Every sports organization needs a Chief Fans Officer (CFaO)

Every sports property should have a Chief Fans Officer (Take 2).

I wrote a blog post back in 2013 (!!) — see below.
I also bought the domain (and still own it) chieffansofficer.com.

Everybody needs a CFO: Chief Fans Officer

Why am I bringing this back now?

I have been intrigued and stimulated by two tweets in the last 24 hours by Darren Rovell, Joe Favorito, and Jeff Volk.

Darren was considering the impact of how we resume after the Sport Hiatus, mostly focused on those who would need to participate in a no-fans game, players and professionals who are needed to make the game happen and distributed to fans.

Jeff and Joe took it wider to consider the impacts of fans once they have to go back in venues and stadiums, as we saw form the stats they will need to be reassured before going back in mass.

Joe wrote an interesting article about it.

Out Of The Ashes A New Job Category: Director Of Fan Confidence

Chief Fans Officer

I want to go even further and widen the scope to propose a more comprehensive engagement: Chief Fans Officer.

Someone who takes care at 360 degrees of the second most important component of a sport beyond athletes and teams, or maybe the first reason a sport can exist.

What would a typical role description entail?

1. Making sure fans are super-served on all platforms (from physical to digital)
2. Making sure fans are safe (see Joe Favorito article)
3. Write a Fans Manifesto that expresses fans rights as defined by the organization
4. Coordinate the direct to fans relationship
5. Report to the CEO and cooperate with all other CXOs for the success of the sport

I would expect this to be a critical role in sports organizations, and often representing a conflict of interest between fans and the business of sports.

This is not only being about having a fdan voice at the board table, but more make fans take center stage as stakeholders for the long term grow of a sport.

Is someone doing it?

The New Yorker Rangers have one, but it may be a different role from what I have originally imagined.

'It's the thrill of my life': Queens man chosen as 'Chief Fan Officer' for the New York Rangers…

Conclusion

Every sports organization should have one. Period.

Also published on

Sport Hiatus - What to do when there is no live sports