Stadiums and arenas are eagerly awaiting the return of fans in the stands. While fans aren’t able to watch sports live, many are enthusiastic about consuming sports content, especially heavy sports viewers. A recent Nielsen analysis found that heavy sports viewers spent 26% of their time watching sports events, or consuming media related to sports. This same analysis found that the majority of sports fans are watching sports content via connected TV (CTV) and mobile devices. It is ultimately up to sports organizations to keep up this momentum going forward. But how can sports leagues and franchises accomplish this? Fan engagement solutions are the best approach to understanding what currently is making sports fans tick.

What fan engagement solutions are available? There are quite a few to choose from, but the most impactful solutions use quality data to get sports leaders actionable insights. Besides quality data, you’ll want to ensure that your fan engagement solution of choice relies on real-world data. That is why we recommend a solution driven by location intelligence. If your fan engagement solution runs on pre-COVID data, then you’ll risk losing your most dedicated fans.

This is where FanVue comes into play as the best solution for fan engagement. Here are the top three reasons why a fan engagement solution driven by location intelligence excels where other fan engagement solutions fall short.

Sports fans show commitment not only to their favorite teams, but they also are known to be dedicated to certain brands. Places where fans frequently shop and dine can give sports organizations insight into who they should partner with to do co-promotional campaigns. Perks for partnerships can include discounts and offers directed at sports fans who have bought tickets to the game.  In addition, sports teams can also use this fan intelligence to better understand which brands they could engage with for sponsorship opportunities. Sponsors can work with sports franchises to create engaging virtual and in-person fan experiences based on brand affinities.

Before game day starts, sport leagues will need to take into consideration logistics. Where are their fans coming from? Knowing where sports fans are coming from provides teams with the insight they need to plan out deals for game day attendees, such as hotel accommodations and special stadium parking discounts. Not sure what to keep on tap at the bar or in stock at food stands? Fan intelligence provides stadium management companies with additional information beyond food and drink sales. This allows management to plan out what items to keep in stock based on fan preferences.

When the season is on pause, sports teams will need to continue to stay engaged with fans. While social media and other channels are great ways to stay in touch with fans, marketing and advertising efforts should be at the forefront of data-driven strategy. Sports teams and franchises can use fan intelligence to create advertising campaigns that reach fans in their hometowns or cities. Besides ad campaigns, fan intelligence empowers sports organizations to improve their marketing messaging and create marketing campaigns that reach the right fans at the right time.

Before you evaluate fan engagement solutions, consider whether or not this solution involves high-quality fan intelligence. FanVue is a customizable dashboard that is driven by fan intelligence, and it is the perfect fan engagement solution to help you stay connected with your fans.