Thank you, fans!
Simple tips to show appreciation to loyal sports fans
Earlier this month, the Dutch football (soccer) club Ajax was in the news for an unusual reason. Following the club’s winning the Dutch League Championship, it proceeded with melting the trophy to produce around 42,000 small stars that were subsequently sent to all the season ticket holders.
It was a truly unique and special way for the club to thank all these fans who bought season tickets and supported the club. It was especially noteworthy because of the COVID-impacted season that fans were not allowed to watch matches at the stadium.
Finding ways to reward loyal fans and make them feel appreciated has always been important for sports clubs and the pandemic made it even more noteworthy.
Looking at industry practices, we can see that it really boils down to simple key factors:
1) An element of exclusivity
A big reason why what Ajax did was special was that the gift was given only to the season ticket holders. The gift is special in and of itself but the fact that it is reserved only for fans who showed a certain level of commitment to the team, adds value to it and makes it extra special.
For example, one of the most iconic clubs, Liverpool FC, reserves the experience of being a mascot who walks onto the pitch alongside the players before the match for children of season ticket holders. It is a simple thing for the club and the players but it can be an experience and memory of a lifetime for these children.
2) Rewards that bring the fans closer to the team
Just like the Liverpool example highlighted, offering rewards that further connect the fans with their favorite club is invaluable.
Obviously, fans already love the team enough to spend a lot of money on it, so giving them additional meaningful connections to the team is wise. Moreover, it reinforces their identification with the club and passion for it, which can only help when it comes time for renewing their financial commitment to the club.
Such rewards have a strong emotional value for the fans by making them truly feel part of the club they love.
For example, in 2020, the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL, randomly selected people who renewed their season tickets (a noteworthy act in the midst of a pandemic) and rewarded them with players writing hand-written notes to thank them.
Often teams also have players calling on the phone fans who renewed their season tickets to thank them and chat with them.
Sports loyalty is about emotion and behavior
All brands need and wish for loyal consumers. This is why loyalty programs are common across industries and companies aim to reward consumers who spend a lot of money on them.
But there is more to loyalty than repeat behavior. Consumers may be loyal to an airline in the sense that they prefer it over other options and keep collecting miles and elite status with it, but for most of them, there is no emotional connection between the airline and themselves.
In sports, many individuals’ decisions to spend money on their sports club are often driven by an emotional attachment to the club. In fact, often this kind of emotional attachment may lead people to make irrational choices, including purchasing and spending decisions.
And this is why it means so much for these fans when the club recognizes their loyalty and shows them it values them and appreciates them.
