Do you really know your fans?
Why segmentation is the hidden engine of fan experience (and revenue)
In 2025, fans expect more than entertainment. They expect to be understood.
Across ambitious sports markets, especially places like Saudi Arabia, clubs are upgrading stadiums, launching apps, rolling out hospitality packages, and investing big in “experience.” But here’s the catch: most still struggle with one essential question:
Who are our fans, really, and what do they actually care about?
At XWORX, we believe that’s the most overlooked growth lever in sports. You’ve got the basics, email lists, ticket sales, a decent CRM. But the leaders? They go deeper. They segment, listen, test, and design with fans, not just for them.
Because experience isn’t just about flash. It’s about relevance.
One-size-fits-all fan strategies? Still a thing?
Let’s be honest. Too many teams are still running plays from the old playbook.
Season ticket holders get one message. Casual fans get another. But people don’t fit into neat boxes, and the data proves it.
According to Deloitte, nearly half of “casual” fans engage at high levels, while many “fanatics” behave in unexpected ways. That’s not a quirk, it’s a red flag.
As competition intensifies across the Gulf and beyond, especially with global eyes on mega-events like the World Cup and Asian Winter Games, relying on assumptions isn’t just risky.
It’s expensive.
Consider this: a club launches a loyalty program targeting “hardcore” fans, matchday points, VIP meet-and-greets, exclusive merch. Solid concept. Underwhelming results. Why? Because their biggest spenders were actually corporate box holders who care more about seamless hospitality and digital concierge services than scarves and fan chants.
The insight?
The loyalty program wasn’t broken. The segmentation was.
Real fan understanding = real business outcomes
The logic is simple: when you understand your fans deeply, you build experiences that drive real impact.
→ Higher satisfaction
→ Increased spend
→ Smarter decisions across product, marketing, and ops
Look at the Atlanta Falcons. After hearing fan frustration, they dropped concession prices, and stadium revenue jumped 16%. Why? Because they aligned with what fans valued, not what execs assumed.
Or take the WNBA. They might not top per-capita spend, but their inclusive, community-first experiences drive loyalty, advocacy, and repeat attendance.
These aren’t nice stories. They’re strategic signals.
Fan satisfaction tracks to spend. And personalised experiences drive both.
Especially in places like KSA, where fan bases are global, young, and digitally native. the opportunity to embed personalisation from day one is massive.
“But isn’t personalisation complex and costly?”
Not if you approach it right.
Forget the myth that smart segmentation requires AI overkill and million-dollar stacks. Some of the most effective strategies start with one thing:
Better questions.
And then?
Listen
Test fast
Build feedback loops into your design, content, and ops
Here’s what that could look like:
Creating digital fan profiles that track behaviours, not just transactions
Segmenting by motivation: families, diehards, VIPs, influencers
Testing in-stadium perks: early entry, local food, tailored content
Building fan councils to co-create, stress-test, and share insights
At XWORX, this is our playbook.
Start small. Move fast. Scale what works.
We don’t pitch journeys, we co-design ecosystems of insight and action.
Beyond the stadium: Design for year-round loyalty
The matchday is just the start.
Deloitte found that fans who engage during the off-season spend up to 4x more annually. Think digital content, exclusive drops, email journeys, fantasy leagues, or pop-ups in unexpected places.
In a market like Saudi Arabia, where sport, tourism, and entertainment converge, your fan relationship can start before they land, and extend long after they leave.
If Vision 2030 is about becoming a destination, your club needs to become one too.
And that only happens when you build for real people—, ot generic personas.
Start with better questions
If your fan strategy still starts with “Male, 18–35, lives in Riyadh, watches football”…
Time to level up.
Ask instead:
Who are our most emotionally invested fans?
Where are we seeing high spend, and what’s driving it?
Which segments are underserved but growing?
Where are fans falling off, and why?
We’ve helped clients in aviation, banking, and sport find hidden value in the customer base, by grounding design in real insight, not assumptions.
Want to start smarter?
Your fans aren’t just audiences. They’re your co-creators. Your advocates. Your edge.
But only if you truly know them.
