.. So sang the Walker Brothers back in 1965. 60 years later I find myself humming it a lot, since so many event owners are doing precisely the opposite to first time attendees.
Extending the reach of your sport to new audiences is key to sustainable growth but if they don't come back after their first visit, all that effort is wasted. So getting the new fan journey right is therefore vital.
You've got to do everything you can to make those new fans feel right at home: from the moment they find your website to look for tickets to the moment they leave the venue and head home.
They want to fit in. They don't want to stick out. So we need to see the new fan journey as a completely different fan journey that's all about connecting in a supportive way, giving great advice, preparing them for everything they're going to encounter and making sure they have all of the info they'll need in the most accessible and inclusive way.
That should sound straightforward but, in practice, the road is strewn with hazards. Web journeys are often not straightforward. We've found fan information in just about every section of the traditional website (and often via more clicks than in the average Thom Yorke song).
People going to their first game might won't have the confidence to make the right noise if they don't know what's going on (e.g. cheering for a goal when there's VAR) so adding a well-written guide to the rules of the sport can make all the difference? Newcastle Falcons is one of the few clubs that makes it dead easy to learn about rugby and Huddersfield Town FC even has a bingo card for the very youngest so they know when there's been a yellow card or that there's a dog on the pitch (when Town's mascot Terry the Terrier wanders on to the pitch at half time).
And when we do find game day info, it's often a set of dry bullets that sound like they were composed by AI's Victorian grandfather. Write it how you'd like to read it!
Match day schedules are great btw. Make them simple, add little bits of advice (like the Stokie Tips you find in Stoke City FC's fan guide). Suggest different ways of enjoying the time before the game or, be Ashton Gate Stadium and give them multiple themed ways of walking to the stadium from the centre of Bristol.
And I don't want a 'we serve a range of refreshments' either. Tell me exactly what you have (Vegan and GM too). If the menu looks tasty, if there are enticing images of the products and a special offer too, I may eschew breakfast and come with a hearty appetite.
That goes for merch too. The last thing I want when I get there are surprises (unless they're nice ones like a first time certificate for kids at their first game, like a host of EFL clubs currently do.
Social Media is a big offender too (as if!). New fans look to official accounts for answers to questions (yeah, right. no DMs) and a reliable idea of what game day looks like.
Durham Women is still way ahead of the curve on that front. Check them out. I'd guess that more than 50% of their posts in the week ahead of a game are of fans, for fans or even feedback from fans.
Event owners who put themselves in the shoes of the new fans are more likely to design a digital journey that adds excitement (not stress). So be like the Walker Brothers and have No Regrets.
Can we help you to design a world class fan experience for your fans (new and old)? Say [email protected] or message me today. We've got a special assessment service offer to celebrate our 20th anniversary.
