Feeling like a Part of the Team

One of the many ways for sports organizations to reel in additional revenue is by giving the fans an option to purchase sports apparel, or team trademark items –a standard example would be a sports jersey (and if you’re me, a Toronto Blue Jays jersey!).  Arguably, the biggest benefit from the consumer’s point of view is the chance to feel like a part of the team, increasing the chances that the fan will become an advocate.

My 19th birthday present!

One of the problems is that organizations must diversify their product to make it relevant to many different types of consumers; not everyone is going to want the exact same jersey, and even if they do, they definitely won’t be the same size.  Some typical segmentation variables sports organizations might use when segmenting their potential target markets may include country/city, age, gender, income, benefits sought, usage rates, and brand loyalty.

Over the last few years, female sports fans have been a great target market for organizations to target; not only do they have significant purchasing power, but the fact that there are more female sports leagues for young females to play in nowadays compared to years ago increases the chances that they will become fans of elite level (professional) sports teams, which then makes them more likely to purchase fan memorabilia.

Sports organizations have come out with female jersey lines to accommodate the female body contour, and some organizations have even changed the jersey colours to pink, so that female fans can get a jersey just the way they want it!

The bond created by “feeling like a part of the team” is one of the main factors that justifies consumer spending, and organizations are able to price higher and capitalize on the value added from having purchasable items.

-Faiz