How Sports Brands can Increase Brand Advocacy with Fans

Turn casuals into brand advocates with 5 strategies

“We work in 1-week sprints and all of our marketing and execution revolves around game-day,” remarked a very reputable head of marketing in the Bundesliga.

Just thinking of having to rinse and repeat every week as your next opponent gets thrown on the docket made me want to have a cold beer and a nap.

Add in mid-week games, tournaments, and the ocassional crisis. Sheesh.

Sports organizations are a great case study to analyze how a large-scale brand operates because of this simple fact. Their focus is on game-day. Live events are the lifeblood of their business. Their marketing efforts are typically focused around getting butts in seats to watch the games.

What if we can add a new vertical. A way to make digital more prominent. It’s not a new idea. Just a tough one to pull off for some traditional verticals.

Thus, we have been studying the relationship that sports brands have with their fans and we realize there is a small gap that exists.

Let me explain:

Fans love their sports teams… with regard to the sport they play. Gameday. Gameday is god for a sports fan.

Do they love their sports teams as a brand and presence? Do they love them OUTSIDE of gameday?

Do they go out of their way to promote them?

Let’s call this brand advocacy and call them brand advocates.

It’s a gap that exists with many brands in general, not just in sports.

You don’t really care about Google, the brand. You love their products.

Many football fan bases actually dislike or loathe the people behind the teams they support (specifically ownership).

Some don’t advocate for the mission and identity of the teams they support.

Our proposition on turning more fans into advocates:

1. bridge live events and experiences with digital experiences (If applicable)
2. provide fans with access to your brand and the people behind the scenes
3. reward fan engagement with access, digital and physical merchandise
4. be… edgy? Interesting? Funny? (see Wendy’s Twitter for reference)
5. be relatable, humble, and accessible to your fans

Bridge live events and experiences with digital experiences

Brand marketing is simple, yet difficult to execute. The goal is typically to improve the positive sentiment people have about your brand or products. It is accmplished through all of your communication, visual identity, mission statement, etc. If you succeed and even EXCEED in doing this, you may turn fans into advocates for your brand. Think of it like branding transcendance.

In today’s digital age, it’s essential to find creative ways to connect with fans beyond just game-day. The first proposition to enhance brand advocacy is to bridge live events and experiences with digital experiences.

Whether it’s live streaming behind-the-scenes content, hosting virtual fan meet-ups, or gamifying the fan experience through online contests and challenges, leveraging digital platforms can help keep fans engaged even when there are no live games happening. After all, who says the fun has to stop once the final whistle blows?

By integrating digital experiences seamlessly with live events, sports brands can create a 24/7 connection with their fans, keeping the excitement and anticipation going throughout the season, and even in the off-season.

Provide fans with access to your brand and the people behind the scenes

Fans are not just interested in the game on the field, but also in the people and stories behind their favorite sports brands.

One way to boost brand advocacy is to provide fans with exclusive access to your brand and the people behind the scenes. This could include behind-the-scenes tours of the team’s facilities, meet-and-greets with players and coaches, and Q&A sessions with team executives.

By giving fans a glimpse into the inner workings of the organization, you can foster a sense of community and loyalty among your fan base. After all, when fans feel like they are a part of the team, not just spectators, they are more likely to develop a deeper emotional connection with the brand.

Reward fan engagement with access, digital and physical merchandise

As fans move further down the funnel, or in other words, as fans go from being casual spectators to passionate and loyal fanatics, there should be a difference in incentives that apply to them. And the more engaged they are with your brand, the more they should be rewarded for their loyalty and support.

Offering incentives for fan engagement can further enhance brand advocacy.

This could include exclusive access to premium content, such as interviews, highlights, or behind-the-scenes footage, that is not available to the general public. Digital merchandise, such as virtual badges or in-app purchases, can also be a great way to reward fans for their engagement.

Additionally, physical merchandise, such as limited edition jerseys, autographed memorabilia, or fan kits, can create a sense of exclusivity and pride among fans. By providing tangible rewards for fan engagement, sports brands can incentivize and motivate fans to actively participate in the brand’s digital ecosystem, while also strengthening the emotional connection between fans and the brand.

Have an edgy or entertaining brand tone

In today’s competitive landscape, it’s important for sports brands to stand out from the crowd. One way to do that is by injecting personality and humor into your brand’s digital presence.

Take a cue from Wendy’s Twitter account, known for its witty comebacks and clever banter with followers. By adopting an edgy, interesting, or funny tone on social media, sports brands can differentiate themselves and create a memorable brand persona.

This can not only attract attention and engagement from fans, but also generate buzz and virality, extending the brand’s reach and impact beyond its core fan base. Just remember to stay authentic to your brand’s values and tone, and be mindful of the potential risks associated with humor and edginess in a public and sensitive space like social media.

Be relatable, humble, and accessible to your fans

While sports brands may have a larger-than-life image on the field, it’s important to remember that fans appreciate relatability, humility, and accessibility off the field. Brands that can connect with their fans on a personal level, show humility in their successes, and genuinely engage with their fans’ feedback and opinions can foster a sense of mutual respect and loyalty.

Responding to fan comments and messages, featuring fan-generated content on social media, and acknowledging and celebrating fan milestones can go a long way in building a strong relationship with fans.

Being relatable, humble, and accessible to fans can create a sense of camaraderie, where fans feel like they are part of a larger community, rather than just consumers of a brand. This can lead to increased brand advocacy, and long-term loyalty.

If you are on the lookout for a technology solution to accomplish some of these digital-driven things, give Unyfy a check. It’s a platform builder that has a host of out-of-box features to boost fan sentiment, engagement, and build direct-to-consumer business models that tie in perfectly with sponsors.

Final thoughts

Building brand advocacy in the digital age requires sports brands to think beyond just the game on the field. By bridging live events with digital experiences, providing fans with exclusive access, rewarding fan engagement, adopting an edgy and interesting tone, and being relatable and accessible, sports brands can create a strong emotional connection with their fans.

This can lead to increased engagement, loyalty, and advocacy, ultimately driving the success of the brand both on and off the field.

Fans are already passionate about the product you sell (the sports part). How do we get them passionate about the other 6 days (or fewer) of the week? Test these 5 strategies I proposed and see how they work out!