Understand Your Fans. Protect Your Revenue.

Fan and audience research uses primary methods — surveys, interviews and focus groups — to understand who's attending events, what they value, where they're satisfied and where they're not. Suite holder analysis is a specialized form focused on a venue's highest-revenue customers, examining renewal drivers, satisfaction with amenities and willingness to expand or change their commitment. Together, this work gives venue operators, teams and rights holders a clear-eyed view of the audiences whose decisions drive revenue. 

A standard Net Promoter Score survey asks one question and produces one number. Fan research is built around the specific questions that drive your business — what's influencing renewal decisions, which amenities matter most to suite holders, how satisfaction varies across demographics and segments, what concession or service changes would improve the experience. The methodology is designed for the questions you need answered, not the metric a templated survey produces. 

Independent research is most valuable at decision points: ahead of pricing changes, before stadium renovations, in advance of suite or season ticket renewal cycles, after a major service issue, when entering new markets or when launching new programming. It's also valuable on a recurring basis — many longest-running Insights engagements are annual or seasonal research programs that track satisfaction and retention drivers over time. 

Surveys are built from scratch around the specific business questions that need answering. Sample frames are sized for statistical significance across the segments that matter. Question wording is crafted to surface drivers rather than echo platitudes. Statistical analysis isolates the factors that genuinely influence behavior. The result is a survey that delivers findings the front office can act on. 

Suite holder analysis is dedicated research focused on a venue's premium revenue base — typically the smallest customer segment but the largest contributor to revenue. The work examines renewal drivers, satisfaction with amenities and service, willingness to upgrade or expand commitments and competitive risk from other venues or entertainment options. Because suite contracts are often multi-year and high-value, even modest changes in renewal rates carry major revenue implications. 

Driver analysis goes beyond surface satisfaction averages to identify the specific factors that statistically correlate with — and predict — loyalty, satisfaction and renewal. The analysis separates the variables that genuinely influence audience behavior from the variables that don't, so recommendations focus on the changes that move the needle. 

Mystery shopping uses trained researchers posing as customers to evaluate the experience competitors deliver — sales conversations, response times, customer service, product positioning. The research is most valuable for businesses competing in markets where direct competitor intelligence is otherwise difficult to obtain. Findings inform sales strategy, pricing, customer experience design and competitive positioning. 

A typical engagement runs 8–14 weeks. The work includes audience definition, custom research design, survey deployment, data collection, statistical driver analysis, segmentation, benchmarking and a final report with findings and recommendations. Many engagements also include presentation support to leadership teams, season-over-season trend analysis and annual research program design. 

Victus has researched suite holders, season ticket holders, single-game attendees, donors, alumni, event organizers, regional concert promoters, corporate sponsors, tournament operators, mystery shoppers and residents within a venue's catchment — across pro sports, college athletics, performing arts, sports tourism, public venues and corporate brand environments. The methodology adapts to the audience; the rigor stays consistent. 

Findings are delivered with recommendations tied directly to the decisions clients face — pricing changes, amenity investments, service improvements, renewal strategies, marketing positioning, programming changes. Many engagements include presentation support during front-office, venue management or board discussions to help translate findings into operational decisions.