Fan Loyalty & Engagement

Today everyone has some type of rewards or loyalty program. Whether it’s a retail store or a sports an entertainment business, companies want to reward loyal fans and customers. Just think about it, every time you step up to the cashier or check out counter to pay for something, the first thing they ask you is do you have a rewards card. If you don’t have it with you they’ll ask for your phone number or email to access your information. These reward and loyalty programs reward fans and customers with special rewards, discounts and other opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t have access to if they weren’t enrolled in these programs.

Fan loyalty and engagement is important to sports organizations because they are an incentive for fans to continue to support their favorite teams and buy merchandise and for doing this they are rewarded with something special. Revenue generation is affected because fans attend events. Purchasing tickets and buying merchandise generates revenue.

More and more sports organizations are coming up with loyalty and rewards programs for their fans. NASCAR, one of the leading sports organizations in the world has a rewards program called RacePoints. Fans enrolled in the program have the ability to earn points when they purchase qualifying products and services. Points are tracked and redeemed online for NASCAR apparel, merchandise, collectables and NASCAR experiences. The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) just launched a new rewards program called UFC Rewards. UFC says it is a way of thanking the best fans in the world. As a UFC Rewards member you can earn limited edition collectables and exclusive experiences. Reward members earn points by buying pay-per-view events, subscribing to UFC Fight Pass, reading UFC Rewards Emails, attending live UFC events, and connecting with the UFC through social media. The Buffalo Sabres have taken their new fan loyalty program mobile with an application that can be downloaded for free through the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Sabres fans earn points by scanning codes on tickets, merchandise and concessions. Fans from the UFC, NASCAR and the Buffalo Sabres are responding well to these programs. Enrollment numbers are steadily increasing.  

How can a sports organization engage fans before, during and post game that can increase fan attendance? First, they must engage all fans, not just the season ticket holders. Second, they must offer fans a community. This would allow fans to get to know each other. Third, engage fans during the off-season. Just because the season ends, fan loyalty doesn’t.