Key Takeaways:
- Messaging channels are becoming a critical layer in modern sports fan engagement, offering direct and community-driven communication with supporters.
- Fans are increasingly frustrated with generic communication from clubs and would like to receive exclusive content through the official messaging channels.
- AI-powered content creation helps rights holders sustain these communities with a constant flow of timely, platform-ready moments that drive deeper engagement.
Juliet Slot, Arsenal’s chief commercial officer, represents a new type of sports executive: one who is not wed to the old definitions of sports organizations.
As such, she offers a unique perspective on the organization she works for. “We’re not a football club,” said Slot recently. “We’re a global brand that plays football and serves our supporters. We’re a ticketing business, we’re an events business, we’re an experiential business. We are a lot of things to people that they experience in a multitude of environments outside of coming to the game.”
One of those environments is messaging platforms. To ensure that Arsenal better serves its supporters on these platforms, the club announced a partnership with tech giant Meta, the parent company of Facebook and WhatsApp. As part of the partnership, Arsenal has launched an official WhatsApp channel, where fans will be able to access, among other things, new digital experiences and exclusive club content.
Facebook will support the initiative through its broader community ecosystem, giving fans opportunities to connect through discussion groups and video content. “Our partnership with Meta builds on how our supporters already come together, wherever they are in the world,” explained Slot, “and will create more ways to feel closer to our club.”
The New Fan Communication Layer
Arsenal isn’t the only club leveraging messaging channels to improve its relationship with fans. Several prominent European football teams have launched WhatsApp channels in recent years, including FC Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea, reflecting the increasing influence of messaging apps and digital communication in modern sports consumption.
The importance of communication with fans cannot be overstated. A recent report by cloud communications platform Infobip, based on a survey of 1,500 sports fans across the US, Europe, and India, uncovers widespread frustration among supporters of clubs with generic, one-way communication. Key findings include:
- 66% of fans feel disconnected due to poor club communication, rising to 81% among those under 35.
- 49% of fans often feel like a number rather than a valued supporter.
- 30% of fans said they’re treated like a customer, not a member of a community.
The report also reveals a strong appetite for deeper relationships with clubs. 66% of all fans said they would join a digital community founded by their favorite team, and among those younger than 35, this number rises to 81%. The desire to feel part of a passionate community is coupled with a growing demand for storytelling that creates connections; 78% of fans would like to receive exclusive content through the team’s messaging channels.
From Messaging to Deeper Engagement
Another benefit of connecting with fans via messaging channels is the ability to amplify your content. In Arsenal’s case, that became even more crucial with the launch of The Arsenal, the club’s revamped app, in March. The app offers a slate of programming, including documentaries and a personalized ‘for you feed’ that allows supporters to tailor content based on preferred players, teams, and competitions.
The app mirrors a wider trend across pro sports, where organizations are increasingly operating as their own media houses, and owned platforms are the destination for their most valuable content. The challenge Arsenal and other rights holders face is how to get fans, who spend most of their time on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook, into their walled garden. And this, say industry leaders, is where the Meta partnership comes in handy.
“The app and the Meta deal are Arsenal’s answer to the question every rights holder is wrestling with right now: how do you own the supporter relationship without losing reach, and how do you chase reach without becoming a tenant on someone else’s platform?” said Andy Marston, Head of Corporate Venture at The Players Fund, an athlete-led VC firm. “The answer is to do both and make sure they point at each other. Rather than competing with the app, Meta feeds it.”
Scaling Fan Conversations With AI
That approach works because messaging channels create a direct, always-on line of communication between rights holders and their audiences. But sustaining that connection depends on what flows through it. Timely, relevant moments, like highlights, behind-the-scenes clips, and narrative-driven content, are what spark conversations, keep communities active, and turn passive followers into engaged participants in the club’s story.
Delivering that volume and speed consistently requires the right tech. AI-powered content creation platforms enable rights holders to instantly generate, format, and distribute moments tailored for messaging environments, ensuring a constant stream of fresh content. By linking these touchpoints back to owned platforms, they form a feedback loop of engagement, helping organizations like Arsenal create more ways for fans to feel closer to the club.
Actionable Insights:
- Treat messaging channels as engagement hubs, not just distribution tools, and use them to create ongoing conversations with supporters.
- Feed messaging communities with exclusive, timely content that gives fans a reason to return and participate regularly.
- Connect messaging platforms to your owned ecosystem so every interaction can guide fans toward deeper engagement.
