Fans visit the stadium to cheer on their favorite teams alongside other fans. But besides a live viewing experience, what additional incentive does this experience offer?
In our vision of the modern in-stadium experience, we hope to offer an experience that is even more engaging and exciting than the current one. The 49ers digital app will encourage team spirit by providing a platform for fans to interact with each other and bridge information gaps that happen as a live game unfolds with instant replays, footage and commentary. Fans – new and old – will feel more involved in the game, as though they’re part of the team. Though filled with endless cheering, clapping, heckling and discussing, the environment will remain just as comfortable as the one in your own home.
We plan to achieve this by:
- Building expertise for newcomers and first timers by introducing them to the game and customs of football
- Building an exclusive, personal relationship between the fans and the staff at the Levi’s Stadium. For example, food servers will know who they are delivering orders to by name and face and vice versa.
- Encouraging face-to-face and digital interaction between the fans, especially during celebrations and losses. This could be via a live chat channel or app-facilitated activities.
- Offering an enhanced, personalized experience, based on the user’s preferences, location and other personal data. For instance, the app can show only the stats of their favorite players or highlight only their favorite food options when shown the food menu.
Parameters
- The app should be an extension of the live football experience and not a distraction.
- Without football commentators or stats constantly available to supplement the live game (as is the case on TV), live viewers don’t always get the full picture of the game right away.
- How will the app be funded? If funded by the team’s commercial partners, there might need to be opportunities for advertising included.
- Technology: built-in ticket scanners, LCD screens and scoreboards, iBeacons, WiFi and cameras surrounding the stadium
This is a good set of G&P.
I think that the unique aspect of your approach is figuring out how to make it a personal experience while at the same time connecting with other fans. Delivering some of the same information that you might get if you were watching on tv or listening on the radio is important and is a good goal. How to deliver that information without distracting from the live game is going to be a big challenge.
-mls