MEDIA AGE
T
DIGITAL PITCH-SIDE ADVERTISING AND CLUB TV
he launch in February of Arsenal Matchday+ an interactive match- day service for fans at the Emirates
Stadium – is a sign that times are chang- ing in football stadia. The venture with Sony, which allows
fans to watch replays, player profiles and match statistics via their PSP console, is an indication of how new media is trans- forming football stadia and creating new revenue opportunities. Another area in which this trend is
obvious is in the stadia concourses, with many clubs installing high-definition networks to keep the fans informed and entertained, while generating revenue. UK media rights owner Sports Revolu-
tion is reflecting this migration to digital. The company’s business used to be based around advertising on ‘static’ media like posters, but today its focus is increasing- ly on digital pitch-side advertising and high-definition concourse TV networks. Earlier this year, the company worked with Sony to help launch Matchday+, with its on-site team demonstrating and signing fans up to the service. Following its acquisition of the trading
assets of Sports TV, which had networks in 45 grounds in the English leagues, Sports Revolution has invested £2m in HD concourse TV equipment and is now working with its technology partner BEKO to install them in grounds across
the country. Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane, West Bromwich Albion’s Haw- thorns and Liverpool’s Anfield are some of the stadia to benefit. The system provides a bespoke ‘Club
TV’ service, with content created and streamed remotely into the ground. As well as adding value for fans through up-to-date news, statistics and live score data, the system also allows for match- day marketing. The PC-based system can segment advertisements to different ar- eas of the ground, and the content can also be linked with the stadium’s jumbo screens (if it has them) allowing a seam- less, integrated audio-visual package. “While the commercial side of our
concourse TV offering is compelling, it also brings huge benefits to the fans. It’s imperative that the commercial ben- efits are balanced with ensuring the fans get the best match-day experience,” Sports Revolution managing director Anthony Marcou explains. Marcou predicts that new media will
transform UK football clubs and the way they connect with fans and commercial partners. Digital pitch-side advertising is another example. Sports Revolution is working with advertisers like BEKO and Stanley on digital campaigns that con- nect them with TV audiences not only in the UK, but in Asia, the US and Eastern Europe – demonstrating the commercial
Advanced technology offers new ways of marketing and information transmission
reach of the English Premier League. Meanwhile, in the stadia, the company is also exploring the commercial op- portunities of podcasts, with packages tailored to individual clubs. “From the seat, to the concourse, to
the pitch-side and to audiences on the other side of the world, new technology is changing the way sport is experienced and commercialised. Now that many clubs are searching for new revenue streams, media technology holds many of the answers,” Marcou says.
Issue 2 2010 © cybertrek 2010
Read Sports Management online
sportsmanagement.co.uk/digital
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