Sections of Color, Mascot Reveals, Tarps Off Don’t Have To Be For Every Fan Base (Especially In NY)

I have always believed that the fan experience to teams or leagues is about listening and adapting and learning about the individual, or the group, and what draws them to loyalty. Sometimes it’s literally hereditary, sometimes, its location based, sometimes its star power, sometimes its hard luck, sometimes it can be something as simple as a mascot or a sound or a distant memory, but usually its pretty emotional and tribal and much more than following the literal crowd, for the long term anyway.

It is because of this tribal nature I found Andrew Keh’s recent piece on Knicks fandom so important. The San Antonio Spurs caught a bit of lightning in a bottle in the early rounds of the playoffs with their amazing color sections but…everyone? No thanks. And in NY. No way.

Like the Buffalo Sabres in the playoffs, the Knicks fan base is an individual collective where those watching from far away are peaking in and around players to see who is sitting where and what are they wearing. It’s also a strange departure from what was the rage last year…tunnel fits…where athletes, and brands, were yearning to own and develop a share of their own individual voice with their own looks as they headed to the locker room pregame. Make the players all don the rally shirts too? Nope.

Let it be.

It’s interesting to see even in arenas outside of MSG (maybe with the exception of Oklahoma City) that the homogeneous look in the stands is fading fast, especially as people come back time and again for serious hoops…not to be part of a bland fashion statement.

Now I’m all for the genesis of original content. College mascot unveils have caught on, and they tell a broader…and individual story of those in the suits which is both fun and interesting. Likewise, the tarps off fan generated content that began in St. Louis for Cardinals games is also a fun one catching on, but that it does not mean it has to be adulted or leagues into oblivion by having something for every college and for every baseball stadium.

Authenticity is great, riding a wave is fun, forcing something because its just sellable or it worked somewhere else without understanding your fan base?

Nah. So, whenever the NBA Finals gets to MSG, hand out all the shirts you want, just let the folks take em home. We don’t need orange sections, it’s not New York, and it distracts from the game for no reason.