Fan engagement triumphs from the top 4 leagues in the US

With an ever-expanding list of digital channels to choose from, picking the right way to engage fans has become harder than ever. Looking at the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB, one clear fan engagement win stands out from each.

NBA: social and app strategy

The NBA racked up 32 billion social views in the 2022-23 season, up more than 10% year over year, with 70% of its following now international — helped by a redesigned app built around personalisation and social-style content.

NFL: the Chiefs' content machine

The Kansas City Chiefs go well beyond standard highlight reels, running a weekly mic'd-up player series, "Kingdom Shorts," and an in-house docuseries, The Franchise, catering to every kind of fan attention span.

NHL: listening to young fans

The NHL's Power Players Youth Advisory Board — born from a letter an 11-year-old fan wrote to CMO Heidi Browning — now meets twice a month and shapes much of the league's youth engagement strategy.

MLB: a refreshed app experience

The MLB app's 2022-23 refresh let fans personalise their homescreen around favourite teams and players, and added win-probability data and an "At Bat Detail" view to the Gameday experience.

Across all four leagues, the common thread is the same: strong, data-led decisions about where and how to meet fans.