Smarter Stadiums Keeping Fans First
The value of technology incorporated into professional sports is undeniable , and will only continue to grow. Using wearables to assist player training, software for identifying trends, and social media to manage public relations is seen in every major sports league. The game day experience is also being changed through technology.
After buying your ticket online, you enter the stadium and can immediately connect to stadium WiFi. Wireless access in stadiums is increasingly becoming considered a "must have", as 42% of fans will use some form of social media during the game and expect internet access everywhere. Stadium WiFi has more complex considerations than your WiFi at home, with thousands of people trying to upload and download content in a condensed space. It seems counterintuitive for teams to provide internet access, it costs them millions and distracts fans from the entertainment on the field. But if you look closer, you can see the dollar signs in the eyes of team executives.
Technology companies, such as VenueNext, allow stadiums to continue to sell to their fans once they are in their seats. Purchasing concessions from your mobile device, buying seat upgrades, and pushing "loyalty programs" (incentivizing fans to spend that extra dollar), it becomes clear that installing stadium WiFi has less altruistic concerns than allowing you to tweet to your followers.
Other uses for stadium internet connection is to try and gain data about fans, tracking the apps they use to access the internet or directly surveying fans.
All of these innovations can, ultimately, enhance the fan experience. Purchasing concessions can be less of a headache and data gained by teams could be used to improve gameday. But at the end of the day people attend sporting events and use mobile apps for one big common reason: entertainment. Sports fans don't always respond well to the cash-first model, and could easily become disillusioned through further sports monetization. As stadiums become more technologically advanced it is important for teams to remember why fans are there in the first place, not to buy an overpriced hot dog, but to engage in a high-energy form of entertainment with thousands of other fans. Teams should keep this in mind when exploring new technology solutions.
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This blog was originally posted on the Homefield website at https://www.homefield.me/blog/post/3?