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THE Premier Soccer League have said that one of their key targets this season is to fill up the football stadiums again.
This is a noble vision considering the fans are one of the most important ingredients to any successful and entertaining sport competition.
Without fans in the stadium, the game will suffer big time. The footballers themselves and the clubs which they represent will feel the pinch because they cannot afford to play just to entertain themselves.
The Covid-19 experience was an eye-opener, especially for Zimbabwean football, which is yet to recover from the effects of the pandemic three years on.
Local football, just like all the other sports competitions the world over, was made to be played in empty stadiums with fans eventually allowed in gradually until the ban was lifted.
But the result was that local football lost a huge chunk of its fan base. In fact, the game had been losing touch with the fan base for years and the pandemic just worsened a situation that was already bad.
Unlike the yesteryears when the traditional giants would attract capacity crowds in the region of 20 000 to 35 000 at Rufaro, by the time the stadium was condemned in 2019, it had become difficult to attract even a third of those numbers.
Some local administrators believe the closure of the Mbare venue complicated the situation as fans have been finding it costly and cumbersome to travel to the National Sports Stadium where the Harare-based teams share one venue.
But that aside, local football fans had generally lost interest in domestic football which has continuously dropped in terms of standards.
The fans felt they did not get value for money, the game was no longer interesting. The coaches have not helped the matter with their archaic and sometimes “anti-football” tactics just to win the game at all costs at the expense of flair.
So, in terms of entertainment, there was nothing for the fan. Worse the clubs keep recycling old players and there are no new stars or ”crowd pullers” to look forward to.
There were so many reasons cited for the drop in attendance figures. It was sad even the traditional “blockbusters” like the Battle of Zimbabwe between Dynamos and Highlanders struggled to get 3 000 paying fans.
The economic challenges are real but that cannot be an excuse because, in Zimbabwe’s case, we have seen the huge numbers at the recent international cricket matches. It’s most likely the same fans operating in the same economy but they have made their preferences because they are seeing and getting something at the cricket ground.
Solutions are needed to turn things around in football. The Premier Soccer League should be applauded for taking note of this important factor.
Recently, they held workshops with the clubs and sponsors Delta Beverages to crack the problem.
The PSL said clubs will need to engage with their fans as part of the implementation process following resolutions made during the three-day induction and strategic plan review workshop held in Bulawayo two weeks ago.
The onus is now with the clubs on how they are going to strategise and plan to woo back their fans.
A lot of dynamics come into play because it is not easy to win back their interest in a world that is ever-evolving and filled with so many other counter-attractions.
Demands of fans are ever increasing and are no longer limited to the experiences inside a stadium. Whereas the fan of the past was particularly interested in a good match, the fan of today and of the future wants much more.
Besides a high quality game, he/she also very much wants to have a good experience, varying from onsite entertainment, a safe and comfortable environment including good food and an exciting atmosphere. The game alone is no longer leading, it’s the total experience that gets the future fan engaged.
So the PSL clubs should ask themselves, what are they offering to the fan as part of the match day experience?
For a club, it is essential to offer the fan a great package as these fans are the essence behind its existence. Fan engagement is what counts here. Why? Because fans are driving revenues.
If you realise that the bulk of revenues globally are derived from media income, ticket sales, sponsorship and merchandising, you will immediately understand why this is the case. They are all fan-related and have all to do with fan engagement; how do you retain or attract fans?
Fan engagement has been neglected for a long time. Fans can be reached both on-site and off-site (place related) and on matchday and non-matchday (time related). Both place and time require a different strategy.
Ticketing and improved controls at the gates are also key. Nobody likes waiting, long queues often are a turn-off.
Food and beverage consumption is one of the most important rated elements when visiting a sports event. Clubs should be given more control and engage reputable caterers and beverage suppliers at reasonable rates. It means it also is one of the main revenue generators besides ticketing.
Clubs should take merchandising seriously, have promotions and deals because fans love getting discounts.
Clubs should also try giveaways and contests. This is a great way to build excitement around your brand while giving back to the fans in return.
Fans increasingly want to be involved in the decision-making of their club to get that feel of being part of the family. Make use of modern technology to hear what they want to see at their favourite club.
Digital transformation is the magic formula going forward where fan engagement is concerned. There’s no better way to engage with your fans than by using social media. The key to effective use of these channels is to create shareable content that your fans will love and stay up-to-date with what is trending.
Clubs can make use of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik-Tok, Telegram, WhatsApp and more to get closer to the fans. Fans need exclusive content, something that cannot be accessed anywhere else, such as a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how you operate and player profiles.
They are also excited by simple things such as online polls over a hot topic or player. Clubs can add to the excitement by giving away prizes, probably taken from the club merchandise.
Digitization will also provide different stakeholders with a wealth of data. The data of fans will provide better knowledge of their habits, preferences and demographics, which will translate into new product opportunities. These data will not only be useful for sports organisations themselves but also to numerous other parties such as sponsors, advertisers, manufacturers and the media. That way the clubs will not only be able to establish a brand with a loyal fan base but also make business out of football.
So as the 2023 season beckons, the people in charge of football management should be working round the clock to see which strategies work in their circumstances.
Like what PSL spokesperson Kudzai Bare alluded to, fan engagement is the way to go.
Online Reporter