FSM
Commercial Development
Enhancing the modern stadium experience – the power of connected spaces
By James Lennon, Business Development Director at Acxiom
As broadcast rights have transformed the commercial landscape of Football, digital has the opportunity to revolutionise the relationship between the club and its loyal fans. This connection needs to go far beyond the fans at the stadium, it needs to connect those fans unfortunate enough to miss the game in person with the passion of those in the stands. A recent UEFA report highlighted how well the Premier League and the English Football League have maintained match day attendances and simultaneously engaged, and commercialised, fans outside the stadia, especially those in distant territories. English clubs have invested heavily in
recent years to build stadia that better meet differing fans’ expectations (and grow revenue). Tottenham Hotspur are leading the new wave of stadia with their £750m stadium expected to be unveiled this year. Spurs have gone on record stating its ambition to play a role at every step of the fan journey; the stadium’s technology enabling them to deliver the best customer experience in the Premier League. Turning fan engagement into loyalty and brand value is the new hot ticket in sports – and connected stadiums are a major part of the solution. It’s no surprise that clubs continue
to invest in WiFi and official apps across the leagues, not only to enhance the experience for attendees, but to also communicate that passion by creating a more connected fan experience. Traditionally, stadia have been utilised
for little more than a few hours on match days, but they are also key infrastructure projects that can transform communities through the addition of new retail and leisure destinations. Clubs now recognise the value of these major assets as
never before. This extension to their traditional operations take them into new territories, new customers seeking different experiences with the clubs’ brands being the major beneficiaries. Today, there is an abundance of
opportunities for sports brands to redefine their marketing techniques as the fan’s journey goes much further than simply securing a ticket. It can start by sharing a tweet, commenting on some content, securing that ticket and can stretch across into travel to the venue, food and merchandise and post- event communications too. The brand can build value in distant territories by delivering experiences to engaged fans and monetising this passion through commercial partnerships. The foundation of a connected
stadium is processing at the data layer, the fan – pulling together multiple strands of disconnected data, unravelling it to know the fan or visitor and to leverage the right data at the moment of intent. And, then being able to share brand messaging both in a digital and physical space to deliver a people-based customer experience. Thanks to identity resolution techniques, rich analytics online and on social channels, geo-fencing and loyalty schemes, venues can identify customers and provide relevant information to fans as the game draws near. This allows the club to welcome their fans (both real and digital), extending their knowledge which enables brands to engage with them and curate their time within the ground. With the power of connected spaces, visitors can be effectively identified and acknowledged from the moment they interact with a brand, with additional touchpoints as they book journeys, as
they arrive for a specific event, and even after they leave to encourage future visits. By delivering this unified approach
to the customer experience, smart stadium solutions can better orchestrate a fan’s journey. This can extend to communications long after the event, making the stadia relevant beyond the game itself. Fans can be rewarded both physically
and digitally for their loyalty, for those on the stands a free beer following a great game, or a discount for a new football shirt in return for introducing your friends to the brand by sharing some rich content. By linking fans’ interactions with offers from relevant store concessions at the stadium or online, stadiums can understand each fans engagement in full. With their upcoming stadium, Spurs
have taken note of these trends and by embracing new technology, are working to innovate and change the venue in line with the constant changing fan behaviours. These technologies are delivering meaningful insights for venue marketers to extend the fan experience from beyond the seat, provide a win-win situation for both fans and stadiums. As we continue to apply data and tech, venue owners can transform bricks and mortar locations into hubs of entertainment and customer experience excellence, driving ever greater value from their local and global fan base. Fan passion defines the stadium experience and for those clubs that can amplify that passion beyond the fleeting moments of brilliance on the pitch, there is a world of opportunity through data and digital.
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