82% of sports fans want a closer connection with their teams, yet 66% remain dissatisfied with current engagement — highlighting the widening gap between always-on fandom and outdated fan strategies.
Modern sports fandom no longer switches off at the final whistle. Supporters follow their teams across social media, streaming platforms and messaging channels throughout the year, turning fandom into a continuous experience rather than a seasonal ritual. Yet while fan behaviour has evolved, engagement strategies have struggled to keep pace.
The Sports Fan Engagement Report 2025/2026 from Infobip, based on research among 1,500 supporters across multiple sports and regions, suggests that teams risk falling behind the expectations of their most committed audiences. The research highlights a growing disconnect between how fans experience their teams and how clubs attempt to communicate with them.
At the centre of the findings is a simple reality: fans increasingly expect relationships, not transactions. Eighty-two per cent of supporters say they want to feel more connected to their teams, signalling that traditional engagement models built primarily around matchdays and merchandise are no longer sufficient.
Fans Feel the Relationship Is One-Sided
Many supporters describe an experience that feels increasingly distant. Nearly seven in ten fans say they have not been asked for their opinion for at least two seasons, while almost half say they feel treated more like anonymous customers than recognised members of a community.
This sense of distance is reinforced by communication that often feels generic and commercially driven. As a result, 66% of fans say they are dissatisfied with the way teams currently engage them.
The frustration does not reflect declining interest. If anything, supporters are investing more time and emotional energy than ever before. What has changed is their expectation of participation. Fans increasingly expect to be informed, involved and recognised between the defining moments of the season.
Digital channels have expanded the ways teams can reach supporters, but availability has not always translated into relevance. More than half of fans say the content and communication they receive from teams lack meaning or personal value, suggesting that simply producing more content is no longer enough.
The Cost of Fandom Is Rising
Financial pressures are widening the gap between fans and teams. 61% of supporters say they feel priced out of the game, reflecting concerns that the cost of following a team is rising faster than many fans can sustain.
Subscription requirements, expensive tickets and high merchandise prices all feature prominently among the frustrations supporters describe. As attending matches becomes less accessible for many fans, the importance of meaningful digital engagement increases.
For some supporters, digital interaction is no longer a complement to the stadium experience but the primary way they remain connected. When that digital experience falls short, the sense of distance becomes even more pronounced.
Expectations Around Engagement Are Expanding
Supporters increasingly expect teams to be present in the everyday moments between matches. Seven in ten fans say regular access to players and behind-the-scenes content would strengthen their connection to their teams, while similar numbers want deeper analysis and richer storytelling around their clubs.
The demand for continuous engagement is particularly strong among younger audiences. Among supporters under 35, 96% say they want a stronger connection with their teams, reflecting a generation that has grown up with personalised digital experiences across entertainment, retail and media.
Many fans also want greater involvement in shaping the fan experience itself. Around eight in ten supporters say they would welcome a greater voice in team decisions, signalling a shift towards more participatory relationships between teams and their audiences.
These expectations point to a model of fandom that is less passive and increasingly collaborative.
Better Engagement Brings Tangible Rewards
The report suggests that improving fan engagement is not simply a matter of satisfaction but also of long-term value.
Supporters indicate a clear willingness to deepen both emotional and financial commitment when they feel recognised and included.
If teams strengthen engagement:
- 34% say they would become more emotionally invested
- 34% would watch more matches
- 28% would pay for subscriptions
- 27% would attend more games
- 25% would buy more merchandise
These responses suggest that engagement is becoming increasingly linked to loyalty rather than short-term transactions.
Engagement Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage
The findings point to a broader shift in the role of engagement within sports. Teams are no longer judged solely on performance on the field, but also on how effectively they maintain relationships with supporters off the field.
Fans are signalling that they want to be included in their teams’ stories, not simply marketed to. Organisations that respond to that expectation will be better positioned to sustain loyalty in an increasingly crowded entertainment landscape.
Fandom may always be emotional, but it is becoming increasingly structured around experience. As supporters spend more time interacting with their teams outside matchdays, engagement is emerging as one of the defining factors of modern sport.
The challenge for teams is no longer whether to engage fans more deeply, but how quickly they can adapt to supporters who are already living in an always-on world.
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