We all know that social media can be quite negative, but it can at times spark interesting discussions. I posted, complimenting the Elks on their strategy that is focused on building long term attendance rather than intermittent spikes driven by one off events. To me this reflects a shift not only from how this team has done things but in how sports has largely been marketed in recent years. Some agreed, some weren’t sure.
My argument is that in sport, or with any organization for that matter, you want to attract people based on your core deliverable. This is what you own and is what you’re good at - in this case, that’s football. Everyone through the doors doesn’t need to understand why that curl route was run at a certain depth, but for long term sustainability, they should be there for a reason connected to football. That could be:
- I love football and my team, and I can’t imagine missing a game
- I love my city, and this is an important part of my city, so I want to support it
- My kid plays football and it’s important that she get to the games
If the reasons fans come are because the hot dogs are good, or to see the halftime show, your core product isn’t bratwursts or concerts so that’s not a model built for success. When done well, those help enhance the experience, but they can’t be the reason people are coming. Next time there’s a craving, they’ll find a gourmet hot dog at the hottest new spot, and they’ll hear more songs with a better concert experience at other venues. So, they don’t return.
Go to a Premier League soccer game. No surrounding entertainment, fancy promotions or sometimes even a scoreboard that’s easy to see – it’s about the game alone. This core deliverable road, especially in sport, is definitely not the easy one as that brand and cultural connection the Premier League has doesn’t exist for everyone. In my football example, it could mean engaging with young flag football players, focus groups with expired season ticket holders, or identifying ways to keep star players with their teams for longer as ways to create that connection – all things that take time and investment.
People’s buying decisions are complicated and it can be easier to show immediate results with 2 for 1 tickets or giveaways to drive spectator numbers believing the myth that “if they see the product once, they’ll be back”. That’s when you migrate from your core service and try to become concert promoters or culinary experts. Hopefully this Elks example can show that sports clubs can go another way to building a deeper, more committed fan base.
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