Building Fan Stickiness in A Small-Market NBA Franchise: Evidence from The New Orleans Pelicans

Fan participation is the core determinant of the sustainable development of professional sports clubs, which is mainly reflected in its impact on the occupancy rate, commodity demand and media value. However, small market teams like the New Orleans Pelicans, despite the popularity of the NBA as a whole, still face ongoing difficulties in developing stable fan loyalty. Given the team's relatively short history, unstable performance cycle and limited heritage, this problem is particularly prominent. This paper explores the structural reasons for the stickiness and vulnerability of fans by combining a targeted review of the literature related to sports brands and fan identity, as well as case studies on the brand image and fan experience of the Pelicans. Analysis shows that the low loyalty of fans is mainly due to the lack of institutionalized identity paths, limited cultural integration in the game day environment, and over-reliance on star-centered interaction methods, which exacerbates the volatility of fan participation. Therefore, the dependence of fans is transactional and very sensitive to fluctuations in short-term performance. Results show that success on the court alone cannot achieve sustainable fan loyalty. On the contrary, long-term loyalty depends on the institutionalization of the fan identity level, the integration of local cultural narratives into the team's brand, and the repositioning of star players within a continuous, team-centered narrative framework. These conclusions emphasize the importance of identity building and experience design as a strategic basis for improving the loyalty of fans in small market sports clubs.