Designing revenue-generating fan experiences: the power of fan mindsets
In today’s sports landscape, understanding how fans think and engage, not just who they are, is the key to unlocking deeper loyalty and higher spend
Designing for the modern sports fan isn’t about creating static personas or targeting demographic segments. It's about understanding fluid and emotional behavioural patterns that shape how fans engage over time.
At XWORX, we believe the key to unlocking revenue lies in understanding the sports fan at their core. To do this, we use a designing around dynamic framework that we call fan mindsets.
Why mindsets matter more than personas
Traditional personas treat fans as fixed categories like: "Millennial Soccer Mom" or "Diehard Season Ticket Holder", but in reality, fans are on an ever-evolving journey. They grow through experiences, shift allegiances, and find new ways to connect with sport. Mindsets allow us to design for the real-world complexity of fandom.
A mindset is a way of thinking, engaging, and experiencing a sport. Fans may hold multiple mindsets at once, transition between them over time, or shed them as their life circumstances change. Designing for mindsets helps clubs, leagues, and venues meet fans where they are, and guide them to deeper forms of engagement.
Spotlight: three fan mindsets that drive engagement (and revenue)
In our research, we have uncovered over 15 distinct fan mindsets, and are constantly finding more. Below are just a handful of mindsets that hold true across most sports:
1. The Newcomer
Someone new to the sport, often introduced by friends, family, or pop culture. They're eager to learn, but lack context.
What they need:
Beginner-friendly commentary
Explainer content (rules, history, rivalries)
Social opportunities to connect with other fans
Revenue opportunity: Introduce them to low-barrier experiences: streaming access, merch bundles, or team-branded learning content.
2. The Fantasy Fanatic
They love sports through the lens of fantasy leagues. Stats, lineups, and player data drive their engagement.
What they need:
Real-time data and injury alerts
Fantasy tools integrated with broadcast or mobile
Personalised highlights and content
Revenue opportunity: Sell enhanced digital subscriptions, betting integrations, or premium stat overlays.
3. The Star Chaser
Their loyalty follows an athlete more than a team. Think Messi fans across Barcelona, PSG, and Inter Miami. Or Lewis Hamilton fans across Mercedes and Ferrari.
What they need:
Player-focused news and merch
Cross-league access and multi-team support tools
Direct engagement with the athlete (e.g. NFTs, fan clubs)
Revenue opportunity: Athlete-driven merchandise, digital collectibles, and content platforms.
From mindset to monetisation
Understanding fan mindsets isn't just a design exercise, it's a strategic growth tool. Fans are more likely to spend when the experience resonates with their current mindset. The deeper the alignment, the greater the engagement, loyalty, and lifetime value.
Each new mindset a fan adopts is a chance to drive revenue. Sports organisations can maximise revenue opportunities by meeting fans in their current mindset, understanding which mindsets are most likely to come next, and empowering that pipeline.
The more mindsets a fan embodies, the more engaged they are with the sport, and the more money they spend.
XWORX helps organisations:
Uncover the mindsets driving their fan base
Map where those mindsets appear across the fan journey
Design digital and physical experiences tailored to these fan journeys
Build emotional connection that converts into commercial return
The takeaway
Forget the static persona. Today’s fan is fluid, complex, and ever-evolving. By designing for mindsets, sports organizations can better understand their audience, accelerate engagement, and unlock new revenue streams at every phase of the fan journey.
Ready to discover the mindsets behind your fan base? Let's talk.
