Attracting new fans in this era needs one to keep up with the online trends. Therefore, I would invest largely in promoting the team’s events on the online platforms. First I would make the website more attractive and a one-stop-shop for all the details that relate to the team. The website is the first place a new fan will go to seek information, therefore, it is supposed to be informative. New fans need a website that they can relate with (Schäferhoff, 2015). Therefore, I will make the website user-friendly so that new fans are able to navigate easily. The website will also be able to relate with new fans, for example by posting video messages from players about upcoming events. The website should be updated at all times so that new fans can get all the information about upcoming competitions.
Everybody today is a member of at least one social media platform (Kelly, 2018). These social media networks include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube. Facebook, for example, is the largest social media platform. Therefore, social media marketing will help catch new fans. Conversations about the club can be discussed on the different platforms. I would promote the team's events and post the latest news about the team on social media platforms. The news would include results from the games, videos, and images from the competitions. To make the social media platforms more interactive I will introduce trivia, polls, and questions relating to the team for new fans. The new fan that wins the polls or gets the answers correct will get team related giveaways. I will also run advertisements on the social media of all the upcoming events so that new fans will have all the details. Through the social media platforms, old members will also be able to invite new members and invite them to the competitions.
Involving Fans in the Team’s Activities
Established fans need to feel like they are part of the team for them not to switch teams (Kelly, 2018). Therefore, as the events coordinator, I will ensure that I listen to the needs of the fans needs and give them what they need. When the team cannot offer the fans needs I will explain to the fans why their needs cannot be met. I will also involve the fans by keeping them up to date with information about the team all year long. Fans will be updated on everything the team is engaging in even during the off-season. New partnerships and sponsorships will be updated for fans.
The competitions will be made family friendly so that fans can come with their families. During the team’s events, I will promote competitions that involve basic skills that relate to the game. The children can engage in these competitions as their parents enjoy the games. Kids will be taught the important skills that relate to the sport by the coaching staff for free. I will also ensure that the arena is Wi-Fi enabled so that fans can be online sharing information while watching the game. I would also promote the events by inviting celebrities. The celebrities I will invite will vary from past players to any influential person that the fans can relate with. I will also promote the events by streaming all the events live so as to reach both local and international fans that could not make it to the arena.
Response Two
Banning
Fans that are found fighting or engaging in vandalizing activities will be banned from all the team's games. During the games, if people are found fighting they will be thrown out of the stadium. A person who is thrown out of the stadium will not be allowed to attend any of the team’s games whether at home or away. If this person wants to come back and watch the games, he is supposed to write an apology letter. The apology letter should show remorse and promise not engage in fights in future. This condition will be made public so that every fan will know the consequences of their actions.
In the case of vandalizing fans have to pay first for the damages. Fans will pay the costs of repairs and maintenance of the stadium. Vandalizing will also make a fan be banned for attending the games. Allowing fans to enter the stadium before the games will help reduce vandalism. Gates will open early so that fans enter the stadium when they have not consumed too much alcohol, therefore, they are sober to make informed decisions. Fans will also not fight when entering the stadium because they are not in hurry. The fans are sure that they find seats and they will catch the whole game.
Cameras and Policing
Cameras with an unobstructed view of every seat in stadiums and also outside the stadium will help in reducing vandalism and fighting (Witrado, 2013). Fans will feel that they are being watched and they will avoid engaging in these activities. Fans cannot run away from their mistakes because there is evidence of what they did. Cameras also ensure that the response team arrives at a scene of an incident in good time and react in the appropriate time (Witrado, 2013). Cameras also help in managing the event. The trends are read and the outcomes are anticipated so the events coordination team is prepared for any occurrence because they can point out where the problem is likely to occur. With cameras, a number of issues can be resolved because people can always go back and check the causes that led to the fighting or vandalism so the responsible parties are held accountable.
Cameras cannot work alone. Therefore, there is a need for people who can check them and those that will arrest the offenders. A response team in stadiums will help in spotting and arresting the fans that engage in fighting or vandalism (Witrado, 2013). Any incident seen on the cameras is reported to the response team that is deployed at different parts of the stadium. The response team is also important in containing incidents immediately and faster before they grow bigger.
Response Three
Benefits of Engaging in Serious Leisure
Engaging in serious leisure is beneficial because fans can create a career out of leisure activity. The leisure activities are fulfilling and interesting to them. Therefore, the fans acquire knowledge, skills, and experience from their leisure activities. They put extra effort to gain more skills and knowledge that relate to the leisure activity through researching and also participating in these activities so that they can build a career (Kim et al., 2014).
Another benefit is psychological. A person is able to acquire an attractive social and personal identity. A person is able to identify himself with those that he shares the same leisure activity, therefore, he has a sense of belonging (Kim et al., 2014). The social life, belief, and character are influenced. A person develops positive emotions and feelings thus boosting his self-esteem and can be able to relate well with other people. The quality of life and life satisfaction is enhanced because people are able to engage in what they like best hence a feeling of fulfillment. People are also able to form friendships, therefore, increasing their social networks. Personal growth is also enhanced and people are able to adapt to new circumstances.
Challenges of Engaging in Serious Leisure
First, the work life is affected. Serious leisure is something that a person engages in aside from day-to-day activities. If a person pays too much attention to the serious leisure he may lose focus of their career (Stebbins, 2015). A lot of time will be spent enhancing the skills and improving knowledge concerning the activity that the productivity at work will reduce. A person may fail to meet their professional targets which may lead to loss of job hence lack of a source of income. A person may also not relate well with colleagues because he feels that they have nothing in common.
Secondly, serious leisure engagement may affect the family life of a person. A person may cancel family plans to engage in the activity, this will lead to conflicts in the family (Stebbins, 2015). A person may also use family resources to invest in the activity like going to events, buying items or training, thus affecting the family finances. This may lead to the breaking up of families because people value their leisure activities more than their families.
References
Kelly, L. (2018, February, 20). 5 steps to promoting your biggest game of the year. Retrieved on November 5, 2018 from https://www.boxcast.com/blog/5-steps-to-promoting-your- biggest-game-of-the-year
Kim, J., Yamada, N., Heo, J., " Han, A. (2014). Health benefits of serious involvement in leisure activities among older Korean adults. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 9(1), 24616.
Schäferhoff, N. (2015, November 17). 9 effective marketing ideas for sports teams and sporting events. Retrieved on November 5, 2018 from https://www.themeboy.com/blog/9- effective-marketing-ideas-sports-teams-sporting-events/
Stebbins, R. A. (2015). The serious leisure perspective. In Leisure and positive psychology: Linking activities with positiveness (pp. 11-40). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Witrado, A. (2013, June 13). Baseball must take action to end dangerous on-field brawls. Retrieved on November 5, 2018 from http://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/4505192-dodgers-diamondbacks-brawl- suspensions-rules-kennedy-greinke-puig
