Given the fact that the SportFest tournament had not been held for a full fifteen years, and that CTA komunikacije joined the organizers only one month prior to the event itself, the primary objectives were to ensure that the tournament was delivered at the highest possible representative level, and to increase its visibility and recognition as the foundation for future editions – in order to attract players, visitors, and sponsors alike.
The first task was to secure sponsors willing to support the tournament, despite the absence of any previous indicators that could guarantee visibility. For this reason, the CTA komunikacije team decided to focus on the tournament’s unique location, situated on one of the most frequented areas of Crikvenica’s city beach. According to the organizers’ estimates, between 8,000 and 10,000 people pass along the promenade next to the court each day during the peak of the season. Based on this, sponsors were offered branding opportunities on banners around the court, as well as logo placements on a large LED screen that dominated the venue and directly faced the passing promenade. As a result, the tournament received support from renowned companies such as Pontus Pharma, Cetina, HD Jadran Crikvenica, and Centar zlata.
The next important step was to secure media coverage for the tournament. In the absence of widely read sports media in Croatia – and given that communications around such events have largely shifted to social media – CTA komunikacije turned to local media outlets with a strong digital presence. The natural choices were Novi list, the leading media outlet for Rijeka and the Kvarner region, and crikva.hr, the most-read portal in the city of Crikvenica itself. Both became official media sponsors and continuously reported news and results throughout the tournament via their channels. Additionally, the lifestyle portal After5, the most-read lifestyle outlet in Croatia, joined in by recognizing the tournament’s potential as well as the broader appeal of its location and supporting activities. In total, the tournament generated 33 traditional media mentions: 30 across online portals and print, and 3 on radio stations.
Nevertheless, a beach volleyball tournament in the 21st century requires additional channels of communication with its audience. Given the long hiatus prior to this year’s event, it was necessary to create a substantial amount of content for social media. For this reason, CTA’s youngest team member, Tena, was present on-site, persistently following players and referees with her smartphones, gimbal, microphones, and drone. The outcome was a series of highly engaging video posts, with the standout being drone footage above the net, capturing in perhaps the best possible way the full beauty and excitement of beach volleyball. In fact, her work can also be seen in the official highlight video below.
The results of Tena’s social media management – achieved without advertising, paid campaigns, or boosted posts – were as follows:
- A total of 46 Facebook/Instagram stories, 11 standard posts (photo galleries or visuals), and 6 video posts (Reels) were published.
- On Facebook, SportFest posts achieved 31,900 views, with a reach of 14,000 users. In total, 397 interactions were recorded, and 1,280 profile visits were registered.
- On Instagram, posts reached 14,280 views, with an audience reach of 2,507 users, 142 interactions, and 471 profile visits.
Since this was an international tournament, it was clear that the audience extended beyond the immediate Kvarner region – from the families and friends of competitors to the wider international beach volleyball community. To reach them, CTA partnered with SofaScore. The platform, through its sister app SofaScore Torneo, enables editors to input live updates for lesser-followed leagues and sports, instantly displaying results in real time on the main app and website.
The effectiveness of this approach is reflected in the following figures:
- The tournament was accessed 1,823 times on the SofaScore app and website, including 624 unique users.
- The majority of views came from Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia – a logical outcome given that most teams came from these three countries.
- 70 unique users enabled push notifications for the tournament, receiving real-time alerts on their mobile devices for every set played.
- Six matches surpassed 200 views, with the quarterfinal between a French and a Croatian pair achieving the highest engagement, while the final match was followed by 209 viewers, primarily from Hungary and France.
In conclusion, SportFest – a modest tournament with a rich tradition – was successfully revived after a 15-year hiatus. The three main organizational pillars delivered outstanding results: the organizers provided excellent infrastructure and logistical support, the sports director brought in highly attractive pairs to compete on the Crikvenica sands, and the CTA komunikacije team added significant value through sponsor partnerships, a comprehensive communications strategy, and day-to-day support across all aspects of organization.
And if you don’t take our word for it – come and see SportFest for yourself next year!
