• by Gavin O'Malley , Staff Writer @mp_gavin, June 8, 2015

Impossible as it may seem, the NBA has spent the past decade or so trying to separate the season-to-season success of its teams from fan engagement.

And, while nothing can take the place of wins, rings and shiny trophies, the effort is going quite well, according to Sasha Williams, director of customer loyalty at The Indiana Pacers. “It’s about building strong relationships,” Williams told attendees of MediaPost’s Email Insider Summit, on Monday.

In her 13th season with the league, Williams insists that a strong message -- combined with the smart use of marketing tools and technology -- can forge loss-resistant relationships with fans.

“The messaging is so relevant to how we keep our fans engaged, and not bailing on us,” she said. Among other efforts, sporting venues are becoming savvier about who’s walking into their building from minute to minute, and how best to make them feel special, notes Williams.

For the Pacers, that required investing in mobile technology, which can track fans in real-time.