🌍 Part II: Cultural Fan Engagement: Lessons from Israel to Korea for Sports Organizations 🏀
Israel - Maccabi Tel Aviv: Political affiliations make passionate fans
Maccabi Tel Aviv is one of the most successful basketball clubs in Israel and Europe is self-claimed to be the team with the most accolades in the world (I have not checked the numbers but I trust them). During my time in Israel, I discovered that sports organizations hold significant political and religious affiliations. Club names often include prefixes like "Hapoel" and "Maccabi," representing the Jewish working class and the historical Maccabees liberation movement, respectively. The degree to which the fans identify with their team determines their willingness to pay, attend games live, and cheer their lungs out. Maccabi Tel Aviv fans give you all that and more.
Having passionate fans who identify with you beyond your performance on the court places Maccabi in a highly lovely position from a sports business point of view. This definitely shows in their unique approach to ticketing. Tickets are available for all games almost two months in advance! The tickets are the most expensive I have seen in European Basketball. This is an indication that the Maccabi are confident that the demand is there.
As I was purchasing my ticket I noticed that there are different fixed prices for different games based on the opponent. This is, in sports business lingo, called variable pricing. For example, the same category of tickets for two different games had different prices; the game against Fenerbahce Beko was priced at 375 NIS (~96€), while the game against Baskonia was priced at 320 NIS (~82€) as can be seen in the photo above(Pricey, I know..).
Israeli people socialize outdoors and of course, the weather allows it. Fan experience is no different. The arena is designed so that the value of the concession is maximized outside of the arena than inside. The Menora Mivtachim Arena is surrounded by retail shops and restaurants, conveniently located near the entrance gates. People eat, drink, socialize outside near the arena, then head inside and enjoy the game.
Menora Mevtacim Arena Outdoor Concession Spaces
Each section of the arena has its own gate. Although I arrived minutes before the tip-off and the game was an important Euroleague game I was able to enter the arena in no time.
Question 1: What are your current investments in increasing fans' identification with your club?
Question 2: Is your ancillary revenue strategy aligned with the routines and the experience of your fan base?
Germany-BG Göttingen: Know your audience and their needs
BG Göttingen plays in the Sparkasse Arena which hosts 3447 people. Göttingen is a small city and the arena’s size is proportional to the city. However; it does not offer the best basketball viewing experience due to it being a multi-purpose arena. It has an odd seating/standing plan where seating areas on the side of the court stretch a lot further than the court, which forces fans to sit sideways to see the game. Below image might give you an idea.
Besides the unique viewing experience, another thing BC Göttingen do that caught my attention, was their pricing strategy. The club must have the data that families are one of the major fan segments for them as they opted in for offering a specific ticket category just for them.
BG Göttingen vs FCBB playoff tickets, image was taken BG Göttingen's website.
The image above displays four different ticket types family (1 parent & 1 or 2 kids), regular, reduced, and children (7 to 12 years). A family ticket bundle, let's say for one parent and two children, will cost a Göttingen fan 15% less than if the tickets were to be bought separately.
Question: Does your club recognize the important fan segments and reward them?
Latvia-Prometey: Remove hurdles in your fans’ journey
In Latvia, I attended a Prometey game in Riga against the Greek Team Promitheas Patras in Eurocup. According to Deloitte, there are 5 stages of the fan journey: Purchase, Attend, Engage, Participate, and Play. Interactions that happen on the days leading up to the event after the tickets are purchased, and inside the arena happen here. The services that the clubs choose to provide here can make a difference between a casual fan and a frequent fan. Once clubs know about the personas of their fans and their needs they can actively try to remove the hurdles in their journey. One of the frameworks that can be used here is “The Theory of Jobs-to-be-Done” by Clayton Christensen. Jobs Theory goes beyond superficial categories to expose the functional, social, and emotional dimensions that explain why customers make the choices they do. I have seen specific examples of this framework at work.
A lot of Ukranian families live currently in Riga, Latvia, and the Prometey game become a place of socialization, especially for children.
Children's club in Riga Arena including the bouncy castle to the left.
Prometey provides an inflatable bounce house for children behind the basket, where Ukrainian children can make friends with other Ukrainian children and play while their parents enjoy the game. It is almost like a kids club where children are entertained throughout the game under supervision. The above photo taken from the game's highlights shows the bouncy castle on the left.
Question: Does your club understand the functional, emotional, and social needs the fans (segments) fulfill by watching games live?
From my travels to Israel, Turkey, Korea, Latvia, and Germany I've observed diverse strategies and approaches to enhance the basketball fan experience. Each country has its unique characteristics, cultural influences, and marketing techniques. Whether it's the variable pricing in Israel, social media engagement in Turkey, or the entertainment value in Korea, basketball fans around the world can find something new and exciting in every game they attend. Embracing diverse fan cultures is crucial for organizations to create memorable experiences that resonate with fans on a deep level.
Interested in learning more about how to answer the questions posed in the article, increase revenues, capture new audiences, and boost fan engagement? Get in touch here and download insightful and inspiring work to start growing your sports business. Let's take your club to the next level together!
