The Future of Fandom and Fandom Analytics

Fandom is defined by current culture and is a powerful force that drives cultural evolution. Fandom largely defines culture because fandom is about cultural passion and engagement, and the market tends to produce more of what people want. However, fandom and culture are also driven by demographics and technology. For example, demographic trends like immigration and evolving technologies like smartphones may disrupt the processes that create sports fandom for traditional sports while enhancing fandom in other categories like music or social media content. This chapter discusses current trends that are influencing sports fandom and the implications for fandom analytics and management.