How can the sports industry make better use of data to engage with fans?

Sports rights owners have long been relying on a “build it and they will come” approach which relies on fan loyalty to fill stadiums, attract sponsors and increase participation at grassroots. In today’s digital age, where every fan or participant is in an “attention economy”, there needs to be a greater shift towards using data to engage more efficiently says the author of Winning With Data: CRM and Analytics for the Business of Sports, a new book discussing how the sports industry can better use data to engage with fans.

Fiona Green, author and co-founder of sports marketing consultancy Winners said, “Technology has made the world a smaller place; clubs and teams can now connect with their fans anywhere in the world. Combined with advances in broadcasting quality, digital marketing and social media, this has led to falling attendances and a lack of grassroots participation. The use of CRM (Customer Relationship Management), BI (Business Intelligence) and Data Analytics has therefore become central to doing business in sports, following the example of brands such as Amazon, Netflix, and Spotify.”

“When we analyse all the behavioural analytics data available to us, not only do we know what fans are doing, we can also predict what they may want to do next,” adds Green.

Calling on her industry knowledge and experience, Winning With Data: CRM and Analytics for the Business of Sports addresses how CRM is more than just about technology. It discusses how the sport industry uses data to make decisions and engage with fans; and puts the theory into practice with real-world examples.

Winning With Data: CRM and Analytics for the Business of Sports has already been nominated for an FT.com Business Book of the Year Award and covers a diverse range of subjects, including data-driven marketing, the law around data, the principles of CRM, and the role of CRM and data in sponsorship.

Winning With Data by Fiona Green is available via www.routledge.co.uk/9781138090637

ISBN: 9781138090637; 194 Pages; £29.99 (Hardback)

For more information, contact: rebecca.shand@tandf.co.uk

About the Author:

Fiona Green has worked in the sports industry for 30 years, representing rights owners across sponsorship, TV rights, and merchandise. Fiona moved into the field of CRM and BI over seven years ago and now runs a specialist sports consultancy, Winners, based in Manchester. Winners increases fan engagement, revenue, and participation in the sports industry as a dedicated customer intelligence specialist. Through providing strategic marketing consultancy and CRM and data services, Winners help clients to communicate the right message, to the right people at the right time, sharing the knowledge and insights needed to make the right decisions.