When I helped launch the Flyers’ Fan Development initiative back in the 1970s, fandom was a local, tribal affair. You bled your team’s colors, stood behind them win or lose, and if you dared cheer for anyone else, you’d better be ready to defend your choice. Fast forward to today, and Alexandra Willis’ insights during MAD//Sports 2025 couldn’t be more timely—or accurate.
We’re not in Broad Street Bullies territory anymore.
The “fluidity of fandom” is a phenomenon that those of us who’ve been in the trenches—on the ice, in the arena, or behind a campaign desk—have seen creeping in. But today, it’s become a defining characteristic of how audiences engage. Fans aren’t tethered to one team, one sport, or even one region. Instead, they flow—between platforms, personalities, and moments. Loyalty is no longer a lifetime contract; it’s a swipe, a follow, a hashtag away from shifting.
This change mirrors the evolution I saw when building the Nokia Blogger Relations Program—the first of its kind for a Fortune 100 company. Bloggers weren’t just passive media. They were passionate fans, creators, curators. Much like modern sports fans today, they didn’t want to be talked at. They wanted to be talked with, to co-create, to shape the narrative.
Fandom is no longer just about consuming—it’s about collaborating. Whether it’s a fan podcast breaking down trades or TikTok creators remixing game highlights, fans today are not on the sidelines. They’re in the game.
And brands? We can’t afford to stay static. Just as the Flyers had to embrace street hockey clinics and youth skates to meet kids where they were, sports marketers today need to meet their audiences on Discord, Twitch, and wherever their digital tribes gather.
This is where I find synergy with Willis’ point: the sports world must recognize that the old ways of defining a fan base—by season ticket holders and Nielsen ratings—are as outdated as dial-up. Instead, fandom thrives on personal identity and cultural connection. The New Orleans Pelicans don’t just sell basketball—they sell the culture of NOLA. The Grammys don’t just award music—they create moments.
From Formula 1’s “Drive to Survive” to the Grammys and McDonald’s campaigns that turn rituals into cultural currency, the winning formula is clear: fandom is fueled by relevance, inclusivity, and resonance. It’s no longer about just selling tickets or jerseys. It’s about creating spaces—both virtual and real—where fans feel like insiders.
So as someone who’s lived the rise of fan culture from locker rooms to blog posts, let me say this: the power of fandom has never been more dynamic, nor more fleeting. The key isn’t to cling to the past—it’s to skate where the puck is going. And right now, it’s heading into a fluid, fast-paced future where fandom is less about allegiance and more about experience.
And that? That’s a game worth playing.