As we head into a new hockey season, we wanted to take some time to talk about the importance of “fan engagement.” Fan engagement, with the rise in digital media, has changed how fans interact with their team. As a result, sports teams and their marketing teams are under pressure to keep up with a landscape that is constantly changing. The challenge becomes how to effectively build a powerhouse community not just for the team and the athletes but also for their fans. We must remember that engagement is not limited to attendance at each home game or how many fans are wearing the latest team gear – though undeniably, these are both critical to a team’s financial standing. Understandably, as sporting events experience a rise in operating costs, fans need to feel like their team has created experiences just for them. The return on their investment as a fan must feel like it was well-earned.
Much like a talent scout would, we need to research the clever and unique ways teams in the ECHL engage with their fan bases. Player meet-and-greet events, team signings, mascots, community events, social media, and more. The hope is that we can demonstrate how ECHL hockey teams and their fans across the league have built interactive communities that stand out. Not just among their league but among the American Hockey League and the National Hockey League as well. This is not to place the teams in competition with each other but rather to help build the fan base for the ECHL overall, thus building its value. The experiences fans have with their teams must feel personal, and it does need to be collaborative.
There’s nothing better than hearing the chants of “Nugget” echo through The Monument 😂 we were so happy to be involved with the Young Readers Festival of Books today! Thanks for having us, Black Hills Reads & South Dakota Humanities Council! pic.twitter.com/5H7mnmEhdi— Rapid City Rush (@RapidCityRush) September 21, 2023
Here are a few key questions:
- During the off-season, what did ECHL teams do well to keep fans engaged?
- What challenges face the teams in the 2023-2024 season?
- What do you, the fans want to see more of?
- How do we collaborate with fans to build a strong community between them, their team, and the ECHL?
These are heavy questions to be sure, and ones we may not have readily accessible answers to. However, it is worth the time to delve into them and see what teams are doing throughout the season to connect with their fanbase. Let’s face it, if there was a way to rank the emotional attachment to a sport, hockey is undeniably on top, in this author’s certainly biased opinion. The NHL may get a lion’s share of the attention, but we hope to shed some light on everything that the ECHL does as well.
Hockey fans in general, are without a doubt among the most unique of all sports fans. ECHL fans, however, are some of the most passionate, loyal, and unforgiving in our love for the game and those who play it. Honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way. This season we aim to shed some light on how the ECHL has much more to offer their fans than we sometimes give it credit for.
As a STH of the South Carolina Stingrays, I enjoyed reading this article. Lots of points to ponder. I’m going to speak of only one factor that, I think, goes a long way in showing how the fans in the ECHL are some of the very best. In the away venues I’ve visited, I can honestly say that for the most part, I have enjoyed my away games. The fans seem to appreciate the visitors fans coming to their venues. Polite and respectful. Good natured kidding. In only a few instances have I felt uncomfortable being in the enemy’s house. I try to do the same when I see visitors in our house. They take the effort to travel to our place. I try my best to give them a nice welcome and to visit us again in the future. This attribute shows why I think the ECHL fans are some of the best around.
Great comment, Stephen! My wife and I traveled to Charleston for an away series to watch our Gladiators play the Stingrays. We felt welcomed and appreciated throughout the weekend and only suffered some light ribbing when the series didn’t go so well for us. Others offered words of encouragement and thanked us for making the trip. I believe this is unique to hockey fans, and especially those of the ECHL. This league and these fans are a special group.