The Assignment:

We worked with a national sports league to understand how their fandom had evolved after a fast growth period, how to engage newer fans, and how to maximize opportunities for sponsors.

What we did:

We engaged with the league to understand active and passive fans, understand the needs of sponsors, and opportunities to inspire and engage people in a museum dedicated to the sport.

• We conducted observational research during event weekends – both at the event and with viewers at home. We documented the ways they expressed their fandom, tracked the sport, and engaged with sponsors.

• We conducted focus groups to get feedback on museum designs and exhibits.

• We conducted depth interviews with key sponsors.

What they got:

A series of detailed reports with video and imagery from our interviews outlining:

• The drivers and barriers to fandom in their sport

• How different sub-groups of fans interacted with the sport and its sponsors

• How different sub-groups hope to interact with the history and future of the sport in a museum setting

• And how to maximize opportunities for sponsors to benefit from their involvement in the sport.

The results:

The most important element of the engagement was the long-term involvement our team had with the brand team. By working with them across initiatives, we both benefited from deepening expertise and connecting the dots across audiences and experiences.

We were also able to collaborate with the league on museum designs, content and messaging, and sponsor programs.