Four activations. One connected season.
For our USF Sport Management sponsorship course, my team proposed Make Your Move: a season-long Warriors × Li-Ning partnership designed to introduce Li-Ning to a broader U.S. basketball audience through culture, creativity, and community.
We developed four activations—Find Your Flow, Move of the Game, Performance Lab, and Bay Area Court Captains. I led Find Your Flow, shaped the campaign timeline, terms, and measurement strategy, and independently designed and developed Court Pass to connect those moments through an ongoing fan experience.
What happens after the first interaction?
Four activations could create four memorable moments. Our team discussed a shared digital platform to connect them; I asked how it could give fans a reason to return.
I independently designed and developed Court Pass as a working mobile-first prototype linking participation, social interaction, and digital collectibles.
Participate. Discover activations, submit designs, vote, and complete challenges.
Connect. Build a squad with friends and work toward shared rewards.
Collect. Keep a personalized digital Player Card beyond the event.
What I'd Rethink
Classroom feedback raised a question: would fans need another account just to take part? It made me reconsider registration as a barrier.
In a future iteration, I'd prioritize lightweight web access and optional registration. Court Pass should add value to participation, not become a requirement for it.
My Contributions Beyond Court Pass
Find Your Flow
How can fans experience Li-Ning beyond basketball shoes?
I drew on Shang Shan Ruo Shui (上善若水), a Chinese philosophical idea associated with the qualities of water, and connected it to the Warriors' Splash identity. I developed a seven-day fan design challenge inviting people to interpret their own flow and help choose a proposed scarf design.
Let fans become part of the brand story.
Campaign Timeline
How do we sustain attention throughout the season?
I planned the timing and frequency of four activations around relevant basketball moments and co-branded merchandise production lead times. The aim was sustained visibility without treating each event as an isolated burst of attention.
A campaign needs rhythm, not just a calendar.
Partnership Terms
How much flexibility should a partnership have?
I initially proposed 1+2: one season with two optional renewals. Presentation feedback made me reconsider whether that flexibility allowed enough time for internal coordination, operational investment, and lasting value. I would now explore 2+1 or 3+2 as possibilities, not finalized terms.
Flexibility alone does not guarantee feasibility.
Measuring Success
How do we measure impact beyond impressions?
I developed a framework spanning brand positioning, fan engagement, commercial potential, and community impact. Social listening could indicate changes in visibility and sentiment; Court Pass could provide participation and repeat-engagement signals. These are proposed measures, not achieved results.
Measure relationships, not just attention.