How can foundations of professional sports teams improve? I'm taking a shot at some ideas!
Emotional Power
The emotional power of youth sports fandom is leveraged to sustainably provide support and foster hope within communities around the world. Sports fandom is a powerful force for identity and community, especially among youth. When teams intentionally embed philanthropy into the culture of fandom, they can activate that force for deep social good. However this potential remains mostly unrealized. Teams that align their outreach with the identity of their fans, embed philanthropy into fan rituals, and create sustained, volunteering pathways for young fans to engage will be best positioned to be able to turn fandom from a personal passion into a public force.
Best Practices
Best practices revealed that the most impactful foundations build local and sustained programs, integrate charitable work visibly into the rituals of fandom, create low-barrier, entry points for fan involvement, and make use of data and fan feedback to help shape their outreach. Importantly, programs that reflect the identity and the values of their fanbases, are the ones that oftentimes forge the strongest emotional connection and the most effective engagement.
Building Trust
As the social trust in traditional institutions declines in many different parts of the world, sports teams and their foundations can end up holding unique power as trusted community actors that foster civic participation and social capital. Economically, embedding philanthropy into fan culture offers a sustainable model of creating community value: as the fanbase loyalty increases, so too does the potential for clubs to drive impact and create partnerships that serve both commercial and social goals of the teams. Politically, at a time when polarization and exclusion are rising, sports foundations that cultivate important values such as hope, belonging, and cross-cultural empathy through fandom can serve as bridges across divides.
Empowering Community
Making a Difference
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