SMS Marketing During Major Sporting Events: How E-commerce Wins the World Cup

During big matches, three things happen at once: mobile engagement spikes (the phone never leaves your hand), emotions run high (and emotions sell), and concrete buying moments appear – food for the game, fan merch, delivery before kick-off.

SMS fits this perfectly because it has two qualities that email and social posts simply lack:

• ~98% open rates, usually within minutes of sending – the message lands before the match even starts.
• zero dependence on apps or algorithms – you reach the screen directly, no fight for visibility.

On top of that comes timing: the event runs on a fixed schedule, so you know to the minute when to strike.

• Flash sale for the duration of the match – "discount valid until the end of the first half." A time limit plus a live event is a powerful nudge toward a quick decision.
• "Goal = discount" – the code grows with every goal or unlocks after a win. It engages people and gives you a reason for the next message.
• Delivery reminder before kick-off – "Order by 7:30 pm and we'll make it before the match." Real value for the customer, not just a promo.
• Fan restock or drop – "Scarves are back in stock, only 40 left." A short window, a specific product.
• Match-day notifications – order confirmations, statuses, codes. At peak traffic it all runs automatically through the API.

• A few hours before – building the basket: food, snacks, gadgets. This is where "order early" works.
• Right before kick-off – the final reminder about delivery and the offer.
• Half-time – a short window of attention for an add-on purchase or a quick play ("extra-time discount until minute 46").
• After the match – reacting to the result (celebration or consolation) with a code for the next order.

The rule: one message, one goal. Don't send four texts when a single well-aimed one will do.

The whole mechanic comes down to sending the right message at the right minute, and that is easiest to fire from your backend.

• Bulk send at kick-off – a single POST /api/sms-multi request to a chosen customer segment, triggered at the scheduled time.
• Event-triggered sends (goal, win, restock) – your system fires a POST /api/sms the moment something happens.
• No middlemen, no subscription – SENDLY is an SMS API straight from a Polish telecom operator, pay-as-you-go from PLN 0.075, and for pre-event testing you get 100 SMS free.

You don't need to build anything big: a REST API, a Bearer Token from the dashboard and a few lines of code are enough to sync your sends with the match calendar.

• Marketing consent (GDPR) – you may only send marketing SMS to people who have opted in. A big event does not suspend the rules.
• Moderation – one or two on-point texts during an event build the brand; five in an hour build your unsubscribe list.
• Value, not just selling – the best-performing messages give something: a real offer, a reminder, convenience.
• Sender ID – set a clear sender name with your company, so the SMS is recognizable at a glance.

• Major sporting events are the peak of mobile attention and buying emotion – the perfect moment for SMS.
• Lean on time-limited tactics (flash sale, "goal = discount," delivery before kick-off).
• Sync your sends with the match schedule: before, at half-time, after.
• Fire it from your backend through the SENDLY SMS API – pay-as-you-go, 100 SMS free for testing.
• Stick to GDPR consent and moderation – one on-point SMS beats five pushy ones.