystem in the United States, anchored in Los Angeles. This initiative will strengthen the GEF’s connections with stakeholders worldwide and reinforce its mission to elevate esports for all.
The outcomes of GEF 16th Board Meeting reaffirm the GEF’s role as a convening platform, uniting athletes, publishers, Member Federations, and partners to power the future of esports globally.
Playtech announced the successful launch of its retail sports betting rollout across the MSC Cruises fleet. The deployment builds on a recently established partnership between the two companies earlier this year, marking Playtech’s entry into the cruise leisure sector and extends its innovative technology to a new frontier in entertainment.
As the world’s third largest cruise line and the market leader in Europe with a strong and growing presence in North America, MSC Cruises offers a powerful platform for Playtech’s global expansion into new verticals. This strategic collaboration introduces Playtech’s cutting-edge sports betting solutions to the cruise sector, enhancing the onboard entertainment experience for guests.
MSC Cruises’ onboard casinos are designed to deliver a dynamic mix of entertainment, featuring reel, video, and video poker slot machines, alongside timeless table games such as Roulette, Blackjack, Three Card Poker, and Texas Hold’em. With the addition of sports betting, guests now have even more ways to engage and enjoy their time at sea. Guests can place bets on a wide range of sports events through Self-Service Betting Terminals and Playtech’s newly developed mobile tills, all seamlessly integrated with guests’ onboard accounts for a smooth and secure experience.
Yori Arami, VP Sports at Playtech commented; “We are excited to partner with MSC Cruises and bring our retail sports betting solutions to their impressive fleet. This partnership represents a significant milestone for Playtech as we continue to expand our offerings and provide unique, engaging experiences for players around the world on land and sea.”
Mara Friso, Head of Casino at MSC Cruises said, “We are very proud to be able to deliver the excitement and engagement of sports gaming to our guests through our partnership with Playtech. Our fleet of modern cruise ships will provide our customers a wide array of immersive digital content as a complement to our state-of-the-art cruise casinos.”
The initial phase of the rollout is now live across seven MSC Cruises vessels, with additional deployments scheduled over the coming months. The integration leverages Playtech’s advanced retail sports betting technology, delivering a seamless and engaging experience for guests onboard.
SYNOT Games, a leading international iGaming content provider, is proud to announce the extension of its strategic partnership with Meridianbet on the Peruvian market. This alliance marks a major step forward in SYNOT’s strategy to expand across Latin America, one of the world’s fastest-growing regions for online gaming.
Through this collaboration, Meridianbet will integrate SYNOT’s full portfolio of premium online slots into its next platform. Players in Peru will gain access to top-performing titles, including Money Vaults, 100 Stunning Fruits, and 7even Max – all designed with immersive gameplay, mobile-first performance, and full regulatory compliance.
SYNOT Games is extending its collaboration with the well-known Meridianbet brand, which operates across multiple jurisdictions. The partnership in Peru positions both companies for long-term growth in the LatAm region and beyond.
Following successful launches in Serbia, Bosnia, and Montenegro, the partnership will soon expand to fast-growing Brazilian iGaming landscape. Through this alliance, SYNOT Games will strengthen its brand visibility also in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking markets by delivering localized, high-quality content tailored to regional player preferences. Meanwhile, Meridianbet will enhance its global gaming offer with a wide range of certified HTML5 titles and proven retention tools used in other regulated markets.
“Latin America is at the heart of our international growth strategy,” said Martina Krajčí, CCO at SYNOT Games.
“We are excited to partner with Meridianbet in Peru, a trusted and dynamic operator, to bring our games to new audiences across the region. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to innovation, quality, and long-term market development.”
Kristina Dimoski, Account Manager at Meridianbet shares operator’s perspective: “At Meridianbet, we are always looking for partners who can deliver value not only through outstanding games, but also through a clear understanding of local markets. SYNOT Games brings both. Their portfolio is diverse, engaging, and built with quality in mind, making it a perfect fit for our rapidly growing player base in Peru.”
By combining SYNOT’s strong creative production with Meridianbet deep global iGaming market knowledge, the collaboration aims to boost player engagement, session time, and retention across the continent.
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