Keeping fans engaged
All Blacks fans at Eden Park.
Jake Leong explores the future of fan engagement for sports clubs large and small
T
he sport industry has put the pandemic behind it with full seasons and tournament calendars, leagues and events across the globe largely back to normal, albeit with, in some cases, a lot of empty seats. As people return to enjoying out-of-home events and live experiences, uncertainties remain. Ticket buyers have too many events to choose from, and for some consumers they may be limited in what they can afford to attend, particularly with inflation rising worldwide and with little relief in sight. In community sport, a June 2021 survey by the Australian Sports Foundation (ASF) also found that 43% of polled sports clubs had seen a decrease in participation numbers, and a similar decline in volunteering. While it’s clear the pandemic has played a role in this decline to an extent, it seems there’s a deeper-lying issue - fans in many sports aren’t feeling a real connection to their clubs. Pre-pandemic, attending sporting events was a habitual commitment. Being a member of a football club or a fan of a Big Bash League (BBL) team meant you’d automatically turn up each week at matches to support your team. However, COVID turned these usual routines upside down. Naturally, it will take some time for them to bounce back. But left unchecked for too long, this lack of engagement, coupled with skyrocketing ticket prices, limited membership incentives and fan participation could greatly diminish their love of the sport. It’s critical, now more than ever, for sports clubs to dive deeper to connect with the community and reignite their love of the game through relationship marketing. A recipe for success The most important ingredient of any sports club is its members, but clubs can’t rely on prospective members to simply show up. Rather, they need to employ strategic marketing techniques to attract new members and retain the ones they have, ensuring everyone is receiving the services they expect. To create a relationship that goes beyond game day, sports clubs must connect with fans on the right channels at the right time. With data shared from fans directly to their clubs 52 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 153
and leagues, known as zero-party data (data that a customer willingly shares with a business), it’s possible to know what makes fans tick as well as the best ways to engage with them. How do sports clubs encourage fans to share more of their personal information? You know, the ‘good stuff’ that goes beyond names and email addresses, from who they’re attending matches with and how far they travel to watch their team. It’s all about value exchange. The value exchange When it comes to the value exchange, savvy sports clubs know that it doesn’t always have to be a discount or a red-letter prize that entices fans to share their details. Access to exclusive content and community initiatives can also be the catalyst for zero-party data collection. According to Cheetah Digital’s report for sports teams and associations, 55% of fans will share psychographic data points like purchase motivations and product feedback with sports brands. Even more, half of all fans surveyed say they desire incentives like coupons, loyalty points or exclusive access in return for their data. Give fans what they want, when they want it to turn an ‘unknown’ audience into a ‘known’ audience. ‘Known’ fans offer a lot of potential in the form of direct revenue, partner revenue, and participation - a solid win for sports clubs. Getting it right Whether to boost match-day excitement, connect with fans, monetise a global audience or increase content relevancy to reach a specific demographic; the following sports organisations are creating innovative and impactful digital experiences that drive results. From New Zealand to the UK and over to the US, these are the ones to watch. The All Blacks New Zealand’s All Blacks are a standout in the space for the innovative way valuable audience data and marketing opt-ins are collected. In advance of the last Rugby World Cup Final, the All Blacks tested its fans using an image of the All Blacks team, asking members to pick the lineout ball that was covering the real match ball.
