I was born and raised outside of Boston, a city built on rivalries and passionate opinion -- just ask me about Jim Rice trying to charge me for his autograph when I was 6 years-old. Whether it’s a Yanks joke or a poke at the Bills, someone has an opinion about another’s team in good times and bad. In fact, the biggest scandal since the Boston Tea Party was Deflate Gate, an event that only galvanized and heightened the level of fan support behind the New England Patriots. There are all types of fans: dedicated fans, fair weather fans, bandwagon fans or even “Uncle Rico” fans (a la Napolean Dynamite) who could have “gone pro.” Regardless of the type, fans inspire us, compel us, define us and certainly drive revenue for us. In fact, recent research illustrates how powerful the equity of an NFL team’s fans can be for the brand.  

This past summer, Emory University professors Dr. Michael Lewis and Dr. Manish Tripathy released their watershed research on NFL teams’ fan equity on the Sports Analytics Research Blog. The summary of three years of research used 15 years of statistically backed data on actual fan behavior to highlight the teams with the most avid, engaged, passionate and supportive fans. Using only financial-based data, they evaluated the intensity of fan-driven factors to determine and rank each team’s fan equity, despite fluctuations in team performance, market performance and more. In the end, the Dallas Cowboys ranked at the top. And how did the team behind “Deflate Gate” stack up? The Patriots ranked second.

The professors recognize that, as social media continues to wield an enormous impact upon a franchise’s popularity, teams with strong and active social media followings like the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks will rank higher in the future.

The positive impact that the “most avid, engaged, passionate and supportive fans” had upon each NFL team’s revenue got me thinking about the role of superfans and how brands can tap into the power of their most passionate advocates. In this series of articles, I’m going to explore how social media has made the them a more powerful force than ever and what you, the marketer, can do to tap into the revenue potential they provide.

THE SUPERFAN’S SOCIAL MEDIA SHARE IS THE NEW CLICK-THROUGH

These aren’t the people who just paint their faces or house with team colors; their value provides direct revenue when they BUY tickets, music and merchandise. In fact, their loyalty is beyond reason at times and they can drive incremental amounts of revenue for a product or experience because they’re willing to pay a premium for an “extra” like an inside-the-ropes experience.

In today’s marketing world, there’s another element in terms of the value they provide: the incredible amount of time and energy they put into sharing their passion (and inside knowledge) online and to their social networks. They are convincing, credible voices about a brand/product/service and their opinions can create a ripple effect of conversation within their networks’ networks. The recommendations they share can almost instantly incentivize others to buy.

This is why we embrace the belief that this fan’s social media share is the new click-through.

SO WHAT’S A MARKETER TO DO?

With a growing amount of studies showing empirical proof of their value, marketers are looking for new ways to maximize the opportunity that superfans provide through social media. As I see it, there are three immediate challenges these marketers are facing:

1) Being Tuned-In

The superfans that you want (and need) to reach aren’t always obvious. It’s not always the fans who are talking about your brand, specifically; they may be the ones talking about your offering/category/genre. You need to be tuned-in and ready to engage and activate them when the time is right.

2) Being Nimble

Thanks to social media, they emerge faster than ever. You have to be listening carefully to quickly identify and engage with your most powerful, best networked, credible voices…and do it before your competition does

3) Being Real, Being Original

This fan is savvy and they can smell BS coming from a mile away. Creativity is as important as your approach when it comes to tapping into their true potential.

NEXT UP…

The growing power that social media gives to the superfan is forever changing the way film studios “leak” their latest trailers and NFL teams propagate Deflate Gate defenses. Regardless, if your end state is record sales or attendance, I hope you’ll join me as I explore ideas for overcoming challenges in reaching this all-important audience.

To learn more about how VizSense helps marketers and content creators harness the power of their most powerful advocates to help improve revenue and profit, visit us here.