Case Study | Strategy Development for Top-tier Sports Franchise

CLIENT

Top-tier
Sports Franchise

INDUSTRY

Sports

CONSULTANT ROLE

Strategy Consultant

LOCATION

United States

The Challenge

Stagnant Customer & Partner Engagement

The client, a top-tier sports franchise in the United States, wanted to develop a well-rounded strategy to enhance engagement with different fan segments. For the die-hard fans, the client had a loyalty program in place. However, the franchise lacked a clear acquisition and retention strategy for other fan segments, such as one-time visitors and non-season ticket holders.

Aside from the B2C operations, the client also aimed to explore new opportunities to grow its B2B accounts through partnerships.

“To ensure revenue growth for the franchise, we continue to explore untapped opportunities while ensuring high-quality engagement with all fan segments and business partners.” — Marketing Director

Role of Consultport

Consultport proposed 3 candidates within 48 hours. The client interviewed 2 candidates and selected a former Senior Consultant at Bain with 7-year experience in developing customer retention strategies. The consultant started working with the client 96 hours after the initial request.

Approach

In-Depth Analysis

Working closely with the client’s marketing teams, the consultant tapped into historic data to gain insights into past performance on fan acquisition, engagement, and retention. Afterward, the consultant organized focus groups with different fan segments to verify observations and hypotheses.

Combining quantitative and qualitative insights, the consultant then utilized techniques such as customer journey mapping and sentiment analysis to evaluate brand touchpoints, analyze customer opinions and identify potential fan engagement opportunities.

Solution

Well-Rounded Strategic Plan

The consultant developed a well-rounded strategic plan to increase fan acquisition and retention.

To boost fan retention, the consultant recommended a tiered structure that would offer rewards to loyalty program members based on their level of engagement. From exclusive collectibles to player meet-and-greets and VIP stadium access, engaging fans could be rewarded with super-premium experiences.

To reach the untapped fan segments, the consultant laid out action plans to build a strong social media presence, e.g., strategic partnerships with sports influencers to boost brand awareness. In addition, to increase appeal to younger audiences, the consultant recommended experimenting with new social media platforms, including Instagram and TikTok.

On the B2B side, the consultant collaborated with the client’s sales and marketing teams to create customized sponsorship and partnership packages for potential corporate partners. The consultant also proposed developing performance metrics to track and quantify the impact of the sponsorships.

Results

Full Implementation with Pilot Success

The strategic plan was well received by the client’s management team. While implementation is now still in its early stages, several pilot programs have already seen huge success.

The client recently launched a wish-granting feature on its mobile application to reward long-time members of its loyalty program. As a result, one member received a surprise visit from her favorite sports star on her birthday party. The video went viral on social media and significantly boosted the awareness and engagement of the brand. One month after the event, the client saw a 10% increase in social media followers and a 2% increase in paid subscriptions to its loyalty program.

Another success was demonstrated by a recent partnership with a financial service company.