These days, players and clubs can interact with their fans at the click of a button — but does watching from a distance really bring fans closer to the action?

A recent survey from ReadingRoom found the ways in which fans want to see improvements from their clubs. Very quickly a key theme emerged: fans want content that makes them feel a part of the club.

With clubs now having fan-bases that stretch into the tens of millions, how can a team keep all their fans happy and engaged?

Here we’ll analyse how the clubs currently go about this, and how it could all change — for the better — in the very near future.

Behind the scenes action

ReadingRoom’s survey found the number one thing fans wanted more of was behind the scenes access to a club’s day-to-day running.

As it stands, the only access fans get is when a new signing is announced or when the club has ‘all access’ days. However, this doesn’t work due to the way vast numbers of fans live thousands of miles away from the club they support.

How can clubs better their offering?

Clubs should take inspiration from the Fan Controlled Football League (FCFL). The FCFL allows fans to make every decision for the club — from selecting the line-up to what play the team will run during their next possession.

Obviously, clubs won’t allow fans to make meaningful tactical decisions, but imagine winning a competition that allowed you to choose the line-ups for your teams training match? Or being able to select the various players that would take part in a penalty shoot-out?

These games or shoot-outs would then be streamed live, with fans commenting and creating polls on the action as it goes on.

It would allow the fans to truly interact with their team, and besides — who wouldn’t want to see Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola try their hand in goal?

Fans want to see more of how their favourite clubs are run — from the inside

Content, everywhere

In the age of social media, fans want one thing: content, content and more content.

While large clubs have a huge social output, it’s harder for smaller clubs to match this due to the costs.

Due to these costs, some clubs have to prioritise certain platforms — meaning some fans who only use one outlet are left out entirely.

How can clubs better their offering?

The easiest way to highlight the problem clubs face is by the fact users aged 55 and over only represent only 5% of Instagram’s user base.

Due to the visual nature of Instagram, clubs utilise this platform and often post their most creative content on it — meaning a vast number of older fans completely miss out.

Clubs should create their own app which they can upload all of their content to, allowing all fans to see everything and not have to individually sign up to each individual platform.

Fans now expect a constant stream of content from their favourite clubs and players

Feel part of the action

This is arguably an issue that clubs have been facing for decades: how to make every single fan feel like they’re part of the action.

Currently the only access to match-days that fans get are warm-up videos and the odd picture of the dressing room.

In my eyes, that simply isn’t enough to make any fan feel part of the club.

How can clubs better their offering?

The emergence of VR (Virtual Reality) could really change the game here.

Clubs should set-up cameras around their stadium, then offer full VR streams that any fan — anywhere in the world — can access.

Imagine watching your team week-in-week-out from the comfort of your home, but feeling like your sat in the stands?

Now that is access.