Every sports fan knows and reveres them, they are the moments when a stadium becomes the largest choir in the world, an entire nation spontaneously rises in unity, where cultures are revealed and opposition teams intimidated\u2026 they are the things a sports fan will do anything to experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll never walk alone\u201d being sung by the Kop, \u201cThe Flower of Scotland\u201d (especially before a game against the English), the \u201cAll Blacks Haka\u201d, the \u201cTomahawk Chop\u201d from the Atlanta Braves are all in the fan engagement hall of fame, which draw people from all over the world to witness. And other sports, clubs, and nations envy them.<\/p>\n
The AFL (Australian Football League) is the professional sports league with the 4th<\/sup> highest average attendance in the world<\/a>, behind the NFL (the US National Football League), German Bundesliga, and English Premier League. The leaders of the AFL are currently pushing to make the competition the most spectacular and exciting game, a push which is centered around the match day experience.<\/p>\n Leading this push is the Port Adelaide Football Club, known as \u201cThe Power\u201d. The Port Adelaide Football Club plays in front of an average crowd of just under 40,000 per game<\/a>. The club has been assessed by media commentators as No. 1 when it comes to match-day entertainment<\/a> for their ability to facilitate the passion of fans and provide the match day experience with the most entertainment<\/a> in the league.<\/p>\n But it wasn\u2019t always that way. Only five years ago, the club would struggle to get 20,000 on a cold winter\u2019s night. A change to a new and modern stadium was a big step forward. However, it has been the ability of the club to engage its existing, but as importantly, new fans that has underlined their success.<\/p>\n Executive General Manager of the Port Adelaide Football Club, Matthew Richardson, explains. \u201cEvery home game, there are a number of moments that we have been able to build into iconic rituals in recent years that define the game day fan experience and now draw people from around the country just to experience these events.\u201d<\/p>\n The first moment is a \u201cSupporters March\u201d<\/strong>. Commenced in 2014 by the club and a core group of supporters, it has become an intimate part of the pre-match ritual of Port Adelaide fans.<\/p>\nSo How Do You Build Fan Engagement Activations Into Iconic Fan Rituals That Become Part of What a Club and Its Fan Base Are Known For?<\/h2>\n