The level of technological advancement in sports organizations varies widely, affecting their ability to achieve business objectives effectively. Some, like clubs, leagues, or federations, excel in fan engagement, operational efficiency, and diverse sponsorship activations due to their robust digital arsenal. However, others struggle to integrate technologies cohesively, highlighting challenges in digital transformation.
Achieving digital maturity involves more than just accumulating products; it requires a thoughtful approach to selecting consumer touch points within a digital growth strategy. Successful organizations understand how digital adoption aligns with their fan-marketing funnel to drive commercial success.
Digitalization offers versatile solutions tailored to an organization’s frameworks. Mobile app ownership consolidates direct-to-consumer products into an omnichannel experience, while a robust CRM solution provides a comprehensive view of the digital fan community, enhancing workforce efficiency and decision-making.
Introducing a universal web login streamlines the fan experience, allowing access to all digital products via a single sign-on (SSO). In the Premier League, 90% of clubs employ web logins, with 88.9% using SSO, indicating high integration.
Research reveals that only 36.4% of UK clubs have made data accessible via a web login, with 60% leveraging SSO. Moreover, only 24.8% of UK-based clubs allow fans to access all data touch points via SSO, highlighting room for improvement in fan-data strategy.
Fan loyalty programs are prevalent in UK club leagues, reflecting an intention to monetize digital assets. However, few clubs activate membership products within a universal web login, indicating an opportunity to optimize commercial assets.
To engage fans effectively, clubs must define different fan segments, personalize experiences based on user data, and implement a subscription model with an SSO. This approach centralizes fan data, streamlining the fan journey and maximizing the impact of digital assets.
