When Your Fans Hate You

Dedicated Star Wars geeks will be camping out at the theater to see Rogue One this week. Those first-in-line super-fans will be the ones tweeting about what is wrong with the film the moment they leave the theater.

They will also be first in line for Star Wars: Episode VII next year.

You want fans like this. They are involved.

Imagine that you are a player with the Chicago Cubs. A little over a month ago, your team won the World Series. There was champagne, a big trophy and a parade held in your honor.

Fast-forward to next season when your team wins a game but makes a few errors. Or heaven forbid, you lose a game or two.

That is when the hate kicks in.

The Cubs fans with season tickets, the ones who really love the team, are the most vocal. A Cubs fan that celebrates wins but never frets about losses is one who does not buy tickets. Getting riled up emotionally is part of the fun of being a fan.

Do not ignore complaints. When Game Of Thrones fans reacted negatively to excess sexual violence in Season 5, director Jeremy Podeswa toned it down a little for Season 6.

Game Of Thrones continues to kill off beloved characters and shock fans with unpleasant twists. Fans will complain, but will also love that the show is thrilling for them to watch.

The most compelling hosts are not always likable. The radio shows and podcasts that live just slightly on the edge of core audience acceptance are often the most successful, and hosts that sometimes share their personal quirks, flaws and unpopular opinions have the largest audiences.

When is the last time you got a complaint?

Photo Credit: Flickr.com/photos/smemon/