From Data to Action: Enhancing Fan Engagement in the Sports Industry

Jimmy Duggan and Jake Rosenberg

Recently, I wrote about how sports teams should better embrace the data they already have (or can easily get) to build their internal data strategy, with the goal of developing richer fan understanding. This allows for customized outreach, thereby reducing the disconnected interruptions that are common today in a saturated market for entertainment alternatives.

However, a deep understanding of fans, their segments, and drivers and barriers to engaging with the team is only as good as the actions that are enabled. Teams must take a fan-centric lens to understand the context in which an individual fan’s purchase decision is happening in order to deliver the right product, the right offer, at the right time, via the right channel – thereby maximizing fan experience, progressing the fan along their own fan journey, and maximizing the value the team receives. This value can be considered in both the short-term (e.g., purchase at that point in time) and long-term (e.g., lifetime value increase by movement along the fan journey).

However, adopting a fan-centric lens is not as simple as flipping a switch. Rather, organizations must be purposeful in their approach to fan centricity, embedding it at every level of the organization. Teams and leagues embarking on such a journey must start from the top down, focusing on two core areas:

1.      Establishing a fan-centric culture & mindset

2.      Creating enabling processes

Establishing a fan-centric culture & mindset

Organizational culture is rooted in strategic vision coming from the top. Such a vision should be clear and easily applicable to every decision the organization makes – from deciding on local community engagement initiatives to designing the in-arena experience. Michael Rubin, speaking at the CAA World Congress of Sports earlier this year, clearly articulated his vision for Fanatics, Inc., when he stated that the ethos at the core of Fanatics is to “enhance the fan experience with everything we do.”

Such a fan-centric culture, customized to the needs of an individual organization, is critical to fostering positive fan experiences. These experiences ultimately form the basis of the fan’s relationship with the team. Thus, organizational culture must always come back to ensuring that every action and experience is crafted in the context of fan needs. An excellent example of this is the work Atlanta United FC of the MLS has done over the past decade in growing a fanbase organically, leveraging tactics like close engagement and integration with supporter groups, extensive community outreach, embracing the cultural identify of Atlanta, and building around matchday traditions like the Golden Spike ceremony, which ties into Atlanta’s railway heritage. All of these efforts have led to successful and measurable impacts for the club - Atlanta United ranked first in average attendance in 2024 in the MLS (for the third straight season), averaging almost 50,000 fans per game – over 15,000 more than the next closest team.

Creating enabling processes

Codifying fan centricity into organizational DNA starts from the top with a culture shift, but it truly comes to life once it is embedded within organizational structures and processes. Two of the most critical components to this are 1) the establishment and use of a Fan Engagement Process and 2) the alignment of analytics and KPIs that report on overall value to the team of fan-centric activities.

The Fan Engagement Process is an overarching approach to ensuring marketing and sales decisions are made in the context of heightening the fan experience and progressing them along the fan journey. Establishment of such a process helps all team members navigate a consistent and disciplined approach to fan engagement planning & execution, ensuring cross-functional alignment, collaboration, and agility at every stage of the journey.

The example shown below is a place to start that can be modified and fit-for-purpose: 

1.      Needs Discovery & Validation

The first step in the Fan Engagement Process is understanding the needs, wants, drivers, and barriers of different segments of fans. What are the circumstances surrounding their fandom? What are their existing engagement preferences? Answering these questions and more are critical steps to lay the groundwork and better understand the hierarchy of priorities across unique fan segments. 

Part of needs discovery will come from the organization leveraging data to better understand fan segments (as discussed in my previous article). However, it is important to also hear directly from the fanbase to validate these answers, potentially via a capability like Voice of Customer (VOC). While some might hear this and think “classic market research,” a Voice of Customer program is unique in that it provides real time intelligence and is something that your organization can manage internally. Atlanta United has employed something similar to better understand fan experience, preferences, and get a sense of what might they be interested in seeing more of from the team (and what they would like to see less of). Another example of listening closely to the fan voice comes from the Seattle Sounders, who have institutionalized a fan-elected body (the Alliance Council) that gives fans a say in team operations. The Council advises the club on various initiatives, including negotiating for better fan amenities, advising on the gameday experience and addressing fan concerns or grievances. Both examples, at clubs with successful teams and consistently growing fanbases, showcase aspects of a continuous engagement loop that further deepens relationships between fan and team.

Beyond tools like Voice of the Customer, the advent of Generative AI has enabled the efficient extraction of fan insights from online data sources like X, Reddit, product reviews, blogs, and more (leveraging tools like ZS’s own Atlas Intelligence platform). Getting this glimpse into customer needs & priorities through what fans are discussing organically is vital to gain both a deep and panoramic view of the fan. In previous articles I have touched upon organizations leveraging the data they do have, but equally important is leveraging the unstructured data that exists in fan communication online. With new AI capabilities, the ability to scrape, digest, and understand that data is easier and more inexpensive than ever before.

2.      Solution Development & Internal Commitment

 The next step is all about gaining alignment on which solutions to take forward. Many different customer types exist, and not every initiative applies to every fan. It is imperative to design initiatives to meet individual customer segments, prioritizing based on overall segment potential (which certainly encompasses near-term potential, but also long-term customer lifetime value).

For example, a promotional campaign for a new soccer fan that just came to their first MLS game ever because Messi was playing should look much different from the outreach that goes to a 6-year season ticket holder. Once these different fan segments are identified as part of the needs discovery and validation process, a clear vision for a detailed implementation plan to bring solutions to the customer, including clear responsibilities for the organization itself, will emerge.

Internal commitment in large part comes out of the necessary culture & mindset discussed above – broad organizational support for fan centricity, supported by enabling processes to explore and pursue solutions for different fan types, facilitates this commitment.

3.      Initiative Implementation

 Once opportunities have been identified, along with the potential target audience within the fan base, it is time to implement. This phase can easily be overlooked – but as any initiative is launching, the organization needs to closely monitor early issues & opportunities and be willing to adjust on the fly. 

An example of a highly successful initiative is the Baltimore Orioles implementation of the “Bird Bath Splash Zone,” an activation where an entire section of fans is sprayed with water after Orioles extra-base hits – similar to the young team’s playful “sprinkler” celebration.

The "Splash Zone" checks quite a few boxes from both a fan and team value perspective:

• Has an identifiable target fan type (younger fans who resonate with the young, fun-loving team ethos and value a different kind of memorable experience)
• Creates organic publicity and growth opportunities (i.e. via social media), including with “guest splashers” such as Cal Ripken Jr. and new owner David Rubenstein
• Drives incremental revenue opportunities for the club (the Splash Zone section sold out each game in its first year of operation in 2023) 

Unlocking this value for both sides is of course critical to any implementation. In order to determine effectiveness on an ongoing basis, it is critical to track performance via established key performance indicators (including those specific to customer segments) throughout the lifespan of initiatives to measure overall value delivered.

4.      Impact Tracking & Value Maximization

 A robust set of key performance indicators (KPIs) should be established up front (not after the fact) to ensure that any initiative is tracked appropriately. When developing KPIs, it is important to measure both business performance and overall fan satisfaction, including among key segments. Of course, any set of metrics should include sales lift (ticketing, retail, in-stadium, promotion redemption rates, etc.) – but should not be limited here. KPIs that should also be considered include satisfaction measures from fans (like Net Promoter Score – or NPS), earned media uplift, and social media engagement. Sophistication of the metrics can (and should) increase from here.

Positive experiences from fans are linked to long-term outcomes, which ultimately includes movement along the fan journey and creates opportunity for the team to maximize customer lifetime value. A maximized customer lifetime value is not driven by offers that primarily serve the team (e.g., unloading excess midweek ticket inventory), but is driven by creating experiences that are positive, build over time, and are tailored to a specific fan segment’s needs and wants.

Of course, long-term outcomes are difficult to track at any given point in time, but the team should establish KPIs that are tied to longitudinal growth. These could include simple factors like growth in key metrics over time (such as NPS) in targeted fan segments to more advanced metrics derived from predictive modeling, which can predict if fan behaviors are strongly correlated with long-term affinity – thereby allowing metrics around these behaviors to be created and tracked.

Any organization embarking on a journey to be more fan-centric approach in the sports industry must data, culture, and technology to create personalized fan experiences. By leveraging advanced analytics and AI, teams gain deep insights into fan behavior, enabling tailored initiatives that drive value. A strong technological infrastructure and continuous feedback ensures these efforts are effective and evolving, transforming fan relationships and fostering lasting loyalty and success - an outcome beneficial to all sides.