The digital revolution is undeniably transforming the live sports and entertainment experience. It’s ushering in unprecedented access, interactivity and engagement with the rise of virtual venues and concerts enabled by AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) technology, the growing popularity of Esports and the emergence of NFTs, among other innovations. In fact, Australia’s sports technology sector is now worth AUS$4.25 billion, putting it equal in value with the country’s financial technology sector, according to a recent study by the Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN).

However, the impact of the digital revolution goes beyond enhancing the quality and accessibility of live events. It is also reshaping the business landscape of sports and entertainment, generating new and innovative business models. The integration of technology has opened up a plethora of revenue streams, allowing for monetisation opportunities that were previously untapped.

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To truly capitalise on this exciting time and this massive opportunity, sports clubs must evolve. They have to ensure sports remain captivating for the next generation of fans whilst keeping the current state of sports fandom strong. Below are six winning strategies to help supercharge any sports marketing campaign with cutting-edge technology:

1. Create rewards at a venue: Savvy sporting organisations are increasingly leveraging technology like AR and geo-mapping to drive engagement and sponsor traffic at events. This can look like placing rewards throughout a venue that sports fans can collect and redeem at sponsors’ online stores or event booths. A win-win scenario, this helps entertain and engage attendees during breaks whilst also driving greater value for sponsors and business partners.
2. Score points with your fans with AR and gamification: AR is also used by brands and organisations to deliver interactive challenges and games to their audience by inserting digital effects in real world settings. Whether it’s catching a ball or kicking a goal, AR provides a great opportunity for interaction whether your audience is at home, attending a match or in a store.
3. Tailored marketing using segmented audiences: Through digital experiences such as those mentioned above, sports marketers can collect valuable information about audiences. This data is the key to creating more relevant marketing and content tailored to a person’s interests. XRii allows businesses to create in-venue or at-home digital experiences and includes built-in analytics and insights to help understand your customers more and drive better engagement.
4. Run a contest or giveaway: Do you want to run a cash giveaway, meet-and-greet with an athlete or product giveaway? Running your contest through a high-quality digital experience helps drive entries and gather valuable information about audiences. QR codes have become a popular, fast and easy way to gain digital engagement at venues.
5. Guide attendees through the venue: AR can also be used to guide attendees through your venue with the assistance of geo-mapping. This can provide helpful directions to seating areas as well as stalls and activities. By creating an interactive map, you can highlight key sponsors and drive traffic to live events happening during breaks. This can be used in combination with location-specific rewards to help drive interactive experiences.
6. Create fan loyalty programs: In 2022, Manchester United appointed a new role — head of fan engagement. The goal was to strengthen the club’s relationship with game attendees as well as those who can’t attend live games like overseas fans. An essential part of this strategy is recognising and rewarding digital fan interactions, ultimately creating a positive feedback loop between your audience and your brand.

The best of the best in sports marketing in action

Leading sports organisations are embracing the power of digital experiences to achieve a range of objectives. Whether to enhance the excitement of game days, engage with fans on a deeper level, capitalise on a global audience or tailor content to specific demographics, the sports clubs are creating innovative and impactful digital experiences with experiential marketing that drive results.

As an example, Founded in 1904 to provide unity among national soccer associations, the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is arguably the most prestigious sports organisation in the world.

To keep pace with its winning reputation and exceed fans’ expectations, FIFA continues to push the boundaries of innovation and deliver unparalleled experiences. In 2022, it released FIFA+, an AR app that offers viewers immersive content via mobile devices to bring the action to fans wherever they are, which is sure to bring even more excitement to FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand this year.

The completely free platform features a host of immersive and engaging features. A few highlights include:

• Full tournament coverage, with an industry-leading live blog running non-stop, capturing the sights, sounds, atmosphere and energy of the world’s biggest football celebration.
• Official highlights, with each and every match recapped within minutes of the final whistle and all the thrills, drama and emotion available to fans in every corner of the globe – with a version available to watch in sign language as well.
• FIFA+ Stadium experience, allowing fans in the stadium to experience the action in new ways with a live AR overlay of stats, heat maps, insights, different camera angles, VAR replays and more.

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Another great example is the NFL (National Football League), which is not only a prominent professional sports league in the United States and Canada but also the pinnacle of American football worldwide. It sets the benchmark for innovation among sporting clubs.

To enhance the NFL experience, the league introduced an app with augmented reality (AR) features. Fans can use their cameras to create and share images, incorporating virtual helmets and eye black, on social media platforms.

The 2023 Super Bowl is a testament to the club’s ongoing commitment to pushing boundaries with innovative partnerships and technology usage, including:

• Avocados From Mexico partnered with ChatGPT to create an immersive campaign during Super Bowl 2023. Leveraging AR and ChatGPT technologies, they launched a digital platform called “Always Good” that allowed users to engage in various online experiences, including:
  • A music toolkit that generates personalised tracks based on the user’s Spotify account.
  • AR capabilities on Instagram, enabling users to trigger specific sounds with different facial expressions.
  • A ChatGPT section for generating and sharing Tweets
• A collaboration with Roblox to develop a series of virtual experiences, including:
  • “Super NFL Tycoon” game, which allows users to experience owning an NFL team, undertaking tasks like drafting players, building an “Intuit Stadium” and managing finances, payroll, taxes and customer acquisition with the assistance of Intuit’s products
  • A virtual concert for the NFL’s Super Bowl LVII pregame, featuring musician Saweetie.

Striking the right balance

The future of marketing is here. By embracing the convergence of in-person and digital experiences, sports clubs can amplify their reach and deepen fan connections. This involves leveraging technology to enhance the in-stadium experience with interactive displays, mobile apps and real-time fan interactions. Simultaneously, clubs must invest in robust online platforms, social media engagement and personalised content delivery to engage with fans beyond the stadium walls.