At first glance, working in sports sounds like it would be all fun and games (pun fully intended). But the play on the field is just one small part of the business of sports. Behind the excitement of home runs, goals, and touchdowns lies the complex world of sports management where teams must balance entertainment, ethics, and fan experience—and in doing so, manage the brand.

The Passion (and Pressure) of Being a Fan

Fans are, in many ways, the lifeblood of sports. They buy the tickets, wear the jerseys, and turn every game into an emotionally charged experience. Beyond the event, we all know the superfan who can rattle off stats from memory or paints their face in team colors.

In short, fans create community – and part of what makes attending a game so special is this feeling of community. As philosopher Michael Sandel notes in What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets, a baseball game is a rare place where people from all walks of life come together to experience the entertainment of the game. It’s a melting pot of shared emotions where strangers high-five after a big play and rival jerseys spark friendly banter.

That sense of belonging, however, can quickly disappear when fans forget the social norms that make public life possible or when fans hit the…

This blog explores the leadership lessons that can be learned by how teams react off the field, using recent events where fan behavior took away from the spectacle of the game itself as examples. First, we explore Spain’s football industry response to fan behavior that continues mar what are supposed to be friendly games. And in the US, recent events in Major League Baseball offer a good example of how organizations can, and should, respond when fan behavior crosses the line. These situations offer leadership lessons that FIFA organizers should keep in mind as the 2026 Men’s World Cup Competition comes to North America.

When Behavior Crosses the Line

Consider the case of Real Madrid footballer Vinicius Jr., who has faced relentless racist abuse from opposing fans, including a 2024 incident where a doll in his image was hanged in effigy from a bridge. Harassment became so extreme that Vinicius Jr. openly questioned whether he wanted to continue playing. And more recently, a Real Oviedo fan was accused of racially abusing Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford.

Unfortunately, such incidents are not rare. Whether it’s racism in the stands, verbal abuse, or the occasional brawl, sporting events can mirror broader social tensions. A recent article in Inside World Football puts it this way” “the behaviour of a small subset of supporters is leaving a stain on the game and the country, as racism continues to be a problem despite repeated promises of reform.”

When fans behave badly, teams face a pressing question: what responsibility do they have to act? The old saying “the customer is always right” doesn’t apply here. In matters of taste, maybe—but not in matters of basic human decency. Sports organizations must protect players, fans, their brands, and the spirit of the game itself.

The Phillies “Karen” and a Masterclass in Fan Management

To see what good management looks like, let’s revisit a much-lighter (but equally instructive) story from U.S. Major League Baseball.

During a Philadelphia Phillies vs. Miami Marlins game this fall, a father retrieved a home run ball that had landed nearby in the stands, uncaught, and gave it to his young son. A nearby woman, quickly dubbed “Phillies Karen” by the internet, demanded that the ball be given to her instead. When the father, hoping to avoid a scene, handed it over, the crowd erupted in boos. Cameras captured the moment, and “Phillies Karen” cemented her viral infamy by flipping off the audience.

While it’s easy to laugh off the episode, it turned into a shining example of how a team can turn a negative situation into a positive one.

Within minutes, the Marlins’ staff assembled a gift bag for the boy, ensuring that someone else’s poor behavior didn’t ruin his fan experience. After the game, they invited him to meet the player who had hit the home run, and the player even gifted him a signed bat.

The team’s quick, empathetic response turned a bad moment into a lifetime memory and, likely, a lifelong fan.

Why the Marlins Got It Right

The Marlins’ handling of the incident wasn’t just a PR win. It showcased several leadership principles that every sports organization (and, frankly, any customer-facing business) can learn from:

1. Empower your people. The Marlins’ staff didn’t need a manager’s permission to act; they were empowered to fix problems in real time. Empowerment fuels responsiveness, while bureaucracy kills momentum. Imagine if the staff had waited for approval before doing something kind; by then, the moment would have passed.

2. Respond immediately and directly. The Marlins didn’t issue a bland statement condemning bad behavior. They acted fast and personally. Speed matters, especially when emotion runs high. The team’s action showed attentiveness and empathy in a way that no press release could.

3. Control the narrative. By proactively engaging with the fan, the Marlins shifted the story from “woman ruins kid’s night” to “team saves the day.” The organization’s gesture not only restored goodwill but also earned positive media coverage.

4. Highlight the positive, don’t amplify the negative. The Marlins didn’t waste time punishing “Phillies Karen.” The internet handled that on its own. Instead, they focused on the boy and his dad—sending a clear message about what kind of fan behavior is expected and celebrated.

The Bigger Picture

The Phillies-Marlins story might seem lighthearted compared to the ugliness faced by players like Vinicius Jr., but both point to the same truth: sports organizations have a moral and managerial responsibility to shape the culture of their events.

The stands are a reflection of society. When a team acts decisively to reward kindness or condemn cruelty, it’s doing more than managing a brand; it’s setting the tone for what’s acceptable in public life.

Imagine if Real Madrid had responded to Vinicius Jr.’s abuse the way the Marlins responded to that young fan’s disappointment immediately, personally, and visibly. A public show of solidarity, inclusion, and zero tolerance for racism could have sent a message louder than any press conference ever could or media coverage from third parties.

Sports can bring out the best and worst in us. They test our loyalty, emotion, and sense of community. But when fans cross the line, it is the reputation of the team and the sport that is on the line. With the right leadership, sports can also remind us of our shared humanity.

So, while it’s easy to think of the sports business as “fun and games,” the real play happens off the field, where the best teams know that managing fans, not just players, is the key to keeping the spirit of the game alive.

My recommendation to FIFA? Be prepared to lead: have a crisis management response for handling fan behavior in this World Cup.

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