When Jets players and coaches kicked off the regular season at MetLife Stadium last month, fans were able to attend for the first time in almost two years. Although success on the field is out of the control of business staff, they are responsible for cultivating and evolving fan relationships with the team through experiences. A key function in doing so is business intelligence & analytics.
This article is the first in a series which will highlight how business intelligence & analytics is helping the Jets gain a competitive edge by increasing their knowledge of fan preferences and behaviors.
It all starts with a better understanding of the fan on multiple levels. Fan data has been available to the Jets for a long time; however, it was previously sourced from a variety of systems with differing levels of detail. Recently, the team has established a more holistic view of fans and better understand their motivations through synthesizing and analyzing that data.
"Thankfully in the past few years much of that opportunity for engagement has changed with the growth in offerings for fans, and we have been proud to help design a more connected journey for all fans," said Jared George, Director, Business Intelligence & Analytics. "Designing an integrated customer journey using data in a positive and proactive manner makes all those connections more significant for all segments of our fanbase, especially those who may be more transient. A defined database growth strategy coupled with a focus on delivering more personally relevant communications to fans has helped increase the team's active email database by over 700% in the past 4 years."
Part of that fan journey is interaction with the customer service team, and data has been instrumental in helping that group do their job more effectively and impactfully.
"We communicate with our season ticket holders on a daily basis," added Nadege Pluviose, Director, Client Relations & Retention. "Our personal relationships enhanced with the insights from the Business Intelligence & Analytics team help us not only troubleshoot any concerns, but also proactively reach out with opportunities at moments that are more meaningful and relevant to individual fans."
Beyond season tickets, these efforts also support marketing and product design for other ticketing products.
"This synthesized data has also allowed our team to creatively grow the ticket buying universe from individual and group tickets to suites and beyond. The more we know about fans and game attendees, the better we can tailor products and services to maximize their experiences," said Tim Kemp, Vice President, Marketing.
The ultimate goal is to use data to elevate and personalize existing relationships with fans, and then replicate that process to discover and develop new fans and customers. Each interaction and experience with the team is crafted with the fan in mind, from the moment someone walks into MetLife Stadium until they get back to their home after the game. It's not just limited to the game either – understanding and implementing data insights to optimize Jets content across all channels (social, website and television programs) is part of that journey too.
"Companies may have enormous databases filled with information on people who have had some interaction with their brand," added Jared George. "However, meaningful engagement and growth are founded on how well you can distill that information, personalize the relationship with the brand and enhance the connection with them for the long term."
