Introduction
Sport is a motivating, and engrossing exercise that necessitates complete fan involvement to be effective and elicit the emotional qualities that tie fans and players close. Good fan involvement is required if the supporters are to form a bond with their favorite sports teams and keep the stands packed. To enable stronger fan connection, it is necessary always to be creative, original, and aware of the shifting demands of the audience.
Leveraging Digital Platforms for Community-Based Fan Engagement
Employing digital platforms to establish connections could be the initial step in assuring successful fan involvement at the community level. Increasing the number of fans could be aided by the meaningful sports consumption (MSC) approach (Jang et al., 2021). Nearly everyone has a smartphone and internet connectivity, even prospective fans.
The group must have social media accounts to connect, communicate, and tell stories to establish and sustain a two-way connection. Supporters will feel more comfortable backing a team if they feel like their opinions are respected, and it regularly keeps them informed about club concerns. For this reason, teams should use social media as a channel for fan engagement and communication.
Community Partnerships and Charitable Events as Fan Recruitment Tools
A further action I would take is to work with a neighborhood charitable organization to create an activity that offers free entry to the event’s venue. I could urge the league team to organize a blood drive to benefit the local community, inviting supporters to the venue to give blood. More individuals will be drawn in by this, notably the immediate and indirect recipients of this humanitarian deed. When sports fans witness sportsmen assisting others in need, they feel more elevated (Jang et al., 2021).
In addition, I would ensure the attendees receive tickets to the next game and publicize all occasion events via social media to increase others’ sense of impending disappointment (FOMO). FOMO is a significant extrinsic driver of attendance at sporting events (Kim et al., 2020). As a result, more individuals can attend a subsequent event, attracting more followers.
Conclusion
A sports fan typically shows engagement by supporting their favorite team by going to matches, viewing them on television, or conversing about them with colleagues. When there is a greater degree of involvement, followers go above and beyond to support their team by encouraging other fans to participate proactively. Word-of-mouth and showing off one’s sports love are the first steps towards consumer-to-consumer helpful actions in fan networks that support organizations.
References
Jang, W. (E., Wu, L., & Wen, J. (T. (2021). Understanding the effects of different types of meaningful sports consumption on consumers’ emotions, motivations, and behavioral intentions. Sport Management Review, 24(1), 46–68. Web.
Kim, J., Lee, Y., & Kim, M.-L. (2020). Investigating ‘fear of missing out’ (FOMO) as an extrinsic motive affecting sport event consumer’s behavioral intention and Fomo-driven consumption’s influence on intrinsic rewards, extrinsic rewards, and consumer satisfaction. PLOS ONE, 15(12), 1–19. Web.