WOW! Business Strikes a Grand Slam with Columbus Clingstones Partnership, Fueling Fiber Adoption in Small Businesses

The partnership between WOW! Business and the newly minted Columbus Clingstones—the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves—has positioned the telecom provider as a strategic disruptor in the fiber broadband market. By embedding itself in the heartbeat of Columbus, Ohio's burgeoning baseball community, WOW! is executing a masterstroke to drive fiber internet adoption among small businesses, a segment critical to its growth ambitions.

The Playbook: Community as a Launchpad for Tech Adoption

WOW!'s deal with the Clingstones isn't just about stadium sponsorships. It's a calculated move to align with a community-first ethos that resonates deeply with local small businesses. By sponsoring fan favorites like the Hot Dog Race and deploying mascot-led giveaways—two fans per game upgraded to premium seats with WOW!-branded gift baskets—the company is creating a grassroots connection. These initiatives aren't mere marketing; they're relationship-building tools. Small business owners in attendance are primed to see WOW!'s value proposition in action: reliable fiber internet, bundled with YouTube TV and mobile plans, all underpinned by a brand that shares their values of “respect, integrity, and service.”

This visibility translates to trust. As Columbus's 5,500-seat Synovus Park becomes a microcosm of WOW!'s capabilities, small businesses—whether a downtown café or a local auto shop—begin to recognize the tangible benefits of switching to fiber. The partnership's prominence on social media and the stadium's videoboard further amplifies this message, turning a sports venue into a billboard for tech innovation.

The Business Case: Fiber Networks as a Small-Biz Lifeline

Small businesses crave reliability. Slow internet cripples productivity, while inconsistent service risks customer trust. WOW!'s all-fiber networks, offering speeds up to 1,000/50 Mbps, are a direct antidote. For a restaurant managing online orders or a manufacturer running IoT-enabled machinery, this infrastructure is non-negotiable.

The company's Hosted VoIP services—priced at $29.99/month for a basic seat—and Whole-Business WiFi ($19.99/month) further cement its appeal. These packages are tailored for small operations, eliminating the need for costly IT investments. Pair this with 3X SPIFF incentives for channel partners through September 2024, and WOW! is not just selling services—it's building a sales army.

The data here is telling. While traditional telecom giants like AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ) trade in single-digit growth, WOW!'s stock has surged 22% year-to-date, outpacing the S&P 500. This isn't luck; it's strategy. The Clingstones partnership is part of a broader push into 20 markets across the Midwest and Southeast, regions where fiber penetration lags behind urban centers. Columbus, with its growing tech corridor and manufacturing base, is ground zero for this expansion.

Why Investors Should Swing Hard Now

The Clingstones deal is a blueprint for replication. By integrating local culture—whether baseball in Ohio or peach agriculture in Georgia—WOW! can scale its community engagement model across its footprint. Consider this: in Columbus, GA, where WOW! already serves businesses, the Clingstones' peach-themed branding (a nod to the fruit's “clingstone” variety) creates a natural affinity.

Moreover, small businesses are the unsung heroes of the fiber market. They're price-sensitive but demand reliability, a sweet spot for WOW!'s 1–3 year term pricing models. As competitors cling to legacy copper networks, WOW! is betting on fiber's future—and winning.

The Bottom Line: Strike While the Iron Is Hot

WOW! isn't just a telecom player; it's a community enabler. By turning sports fandom into tech loyalty, it's unlocking a $34 billion U.S. fiber market that's ripe for disruption. With 15% year-over-year revenue growth and a dividend yield of 1.8%, this stock offers both growth and stability.

The Clingstones' 2025 season isn't just a baseball milestone—it's a catalyst for WOW!'s next chapter. For investors, the question isn't whether to play, but how quickly they can get to bat.

Invest with urgency: Columbus's next grand slam is in the making.