How Can Football Clubs Deepen Fan Engagement In The Digital Era?
The days of simply choosing a football club to support based on where you live are long gone and haven’t existed for decades. The rise of televised football meant that people could easily follow any team, regardless of where they were from.
Now, thanks to the sheer variety of ways for clubs to connect with fans online, it’s become a competition for attention. That means that marketing departments need to think outside the box to ensure they stand out and keep attracting new supporters. There are plenty of digital avenues that could be explored more than they have up to this point.
Fan Engagement Is No Longer a Matchday-Only Concept
Matchdays have always been the bread and butter of football clubs, as ticket sales make up a high proportion of revenue. Along with stadium sales, most clubs now also have their own fan TV channels, from which they earn revenue through subscriptions and matchday passes. While ensuring that the matchday remains the most appealing time of the week, it’s also important to ensure that fan engagement is maintained the rest of the time.
Clubs need to understand that the life of a football fan goes way beyond simply watching the team play on a Saturday. Avid followers want to get constant team updates, insights on tactical approaches, and new ways to connect with their favourite players. There should also be plenty of off-season content to keep people interested even when football isn’t being played.
Podcasts and Special Content Are Key
One of the key features of the modern entertainment market is the variety of ways for people to enjoy their interests. With football, some people prefer to watch video clips of match highlights, while others crave spoken punditry. That’s why clubs need to make sure their content is as diverse as possible.
Podcasts are hugely popular nowadays, and there are loads of great football offerings to choose from. There’s been a recent explosion of fan-made podcasts that are dedicated to creating content based on their own clubs, and it’s wise for clubs to back these with sponsorship to help expand their reach. Creators on YouTube also develop a lot of special content around the clubs they support and could attract backing in the same way.
Getting Into Different Entertainment Sectors Could Be Lucrative
Commissioning official entertainment offerings is something that a lot of clubs are experimenting with now as well, with Wrexham often referred to as the benchmark for this form of marketing now. Indeed, the hugely popular Welcome to Wrexham documentary has inspired other huge stars to attempt similar success stories.
There’s also an argument that football clubs should be doing more to leverage gaming, seeing as how it’s such a widespread medium. There are already plenty of casino online UK games with football themes, such as Big Football Bonus and Live Football Roulette, and branded games based on specific clubs could fit in among these. Football games are also widespread on mobile, suggesting that fans would love to see some official club offerings.
With so many options at their disposal, football clubs need to ensure that they are engaging fans in diverse ways. The online world is the next frontier for attracting supporters, and there will be a fierce battle for attention in the years ahead.
