Leksands IF : Från amatörism till upplevelseindustri

Sammanfattning: The world economy is facing a paradigm shift. In today’s fast paced information society companies will find it increasingly difficult to differentiate themselves based on price only. As our materialistic standard peaks people will seek to fulfil softer needs such as dreams and fantasies. Simultaneously people need a break from everyday life, a way to disconnect from the stress and boundaries of western lifestyle, we seek experiences. Side by side with the economic evolvement commercialization in sports has significantly increased during the last ten years. What once were non-profit organizations are today big companies. Sports engage people and makes emotions flow, a visit at an ice hockey arena offers a break from the boring everyday life and it provides us with an experience. Ice hockey organizations are according to us indeed in the experience delivery business, hence they need to act accordingly. This thesis explores the world of experiences and connects it with the visit at an ice hockey arena, specifically Ejendals Arena, Leksand. The purpose of the thesis is to study how Leksands IF today create experiences and then compare it with the experience creating theories and finally to suggest how Leksands IF should proceed in order to offer their guests a complete experience. This has been achieved by studying literature, conducting observations, conversations and discussions. Since the connection between experience economy and sports is relatively unexplored this thesis has taken an explorative form. In the last part of this thesis we suggest a range of different proposals on how Leksands IF should act to position themselves in the emerging experience economy. If Leksands IF succeeds with this we are confident that the connection between their performance and spectators will diminish along with the staged experience appealing to a far wider range of people then today. The benefits of this will be seen both in turnovers and in the number of guests.