The Business of Fandom

Fandom is one of the most powerful cultural and economic forces shaping modern entertainment, sports, gaming, and brands.

This course examines fandom as a structured system and how fan communities form, grow, organize, commercialize, fracture, and endure, drawing from cultural anthropology, sociology, psychology, media studies, and business.

The curriculum integrates foundational frameworks from leading scholars and practitioners including Susan Kresnicka (Founder, Kresnicka Research & Insights), Robert Kozinets (netnography and community behavior), and Henry Jenkins (participatory culture), alongside applied business strategy through relevant case studies.

Students will learn to translate fan behavior into actionable insights that strengthen brand building, audience strategy, and career readiness across industries.