Fan Engagement
Features
Liverpool goes it alone | Why an ‘independent’ US tour offered the club more than the ICC
Liverpool FC decided to arrange its own tour of the United States this summer, rather than compete in the pre-season International Champions Cup, because the club preferred to be "independent" and have more freedom to arrange opponents, dates and venues.
ECB hopes Cricket World Cup momentum fuels enthusiasm for The Hundred
The 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup has demonstrated that there is a significant market for the ECB's new competition, The Hundred, according to its managing director, Sanjay Patel. He tells Adam Nelson how the ECB intends to capitalise on England's stunning World Cup victory and extend the sport's moment in the sun well beyond this summer.
“Gaming is statistically the fastest growing entry point into a sport” | Fan Engagement panel highlights, SDMS
Highlights of the Fan Engagement panel at the Sports Decision Makers Summit in London. Highlights of the Fan Engagement panel at the Sports Decision Makers Summit in London. The panel looks beyond cookie-cutter approaches to fan engagement and discusses the importance of creativity and technology in creating deeper and more profitable engagement with fans.
TikTok’s growth pushes platform into key engagement role for sports properties
As TikTok has grown into one of the world's most popular social-media apps during the past year, the short-form video-sharing platform has become an important tool for sports rights-holders to expand and engage their fanbases.
NBA uses Summer League to retain year-round relevance and extend its global footprint
Kim Bohuny, NBA senior vice-president of international basketball operations, spoke to Bob Williams about the Summer League's growing popularity and its increased role in the league's international expansion.
Philadelphia Phillies see large bump in business fortunes with Harper signing
Fan excitement over the acquisition of the star free agent has fueled the MLB club to what is by far the league's largest per-game attendance increase. But Paul Hagen examines how the organization is already thinking long-term and looking to sustain fan engagement over Harper's entire 13-year deal.
USTA hosts Fortnite World Cup finals to introduce new audiences to refurbished US Open venue
The United States Tennis Association's successful bid to host the inaugural Fortnite World Cup finals at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, is part of a wider strategy to introduce the refurbished facility to a new and younger audience. Story by Bob Williams.
Time to monetise | The football clubs turning Chinese engagement into revenues
Many European football clubs are aiming to convert their large Chinese fanbases into significant new revenue streams. However, they must adapt to this complex market in order to capitalise on its huge potential. Jonathan Dyson reports from Shanghai.
Washington Capitals’ inaugural Stanley Cup triumph leads to commercial uplift ‘across board’
NHL team broke e-commerce and in-venue merchandise records after first title in franchise history
TV ratings and digital streaming minutes on NBC Sports Washington up significantly year-on-year
Marketing lessons from Augusta
The US Masters has become the go-to case study in marketing excellence. Richard Gillis provides an alternative list of pointers from the golf event.
Roma and the Bundesliga bring the banter to win fans and engage people on social media
As clubs and rights-holders from across football continue to adopt more human and humorous voices on social media, representatives from AS Roma and the Bundesliga explain the commercial benefits that underpin the strategy.
Everton FC | Gathering fan data in the age of GDPR
Ben Cronin asks Everton's director of risk & governance Paul McNicholas; Kyle Cockett, senior insight manager; and the club's first data protection officer Ian Garratt about its strategies regarding how it uses fan data.
Nascar searching for new ways to return to relevance after decade of decline
Organisers admit they 'lost their way' by alienating core fanbase
TV ratings and attendances down significantly, while many sponsors have left
ICC uses hybrid ticketing model to boost attendances at 2019 Cricket World Cup
One in three spectators at this year's ICC Cricket World Cup will be new to cricket. SportBusiness examines how the global governing body has marketed tickets for its showpiece event.
Pittsburgh Steelers steal a march on rivals in international social media battle
The Pittsburgh Steelers have long maintained a sizeable global following. Ryan Huzjak, their vice-president of sales and marketing, tells SportBusiness how they are now using social media to engage with, grow, and monetise that audience.
Philadelphia Flyers ride the coattails of social media sensation Gritty – and promise he’ll never sell out
Mascot is most-followed on Twitter of all US major professional sports and collegiate teams
Companies looking to partner with Flyers directly because they want association with Gritty
Beware the Big Eventer
The rise of the Big Eventer is the sports business story of the last decade.
Monumental gets gambling head start with Wizards betting broadcasts
'Predict the Game’ telecasts on NBC Sports Washington aim to engage fans and gamblers
Broadcasts are also pilots for 'totally synchronised' sports betting programming
M-is: Using Technology to engage all at Grassroots
In association with M-is
49ers draw on SAP partnership to improve fan experience in real time
The ‘Executive Huddle’ – the SAP-powered venue-management platform at Levi’s Stadium – has put the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers at the forefront of fan experience management and shows how far partnerships between tech companies and rights-holders can go beyond sponsorship.