Connect with Gen Z [Part 1]

This two-part series looks at Gen Z and the next wave of sports fans. In Part 1, I look at Gen Z (born between 1995 and 2012) and the change they bring to the industry. In Part 2, I look at strategies marketing teams can use to connect with them. 

The Set-Up/The Setting

The search for the next generation of sports fans has been around since teams started selling tickets to their games. Every CEO, President, and CMO wants to know how to attract a young and diverse fan that will be the cornerstone of their future. This quest is important because sports organizations look at their current fans and often see older, less diverse customers. If nothing changes, they will soon be scrambling for fans. 

For years, questions about millennials dominated meetings. How do we reach them, what do they like, where can we find them? Today, many millennials are in the mid-30s. They no longer represent the “youth” of the day. They’re not the next wave; they’re the current wave. Today, the focus is on Gen Z, and teams are starting to develop strategies to connect with this up-and-coming generation. What worked in the past won’t work with this new group because Gen Z is very different. 

Competition for their Time

All fans have options. There is competition for their attention from other local teams and other things to do in their city - gaming, nightlife, arts, etc.  

With Gen Z, there is even greater competition for their attention because they are savvy and know all their options. Born between 1995 and 2012, they are the first generation to grow up as digital natives. This access to everything has had a significant influence on how they think. It makes them very picky about the brands they align with. They research everything. 

Specific to sports, they have had access to every game in every city. They are no longer limited to a local team’s broadcast. They can stream games from anywhere. They can choose to follow their local team or another out-of-market team that catches their interest. Their unquestioning, local loyalty is dying. Being unloyal and jumping to the next team or sport is now their norm. 

Brand Loyalty?

Branding and Marketing 101 tells us we need to “know our customers or fans” to build a strong connection with them and build loyalty. However, connecting with Gen Z and gaining their loyalty is more complicated than connecting with any generation before. With so much competition and so much noise cluttering their feeds, they have an abundance of options. Make a mistake, and these fans are less forgiving. 

Also, they’re not mindlessly loyal to their local team simply because they live in the hometown market. Teams must work for their fans and connect on Gen Z’s terms. To do this, teams need to change their marketing. With their guards up, it’s much harder to penetrate through and build a bond.  

The Opportunity: Start Connecting with them Now

As challenging as this is, it presents an excellent opportunity for a team to break through and become Gen Z’s team. To rise above the clutter and build a long-lasting bond with the next generation of fans. To become the first sports and entertainment organization to develop a lifestyle brand that resonates with Gen Z. To become a local, national, and international brand. 

How Do Teams Break Through and Build Loyalty?

To do this, we have to turn our marketing upside down. To do this, we have to build a team brand that is different than before. Sport is the core, but there is much more to it. We don’t just market to them; we market with them. We engage with them, but they engage with themselves. They want to be part of and control the brand. We have to let them.

Part two will dive into a few strategies to connect with Gen Z.