{"id":62937,"date":"2025-11-14T13:11:26","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T13:11:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elixirr.com\/en-us\/?p=62937"},"modified":"2025-11-28T14:32:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T14:32:41","slug":"experiential-fan-engagement-how-sport-is-rewriting-the-rules-of-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elixirr.com\/en-us\/experiential-fan-engagement-how-sport-is-rewriting-the-rules-of-connection\/","title":{"rendered":"Experiential fan engagement: How sport is rewriting the rules of connection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The old model of fandom is changing, as fans no longer just show up at the stadium or watch on TV. They expect to engage,\u00a0participate\u00a0and interact \u2013 in real time, across devices and through experiences.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This follows naturally from the themes\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0explored in our\u00a0<\/span>Growth Revenue<\/span><\/i>\u00a0series so far \u2013 from the opening piece on the new growth playbook in sport, to our looks at women\u2019s sport and new formats and markets. Each has shown how the boundaries of the sports business are widening. This piece looks at where that change is being felt most directly: the relationship with fans themselves.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The shifting fan landscape<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Younger audiences bring different habits. Across 15 countries,\u00a0<\/span>nearly half of fans under 35 prefer watching sport on a smartphone or tablet \u2013 and 55% expect live stats to be available during play<\/span><\/a>. Multi-screen behavior has become the norm: <\/span>over 90% of Gen Z fans use a second screen during live sport.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The fan is no longer a passive recipient of broadcast. They want choice,\u00a0context\u00a0and control over what they consume, which inevitably changes how rights-holders, leagues and clubs must think about engagement.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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From event to ecosystem<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Traditionally, matchday was the center of everything \u2013 ticket sales, broadcast rights, maybe a sponsor activation. But the smartest organizations now treat engagement as a continuous relationship, not a single event.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to industry surveys, many sports media executives say Gen Z fans multitask during games, fragmenting attention but\u00a0opening up\u00a0more interactive windows.\u00a0<\/span>Deloitte\u2019s research found<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0that when fans rate their digital experience as \u2018great,\u2019 they are 60% more likely to attend live events or purchase club merchandise.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That means engagement\u00a0has to\u00a0run before, during and after the event:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n