Know Your Fan

One of my biggest drives in working in the sports industry is the fan. They are the biggest stakeholders in sport. Yes, you have the television networks, the boosters and the community; but above all of those is the fan. They buy the product, talk about the product, watch the product and consume all media. In order to get the most out of whatever it is you sell, you must understand the "fan."

I like to look at five major factors when I look at the "fan." These can not only be beneficial in sport but in any business. They are:

Age
Social Standing
Economic Status
Geographical Factors
Other Interests


In my opinion, all of those factors can tell you all you need to know about your fan. They can set your marketing plan, drive your pricing, determine who you solicit, and soooooo much more (even determine what concessions you sell). While most of these seem pretty standard in business, I want to take a chance to apply it to sport. I think this will make my point that much more apparent.

Let's take three separate examples in the same conference:

Alabama

Most of the fans are of an older age and have been around the team, sport and school. The economic status is one that tends to be more affluent based on the booster donations that are given each year. They are one of two MAJOR football teams in the state of Alabama, and probably the biggest draw in the state for any sporting event. That also plays into the fact that it is the "it" thing to do during this time of year.

What it means - This is a sophisticated fan. There is also very little competition for the entertainment dollar. Overall you can price your product higher because of those factors, among others. The age also plays into the fact that your fan may not react well to the internet or technology. They are about tradition and you must market them as such.

Missouri

This is a new, emerging team with a younger fan base. Their fans are generally younger, and do not have the aura of bigger schools in that conference when it comes to booster funds and overall economic security. There is some pretty legitimate competition for the sports dollar there as well; with a multitude of sports teams in that region, as well as fans that tend to not stay there.

What it means - You can have fun with this one! You can play all of the new, innovative games and styles that you need because the organization is still forging its identity. In order to compete with all of the other entities you must price more attractively and really understand that there are so many opportunities with this team.

Georgia

These fans are affluent and passionate, but still a mix of old and new. They have the booster and the alumni backing, but still have a younger crowd that can be easily reached in new markets. There is a very large amount of competition, but with the tradition and passion, that trumps most of that.

What it means - There is really no wrong answer to how you capitalize on the Georgia fan. You have to stay middle of the road and please the masses, because of the diversity of the consumer. It is essentially a mix of the other two, which is both helpful and hurtful.

I think looking at the diversity of these three options is great justification of my points. You cannot use twitter to get at the heart of an Alabama booster, it's just not going to work. On the other hand, you cannot price a ticket to a Missouri football game at $85 because you are pricing yourself out of the market.

Sport is different than regular business in this sense. Sometimes, you can change or alter a product to appeal to more people or enter a new market when there is a hurt. Sports though, have specific fans and market that experience. It is hard to change the product, therefore you make that product attractive to your constituency. This particular line of though can be applied to all sports. Baseball, basketball and even golf can have different fans, needs and ways to market. Knowing the fan is truly paramount in getting the most out of the sport product.