Do you have a no. 1 fan?

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Fans are arguably the most important group of the sports industry. Without a supportive fan base, teams would not generate the same amount of money, energy or popularity. In basketball, fans are often referred to as “the 6th man,” which alludes to how much the sport values its fans.

To maintain a loyal fan base, the organization must place fans as a top priority. If fans do not feel they are being treated well by “their team,” they will not be as inclined to continue their loyalty. When creating a public relations plan for a sports team, it is important to place the fans as the main focus group. An example objective for this group is “To enhance relationships with current fans and cultivate relationships with potential fans.”

When developing a public relations plan to enhance and cultivate relationships between a team and its fans, it is important to consider some of the factors that drive fans to attend sporting events:

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-Entertainment: Fans attend sporting events to escape from all of the pressures and stress of the “real world.” While at a sporting event, it is as if someone hit the “pause” button on the rest of your life, and all that matters is the outcome of the game. Fans come to a game expecting to be entertained, not just by the game itself, but by the other activities taking place as well.

-Eustress: Also known as “good stress.” It is the combination of euphoria and stress that one feels during a game. Lakers fans feel stress when the Lakers are down 90-87 with .9 seconds left in the game, and they then feel pleasure and excitement when Kobe scores a half court shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. It is this addicting combination of pleasure and stress that keeps fans coming back for more.

-Family: Sporting events bring families together. Even if all family members are not huge sports fans, they will still attend games with their spouse and/or children to spend time with them. Families appreciate the quality time they can spend together, and sporting events are a popular place to do so.

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-Group Affiliation: One of the most thrilling things about being a fan of a sports team is the fact that you are automatically joined together with thousands of individuals. When someone walks down the street in a t-shirt with your favorite sports team written on it, it is common to give them a little “Go team!” shout. Fans appreciate the ability to identify with such a large group of people who have the same amount of enthusiasm for a team. Strong fan bases keep fans coming back for more.

As you can see, fans are not extremely difficult to please. As long as the team takes care of them, they will take care of the team. They are already drawn to sporting events for reasons other than tactics that can be implemented with a public relations plan. As long as the team and the organization provide them with a reason to continue returning, fans will remain loyal and true.

Now that we have analyzed this group and what draws them to sporting events, it is time to develop tactics to achieve our objective. Please stay tuned for my next blog post, which will provide tactics for enhancing and cultivating relationships with fans.

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