Supporters are an important part of an athlete's personal brand. Some footballers use social media and personal websites to stay connected with fans, getting feedback from them about the club and acting as a spokesperson for the fans' views. Maintaining contact through good and bad moments helps build strong relationships with supporters and fans, who in turn send encouraging messages. Taking care of and listening to fans is a key part of being a successful athlete.

12. When creating the Sport Personal Brand of an athlete, one cannot forget the fans that supports them. In football,
we have seen some footballers using their personal brand to get to know their supporters in order to find out
and pass on to them what happens within the club. And conversely, they have become spokesmen in their clubs
of how the supporters felt during the season.
In the Spanish football second division, there are some footballers, who have just been promoted to that higher
division, who have kept that close relationship with the supporters through social networks and their personal
websites. During all the season, the day by day contact with their fans has enabled them to create good
relationships with them, in the good moments and in the bad, when they needed their support
even more.
We have seen how the supporters have sent pictures, cheering up messages and they have
established a close relationship with their favourite athletes. Taking care of your fans, being close and
listening to them is a very important part of what being a sportsman or sportswoman means.