Your agency just sent over a slick monthly report.
Impressions up. Clicks up. CPM down.
Ticket sales? Flat.
So is the agency doing a good job or not?
Most sports teams can’t answer that question. Not because the answer is complicated — but because they’re measuring the wrong things. Reports look great. Revenue doesn’t move. Leadership gets frustrated. Nobody can point to what’s actually working.
The problem isn’t always the agency.
It’s what you’re measuring.
Vanity Metrics Are Quietly Running Your Evaluation
Impressions, clicks, reach, CPM — these matter. But they’re not the scoreboard. They’re the dashboard.
Clicks don’t pay the bills. Conversions do.
A campaign can pull massive traffic to your website, generate cheap clicks, and look brilliant in a report — and still sell zero tickets. Traffic without conversion is just noise. Tire-kickers don’t buy your group nights.
Here’s what your agency report should show you: cost per buyer, conversion rate, repeat buyer percentage, average order value, and attributed revenue.
If those numbers aren’t front and center, you’re not getting a clear picture. You’re getting a highlight reel.
Marketing Can’t Fix Everything — And That’s Not the Agency’s Fault
Here’s something most teams don’t want to hear.
A great agency can be doing brilliant work, and your ticket sales can still be flat.
Why? Because marketing is multiplication. Not magic.
If your pricing is off, your checkout has friction, your offer is weak, or your fan experience doesn’t bring people back — marketing just amplifies those problems faster. More people see them. More people bounce. Conversion drops.
In episode 166 of Sports Marketing Machine, I said it plainly: don’t blame the agency for problems the agency can’t touch. Audit what’s actually broken before you fire your marketing partner. [Listen to the full episode here.]
Bad schedule? That’s not a marketing problem.
Rained-out weekend? Not a marketing problem.
Checkout that takes seven clicks on mobile? That one is. And a good agency should be telling you.
What a Great Agency Actually Does
A good agency reduces chaos. It doesn’t create more of it.
If your relationship is constant emergency requests, last-minute asset rebuilds, and your marketing director feeling more overwhelmed every week — that’s not a partnership. That’s a vendor making your life harder.
The best agencies become strategic partners. They challenge your assumptions. They bring ideas about group offerings, theme nights, retargeting pools, and what your funnel is actually doing. They tell you the truth even when it’s uncomfortable.
Here’s the thing: most marketing directors in sports are stepping into the box with an 0-2 count every single day. The to-do list is too long. The season is moving too fast. They’re swinging at fires.
A great agency takes weight off that plate.
Pattern recognition. Clarity. Proactive insight — not reactive reports. Faster learning on the platforms so you’re not paying for the same mistakes twice.
That’s what you’re paying for. Make sure you’re getting it.
What to Do This Week
Not sure whether your agency is earning its retainer? Run this quick check:
– Pull the last three monthly reports. Are conversions and attributed revenue front and center — or buried after impressions and reach?
– Calculate cost per buyer for each campaign. Not cost per click. Cost per actual ticket sold.
– Check repeat buyer percentage and average order value over the last 90 days. Did either move?
– Look at the last 30 days of communication. Are they proactive — bringing ideas, flagging issues? Or reactive — only responding when you ask?
– Ask yourself honestly: do I understand my fans and my buyers better today than I did six months ago?
If the answers point the wrong direction, the conversation isn’t about firing your agency.
It’s about resetting what you measure together.
Want to know how your team stacks up? Book a free digital audit with Revelocity at revelocity.com
🎙️ [Listen to Episode 166 of the Sports Marketing Machine Podcast]