White paper · November 2026
The State of Fan Participation 2026
How sport knows, hears and involves its fans. An evidence-based look at fans, properties and partners across North America, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, drawn from research published between 2024 and 2026.
By David Patton, Co-founder, FANDEMiQ. 19 pages, PDF.
Six findings
- 01
Reach is growing while the relationship moves to partners.
- 02
Most fans are unknown, and the numbers overstate what is known.
- 03
Every tier shares the ambition; few have the means.
- 04
Fans take part when it is worth it, on their terms.
- 05
Listening has not scaled, though the barrier to it has fallen.
- 06
New revenue depends on describing fans, not only counting them.
The paper draws only on published evidence, cites every source and notes where the evidence is thin. It closes with questions for leaders, not recommendations.