No customer relationship is quite as passionate, or as fraught with peril, as that between a fan and a professional sports franchise. All you have to do is take a trip to Chicago’s Wrigley Field on opening day to see how warm that relationship can be. Or mention the name Walter O’Malley to any native of Brooklyn to see how long the memory of broken trust may linger. In their book On the Ball: What You Can Learn about Business from America’s Sports Leaders, authors David M. Carter and Darren Rovell explore this complex relationship in great detail. And their conclusions provide a new framework for managing your customer relationships: If you want them to flourish, you have to turn your customers into diehard fans. Carter recently shared his feelings with FuelNet.

FuelNet: You argue that with a few notable exceptions, professional sports franchises have lost touch with their fans. People go to the stadiums expecting to have a good time, but often they walk away disappointed. What are these franchises doing wrong?

Carter: All of the new stat-of-the-art stadiums, with the luxury boxes and such, are being constructed largely for the corporate fans.  Teams are more reliant on money from sponsorships and naming rights, so for the past 10 years they have been chasing the corporate dollar.  They have been marginalizing the ordinary fans building by building, row by row, making them feel less important.

FuelNet: But some teams are connecting with their fans and instilling customer loyalty. What are these teams doing right?

Carter: Team owners like Ted Leonsis of the NHL’s Washington Capitals and Mark Cuban of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks are going out of their way to learn firsthand what their customers want. They make themselves available to “regular” fans, seeking input on everything from the lengths of concession lines and service to game-day entertainment. By fostering one-on-one relationships with the fans, these owners have not only improved their product, they have greatly improved goodwill in the process.

FuelNet: You seem to be particularly impressed with the marketing efforts mounted by both the Arena Football League and minor-league baseball. What are these organizations doing as part of their customer loyalty programs?

Carter: The Arena Football League has grown by creating an identity in a lot of small-to-medium markets. It has done that by making its players accessible after the game. It’s all about the quarterback walking over right after the game and staying on the field for 10 or 15 minutes, making a very personal connection with the fans. And customer by customer, city by city, they have build a very compelling business.

FuelNet: Minor-league baseball has been around a lot longer than Arena Football League. What are the minor-league franchises doing right in terms of building customer loyalty?

Carter: Minor-league baseball has continued to convey the idea that it’s a community-oriented activity. Fans think, “We’re going to go to the game. We’re going to have a picnic beforehand. We’re going to be engaged with the mascots. We’re going to have short concession lines.” In short, “We’re going to have fun.” The games are community events, not necessarily big-time sporting events.

FuelNet: The importance of building brand awareness with fans and consumers is not really a new idea. Why have so many franchises, and businesses in general, dropped the ball in this important area?

Carter: The reason is that salespeople and managers are concerned about hitting their numbers this week or getting their bonus this month. They’re not worried about keeping a customer for life because they’re not going to be with the franchise for life. In sports, the players are playing for the Dodgers this year and they might be playing for the Diamondbacks next year. They’re more concerned about the name on the back of their jersey. Well, for the long-term good of the product, you’ve got to be just as concerned about the name on the front of that jersey.

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