May 15, 2008 6:02 AM, PROMO Xtra, By Patricia Odell

Octagon and TNS Sport have formed a partnership that combines their respective proprietary research methodologies to offer clients a more in-depth analysis and understanding of sports fans.

TNS Sport, the international division of market insight and information group TNS dedicated to sport, events and sponsorship research, has conducted the ESPN Sports Poll for the past 14 years. Under the deal, for the first time, the poll will also provide insights into fan passion and motivation based on Octagon’s Passion Drivers research. Octagon is a sports and entertainment marketing agency.

“We’ll now be able to provide marketers with quantifiable data explaining ‘why fans are fans’ based on responses to over 50 Passion Drivers questions to go along with ESPN Sports Poll data, which has historically tracked the who, what, where and when of fans and how they connect with their favorite sports,” said Robert Fox, senior vice president of TNS Sport, in a statement. “By integrating the Passion Drivers data with all of the behavioral data from the ESPN Sports Poll, we can provide sports sponsors, rights-holders and others with meaningful insights on distinct fan segments based on combinations of attitudes and behaviors.”

The ESPN Sports Poll tracks fans across 30 different sports and more than 50 major events. Octagon, which is a member of The Interpublic Group, has conducted Passion Drivers research in the U.S., Canada and six other countries.

In the U.S., studies have been conducted among fans of professional and college football and basketball, professional baseball, hockey and soccer, NASCAR, golf, tennis, action sports and the Olympics.

“Passion Drivers research quantifies the key emotional connections that fans have for different sports. This knowledge helps marketers think like a fan when developing sponsorship activation strategies and programs,” said Simon Wardle, senior vice president of strategy and insights for Octagon who created the study, in a statement. “More marketers, especially those investing in sports content, are embracing the power of passion-based marketing. Sponsors can more effectively engage consumers with their brands when they understand why they care about their favorite sports.

The results of the Passion Drivers research will be available to all ESPN Sports Poll subscribers, according to Fox.

Octagon ranked No. 10 in the 2007 Promo 100 listing of the top 100 U.S. promotion agencies.

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