Addressing the Conversion of Athletes' Temporary Fans into Loyal Fans

Abstract

Following the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, two athletes, Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, performed admirably and won multiple gold medals for China, resulting in the formation of a large number of new temporary followers. The major objective of this article is to investigate how to change fan loyalty. A case analysis will be conducted using two fans, Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, in which the mixed market theory is integrated to explore and analyze the situation. The first generation of the problem is that fans can get an alternate sense of accomplishment from the athletes during the competition, and the corresponding suggestion is to strengthen the timely response to the fans' behaviors, to bring the athletes and the fans closer together, and to deepen the fans' loyalty. The second reason for the problem is that the fans' patriotic feelings only emerge during matches between China and other countries, and the corresponding suggestion is that the athletes interact more with the fans after the matches, bringing the athletes and the fans closer together. The third reason for the dilemma is that table tennis is China's national sport, and the country and its people value it highly. The corresponding advice is to improve relevance and participate in more charitable activities in order to set an example for today's youth and inspire them to do good things that will contribute to the peaceful growth of society.