With the summer of sport well underway, it’s been revealed that fans following the Euros will spend 42% more than Olympic fans while watching the respective sporting spectacles.
According to research from SAP Emarsys, shoppers that are loyal to a football club spend an average of £118 on watching the Euros, compared to the £83 expected to be spent by those following the Olympics.
“As one of the most passionate global audiences for any sort of retail, dedicating time, energy, and money to pursue moments of joy and togetherness, we can learn much from their loyalty to their teams,” said Kelsey Jones, Global Head of Product Marketing at SAP Emarsys.
However, the survey of 2,010 UK consumers found a contrast in how fans usually engage with brands outside of sporting occasions, many taking a cost-conscious approach to their spending.
Two-thirds of both football and Olympics fans stated that they have switched brands over cost considerations, with around the same number of consumers typically replacing a purchase if a cheaper product is available.
Moreover, both sets of fans have similar feelings and behaviours when it comes to brand loyalty, with around half of consumers expecting reduced prices or better deals in exchange for their loyalty. Meanwhile, a similar number of fans also expect loyalty points or cashback as a reward – an interesting statistic when only a third have started using loyalty schemes in the past 12 months. As a sign of their loyalty, 42% of fans are also using apps provided by their favourite brands.
“As we can see in initiatives like loyalty programs – whether you’re a fan of a sports team or a consumer brand, you want to see your loyal support rewarded,” said Jones.
The survey also explored attitudes to artificial intelligence (AI) and the its role within the shopping experience. It was found that 29% of football fans and 27% of Olympics fans have switched from a brand they were loyal to due to the use of AI.
“AI is an indispensable tool for understanding a consumer’s relationship with a particular brand,” Jones added. “From first-time buyers to staunch brand loyalists, AI is the only serious means of tailoring offers and communications for each unique customer and shaping their bespoke experience in real time.”
