Talent management is a broad term that includes various talents, including sports. A hot topic in the sports arena is how to grow and retain the fan base and collect data that can forecast tickets sales and generate revenue for a franchise.
Fan loyalty has been given a second look over the years. Prior to recent years, it took a major ordeal for a fan to meet a sports figure and now because of social media and technology fans and sports figures can communicate regularly through blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Fan loyalty has been given a second look over the years. Prior to recent years, it took a major ordeal for a fan to meet a sports figure and now because of social media and technology fans and sports figures can communicate regularly through blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Sport organizations have created sport fans websites and
have made fans an integral part of the team and the organization. This is a brilliant move, why? Without the fans, would a team exist? Of course, not, the fans purchase paraphernalia,
tickets and spend money at the arenas. The fans advertise the sport
organizations, as they wear the teams’ logos, slogans and teams’athletes on thier jerseys or t-shirts.
Joseph
Yi states, “loyal fans help make up
the brand of a sports team. These loyal fans not only support their teams on
game day, but they extend the reach and personify the brand that their teams
represent.”
Sports team not only recruit players, they also
recruit fans. Through loyalty programs such as, Row27 and Paciolan Oklahoma,Maryland and Boston College are able to keep track of their fans and reward them. They have integrated a fans loyalty program where
they reward their fans for their participation in activities. Activities could be showing up at least one
hour prior to game day or how often a fan may tweet about the team or how often
they show up to a game. Sponsors have
chimed in to give prizes as rewards, Mitchell’s Jewelry is a sponsor located in Oklahoma who sponsors a fan to be
recognized on the field and win a gift card to the jewelry store.
CrowdTwist allows the Dolphin franchise to
monitor spending and social media influence in the FinClub loyalty program where fans are able to redeem point for rewards.
TheWashington Redskins uses Foursquare to reward loyal fans. Foursquare allow the Redskins to promote
rallies and galvanise their fans along with offering many rewards for their
participation. As a result, the Redskins have seen
growth on social media.
There are other ways to get connected to fans
aside from social media. The ChicagoBlackhawks use traditional media outlets (i.e., WGN, Comcast, WGN radio) to
display team players profiles, where the fans get a chance to see the lighter
side of their athletes. It is policy for
the players to be accessible to the fans and media for every game. The Blackhawks, without increasing the ticket prices, have ticket season holders but
also allow for same day purchase of tickets before the game at the ticket
booths. The Blackhawk’s management team
is fan conscience, where the fans are valued and treated as part of the franchise family.
Then there is NBA Cares program for community
outreach, giving back to the community and their fans.
Fan growth and retention is prevalent in the
sports world, where building fan base is the number 2 focus behind winning. The bottom line is fans generate revenue.
