Offline Fan Engagement and Communication Essay (Critical Writing)

Introduction

Fan engagement is a practice that directly influences not only the popularity of sports but also their commercial success. Huettermann, Uhrich, and Koenigstorfer (2019) define this concept as “a central construct for the customer relationship management of professional sports teams” (p. 1). In other words, this practice is based on stimulating public interest in the sports sector and specific events. In light of modern media technologies, remote viewing of various competitions is a common and convenient practice. However, in order for sports clubs to remain competitive and profitable, offline engagement is a must. Despite the fact that, as Stander and De Beer (2016) state, the most loyal audience is from social media, a large percentage of viewers prefer to watch live sports. This, in turn, is beneficial for organizers and directors of teams. Offline fan engagement methods can be different, and this work is aimed at identifying the features of such approaches as ambush marketing, matchday and stadium experiences, and sponsorship programs on the example of football as a target sports discipline.

Ambush Marketing

Ambush marketing in football is a practice that is designed to draw fans’ attention to specific offers from advertisers, thereby extracting the potential benefit from mass gatherings. Burton and Chadwick (2018) provide examples of European football championships and note public opinion regarding this marketing tactic. According to the authors’ findings, some products, particularly beer and gambling brands, are perceived as neutral by many fans, but from an ethical perspective, condemnation of this form of attracting attention exists (Burton & Chadwick, 2018). As Jakobsen, Storm, and Schelde (2021) remark, marketers count on the success of the word-of-mouth strategy. However, despite its potential commercial productivity, ambiguous manifestations of this approach can be given.

From a fan perspective, ambush marketing is an unwanted distraction. Tomanek (2020) mentions the example of Pepsi’s advertising campaign at the 2010 World Cup, where Coca-Cola was the official sponsor. In this campaign, numerous top footballers were recruited, and this practice of aggressive attention-grabbing directly threatened the image of the main sponsor. Tojari, Nikaeen, Shirahmad, and Mirani (2021) argue that this approach is unacceptable not only from an ethical but also from a legislative perspective. As a result, one might note that in football, intrusive promotional projects are not positive incentives for fan engagement.

Matchday and Stadium Experiences

Matchday and stadium experiences are the forms of offline fan engagement, which are usually associated with positive public perception. Ginesta (2017) cites the revenues of the largest Spanish football stadiums (Camp Nou, Santiago Bernabeu, and some others) and notes the huge increase in attendance levels over the past decades. One of the main reasons is the spectacular shows that the organizers put on during matches. In addition, Soltani and Khavari (2015) highlight the value of word-of-mouth as fans share experiences with each other, thus acting as advertising mediators. According to Edensor, Millington, Steadman, and Taecharungroj (2021), many clubs in the English Premier League promote the practice of stadium tourism, thereby attracting fans and offering a unique experience of getting to know the team better. This engagement method is a simple yet commercially viable solution. Atkinson (2022) cites the example of matches in Scotland, where there is a strong focus on stadium infrastructure and an emphasis on a positive experience for fans. Therefore, this method of involvement is a justified engagement practice.

Sponsorship Programs

Sponsorship programs are designed to increase offline fan engagement in football. However, according to Pradhan, Malhotra, and Moharana (2020), only in-role engagement of the public guarantees a positive attitude toward the respective brand. Football, like other sports, relies heavily on fan engagement, and without the participation of the target audience, poor marketing success is likely (Nufer & Bühler, 2010). Sponsorship initiatives are directly linked to increasing people’s motivation to attend matches. As a result, loyalty is formed through brand associations (Neale & Funk, 2006). A team’s positive reputation is a combination of several factors, and fan recognition is a critical one. Czarnitzki and Stadtmann (2002) analyze matches in the German football division and argue that favorable public perception of individual team sponsor advertising campaigns is a consequence of positive team attitudes. In other words, fan loyalty is directly linked to trust in sponsors. In some cases, external factors may be deterrents, such as the withdrawal of tobacco sponsors, as was the case in the Chinese Championship (Sullivan, Zhao, Chadwick, & Gow, 2022). Nevertheless, from a fan perspective, sponsors’ images are directly determined by the level of loyalty to the team.

Conclusion

Ambush marketing, matchday and stadium experiences, and sponsorship programs are initiatives to influence the interests of the football audience and support offline engagement. Among the practices reviewed, ambush marketing is the most controversial due to the often negative attitude of match attendees towards intrusive advertising. Matchday and stadium experiences allow for building loyalty to specific brands through the formation of favorable fan attitudes. Sponsorship programs are less effective, but they can also be marketing incentives in the case of high fan loyalty to their favorite teams.

References

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Czarnitzki, D., & Stadtmann, G. (2002). Uncertainty of outcome versus reputation: Empirical evidence for the First German Football Division. Empirical Economics, 27(1), 101-112.

Edensor, T., Millington, S., Steadman, C., & Taecharungroj, V. (2021). Towards a comprehensive understanding of football stadium tourism. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 25(3), 217-235.

Ginesta, X. (2017). The business of stadia: Maximizing the use of Spanish football venues. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 17(4), 411-423.

Huettermann, M., Uhrich, S., & Koenigstorfer, J. (2019). Components and outcomes of fan engagement in team sports: The perspective of managers and fans. Journal of Global Sport Management, 1-32.

Jakobsen, T. G., Storm, R. K., & Schelde, N. (2021). Stadium experience and word-of-mouth: A panel data analysis of national A-team men’s football matches in Denmark, 2013-17. Managing Sport and Leisure, 26(6), 508-523.

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Nufer, G., & Bühler, A. (2010). How effective is the sponsorship of global sports events? A comparison of the FIFA World Cups in 2006 and 1998. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 11(4), 33-49.

Pradhan, D., Malhotra, R., & Moharana, T. R. (2020). When fan engagement with sports club brands matters in sponsorship: Influence of fan-brand personality congruence. Journal of Brand Management, 27(1), 77-92.

Soltani, M., & Khavari, M. (2015). Antecedents of positive word of mouth and its effects on attitude toward product. International Journal of Management, Accounting and Economics, 2(9), 1020-1036.

Stander, F. W., & De Beer, L. T. (2016). Towards engagement: A comparison of fan groups in the context of a major South African football club. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 42(1), 1-10.

Sullivan, J., Zhao, Y., Chadwick, S., & Gow, M. (2022). Chinese fans’ engagement with football: Transnationalism, authenticity and identity. Journal of Global Sport Management, 7(3), 427-445.

Tojari, F., Nikaeen, Z., Shirahmad, M., & Mirani, K. (2021). Investigating the state of ambush marketing in football and wrestling. European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science, 6(11), 145-154.

Tomanek, M. (2020). Ambush marketing and RTM as a danger for sport organisations. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 20, 1130-1135.