FAN DIGITAL & SOCIAL EXPERIENCE WHEN ATTENDING AND FOLLOWING SPORTS EVENTS

Recently we found quite interesting study about how sports franchises use social media to boost fan identification conducted by Stephen App (bit.ly/AppFanIDShort). The study identifies major social media tactics used by sports franchises to better impact fans making them the even more tied with their sports brands. Study proves that franchises carefully select and mix different existing social media platforms to properly target their fans with meaningful content. They focus on behind-the-scenes, unique social media rewards programs, in-stadium social suites, experimenting with various tools and approaches.

In IQ Sport, we decided to take a bit different look at this subject. We recently got in touch with more than 100 sports fans to ask about how they consume digital and social media tools during sports events. We asked about their habits and pain points. Let us share our findings with you.

60% of interviewed fans use social media tools quite often when attending or following sports events, not only during intermissions but also during the action when good plays and events are happening. 50% of fans use only FB or Twitter. But what’s interesting more than 30% only use different and less generic social and digital tools, like teams and leagues, media groups and fantasy sports platforms.

The hardest part for fans in using it during sports events is the content clutter, especially when it comes to more generic social media platforms. There are too many posts to review, at the same time not having the best quality. It becomes too distractive from the game action. What makes this effect even more negative is the limited internet service when attending mass events.
The natural consequence of this issue is problem #2 – fans indicated the limited capability to filter out bad quality posts to easier get to what is really meaningful to them. Trash talk is also often indicated as something that devaluates fans digital event experience.

The goal of our study was also to better understand what kind of assistance fans usually want to have better in-venue experience. We know typical tactics used here by sports franchises – best quality stewarding services, good signage, well prepared information services on-site. Most of fans appreciated that, but what is worth noticing is that fans more often try to have more automated, as fast as possible digital assistance. Fans got used to having quick answers in one click and they want the same when attending sports events. It results in the situation that very often the first choice for them when trying to reach necessary event information on-site is googling for it. Not looking for signs, not finding and asking the usher, but rather asking the internet. Because they want answers fast in dynamic event environment, due to limited internet service and too generic search results, they usually don’t get what they want. We think this behaviours show that there is a need to look at the fans on-site service strategy in the wider perspective, enhancing digital event experience is this field also.

Want to get more precise data from the study? Please send request to rafal@iqsport.co . Looking forward to being in touch with you!