The impact of onboarding andnurturing fans : A qualitative research of Swedish ice hockeyorganizations strategies in their interaction withoccasional and devoted fans

Sammanfattning: With the constant challenge of successfully appealing to new customers andnurturing the relationships that sports organizations have created with theircustomers, well-thought-out and adapted strategies are required incommunication. Since organizations from the sports industry are characterizedby great competition from other organizations but also from other industriessuch as the entertainment industry, a clear and well-thought-out approach isneeded for how customers are to be engaged and build loyalty. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to research how Swedish ice hockey organizationscultivate relationships with their devoted and occasional fans and whichstrategies they use to influence them as well as the impact the fan engagementhas on their loyalty. The empirical findings in this research derived from a qualitative researchapproach, specifically utilizing semi-structured interviews. The focus of theresearch was on four ice hockey organizations from the top two tiers inSweden, enabling a comprehensive examination of the subject matter. Thenthe results from the interviews that were carried out together with the presentedliterature review were discussed and analyzed to compare and distinguishsimilarities and differences. The conclusion of the degree project drew attention to a clear differentiationbetween occasional and devoted fans, where it appeared that they wereengaged by different factors, namely experience and sporting aspects. Byleveraging this insight and following the modern trends and digitization,organizations can create opportunities to convert new fans into more loyal andengaged supporters and then nurture the relationship on a deeper level.