Why there doesn’t seem to be a proper balance with participation

When it comes to sports, it seems most likely that you’re either playing a game or involved on some level with friends. Right? Why then do 65 percent of Americans say they are “not at all likely” to spend time on sports, while 45 percent say they are “very likely” to gathering with family and friends?

Rich Luker, a consultant with the The Luker Co., says that something is wrong with this picture. In a recent Sports Business Journal article, Luker cited a recent ESPN Sports Poll that shows American interest in sports has declined since July 2008. Two recent national studies of American adults by ICR and the ESPN Sports Poll found nearly 40 percent are enjoying sports less because of the economy, while nearly 15 percent said they were enjoying sports more.

At the same time, Luker writes, sports television viewing numbers are up. Recently completed research from Leo Burnett found roughly 40 percent of their respondents were saying they need to eliminate discretionary spending and high-end out of home entertainment and are more focused on in-home entertainment.

Luker believes sports should be a leading alternative for investment in this rough economy, but it isn’t. He says that Americans are increasingly of two minds: They are less likely to favor sports than they once did but more likely to turn to sports as a free option now that they are focusing too much on “the business of sports,” not the “love of sports.” Luker says that fan appreciation and development is an afterthought. The financial success of sports in recent years may be blinding us to the consequences of focusing too much on entertainment.

He cites Nike and Starbucks as examples of companies that have worked hard to understand the American psyche. Wearing Nike is a badge, while Starbucks became a second living room. Luker writes that Nike and Starbucks shifted focus from people to harvesting profits, which helped build short-term success, but potential future loss. And based on the fact that both are making difficult investments to stay close and personal with their customers, it may be the only way they can regain the hearts of those who once identified more closely with them.

What about today’s sports fan? It’s a tough ticket, no pun intended. Luker asks, “What part of a $500 ticket feels like a focus on everyday Americans gathering for the love of sports?

The solution is simple, Luker says. The sports industry must get out of the harvest mode and remember why people love the games. It’s about reinvesting in sports as America’s greatest context for the gathering of family and friends. Organizations that focus on how their brands can enhance the joy and relief of gathering around sports will win big for a long time. OC

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites