THE EVOLUTION OF THE FAN EXPERIENCE – THE EXCITEMENT OF LIVE SPORTS AND EVENTS

I have been thinking about in-building wireless coverage, specifically in large sports venues, how technology is improving the fan experience, and how the fan experience will evolve in the future. Over the years, I have experienced some amazing live sporting events.

I was fortunate to grow up on a dirt road that divided NC and SC in the house my great-grandfather built in 1919. Nothing but fields of corn, tobacco, soybeans, and big dreams surrounded me!

My life was busy with farm work, school, and sports, and when the doors opened, Church! There was not much free time for “loafing,” as Mom says.

Football. TV was not a thing since there were only three channels in black and white, and the programming was not close to today’s standards. The one good thing was Sunday afternoon football. Every Sunday after Church, I rushed home, put on my Washington Redskins uniform, pulled out the beanbag, and watched my Redskins play football. After the game, I would go outside, toss my football around, and kick endless field goals over the top of the tobacco barn. Mark Moseley was my hero.

Fast-forward to 1989. My first year of law school at USC. I attended my first real college football game in a large stadium. I get chills when I think about 2001 blaring in the stadium, Cocky jumping out of his magical cage, and later, the thrill and excitement of Sandstorm! Later, I enjoyed the fan comforts provided by the Zone.

Fast-forward to 2000. I attended my first NFL game in Ericsson Stadium (now BOA), home of the Carolina Panthers. I was overwhelmed by the facilities, jumbotrons, bars, restaurants, live entertainment, and amenities. Later, I was fortunate to join the 32 Club, which took the fan experience to a whole new level—all because of technology.

Fast-forward to the now and the future. Stadiums are expanding wireless networks within and outside the venues to permit a better fan experience. Examples include ticketless entry, real-time game/player stats, on-device real-time play and replays, fan preferences, in-seat ordering, touchless payments, etc.

Racing. I have always been a fan of fast cars and racecars. NASCAR was exciting in my early years. On Sunday afternoons, I listened to the announcers on MRN. Think about Ken Squier and Ned Jarrett. Their calls were so great I felt like I was sitting in the stands!

Fast forward to 1986. I attended my first NASCAR race in Darlington. I sat on the third row of the original front stretch on a concrete bench. Chicken bones and empty beer cans surrounded me, tossed down from the fans above me. My white tee shirt was black from the tire rubber blowing up from the biased ply race tires—no TVs, scanners, or radios. Later, NASCAR sold red headsets that allowed you to tune in to the local AM radio station to listen to those same MRN announcers.

I remember my first Daytona 500. I slept in the back of my old Jeep Cherokee for three nights at the “K-Mart Hilton.” I was overwhelmed by the scale of the track and facilities. I stood by the catch fence as the cars circled by at over 200 mph, and it was electrifying!

My most memorable race events included sleeping in a tent in the infields of the 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, and Petite Le Mans.

Fast-forward to speedways creating RV lots within or adjacent to the speedways for extreme fan comfort.

Fast-forward to joining the Speedway Club at Charlotte Motor Speedway. I took an elevator to my seat. I had a live TV stream, an exclusive bar with multiple food choices, wait staff, and a scanner to listen to every driver’s in-car communications. Sprint/Nextel offered a wireless device for in-car camera views. These new amenities and technologies elevated my fan experience over the top.

Fast-forward to 2012. I was able to attend the first F1 race in Austin, TX. The track was brand new. The track had a new ODAS to enhance the wireless experience. Technology abounded! The following year, I watched the race from the Paddock Club. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I got a tour of the F1 TV Production Facility the following year. The technology behind producing an F1 event is tremendous, from wired and unwired cameras to miles of fiber, helicopters, and satellites.

Music. I grew up listening to any music I could find, first on the radio and then on vinyl. I remember my first 8-track, cassette player,? and boom box. In 1989, I bought my first car with a CD player. The first CD I owned was Reba McEntire’s Best Hits. I had made it!

However, my relationship with music changed forever after my first live concerts—Loverboy, Def Leppard, Judas Priest, and so on! Now, that was a true fan experience. Over the years, the venues, stage sets, and music just got better. Yes, I took my daughters to see T-Swifty back in the day! Front-row seats. What a great fan experience!

As a lawyer, I get excited about creating agreements that allow venue owners to expand and enhance the fan experience to levels never before imagined. I have a great job! My life experiences give me the creative energy to obtain the best outcomes for my clients and their fans!

Please share your favorite fan experiences with me and my connections!

?#fans #experiences #stadiums