Conected Stadia
FSM
Connectivity:
How drink ordering technology can win revenue for stadiums By Nick Hucker, Preoday's CEO.
The price of sport
We all know that there’s big money to be made in football, but there are also some hefty expenses associated with running clubs and the stadiums they’re housed in. In September it was reported that the cost of staging West Ham United matches had soared by 35 percent, and just last year financial experts said that English Football League clubs risked bankruptcy by chasing promotion to the Premier League. Between the 2008-09 and 2015-16 seasons, they pointed out, 19 clubs were promoted to the top flight, with only one – Crystal Palace – avoiding a financial loss. One of those costs is linked to the necessary future proofing of stadiums to meet fan demand; many difficulties arise from the structure of old stadium buildings. While there are a few, shiny, new grounds in place, most date back to a time when fans needs and wants were different. When Brammell Lane was built in 1855, fans didn’t expect multiple hot food-serving outlets and bars that included refrigerated beverages. They do these days. Likewise, the idea of the internet, let alone mobile apps and browsing, would have seemed ludicrous. Now though, when most clubs have their own mobile apps, and when audiences spend half the time watching the game live and the other half following the thoughts of others on Twitter, the need for connected grounds is clear.
Evolution and progress
Some clubs, both in football and in other sports, are already making moves to meet changing requirements. Bath Rugby, one of the sport’s oldest grounds, has plans to build a new stadium that not only offers fans greater freedom of movement (to and from hospitality facilities) but also grants better WiFi and 4G access. Tottenham Hotspur is going further with the upgrading of its facilities. Focusing on space, the new stadium
is purporting to be the finest anywhere in the world for spectators. Boasting over 60 food and drink outlets, its goal-line bar will be over 65 metres long. While these changes will no doubt eat into the clubs’ budgets, they are being made with the confidence that such improvements will lead to better fan experiences, movement and hopefully, increased cash flow.
What comes next? Click and collect
At Tottenham, it would be surprising if some form of mobile pre-ordering wasn’t put into place in order to keep the mania of half-time queues at bay. Indeed, mobile ordering is one of the increasingly popular fan-technologies for which better stadium connectivity is required. Clearly, with rising costs, club operators
and catering teams will be under pressure to drive more revenue through the stands, but given staff can only actively serve so many people in 15 minutes, what can be done? Increasingly stadiums are turning to click and collect technology as a solution. If fans can use their mobile app to place orders in advance, then food and drinks can be pre-prepared to exact numbers, thereby shortening queues, smoothing bar operations and encouraging
Nick Hucker.
people to spend more money. The only drawback, again, is that word, connectivity, and it’s connectivity that might put off some teams. It shouldn’t. It’s fair to say that, at Bath Rugby, poor
internet connection means most mobile orders are being placed prior to match kick- off. Nonetheless, upon introducing a click and collect app for its main bar, the club quickly saw five percent of its bar sales going through the platform. Imagine five percent of a stadium like Old Trafford pre-ordering their drinks! Queues would be reduced dramatically – and with shorter queues, fans not planning to spend money, might change their mind; people would be more willing to spend money knowing they wouldn’t have to wait in a line to retrieve drinks. Refreshment sales for sports games are
often inconsistent and dependant on the weather, kick-off time and day, and general mood of the crowd. Given that, Bath has said that it expects sales to rise to 20 percent with the opening of the new stadium in a couple of years’ time. There’s no reason similar figures couldn’t be reported by connected stadiums – like Tottenham’s new ground – across the football league. Of course helping fans skip the bar queue
isn’t the only way that stadiums are looking to increase revenue and wrestle back spends. It’s also not the only reason stadiums should be looking to improve their connectivity – initiatives such as in-seat replays are expected to grow in popularity over coming seasons, while the use of staff management and live mapping technology can be used to streamline operations and enhance match- day experiences for fans. Each of these innovations plays into two clear goals – giving fans amazing experiences that keep them coming back for more, and encouraging them to spend during the game. In short, for any stadium looking to improve their income, stadium connectivity is key.
FSM 31
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
