Sports fans digital experience becomes paramount for driving stadium attendance and revenues – Spider Marketing Report

• Digital sports fans are becoming stadiums biggest online influencers with 71% of viewers posting on social media while at the game
• 70% of respondents stated that receiving special offers relating to food and merchandising on their mobile devices would improve their experience of the game
• 63% of viewers would like video replays of game events on their mobile device
• Digital game boards are the most popular place that visitors will turn in order to get information during an event, with 75% saying that they use this source

London, UK  2016 – New Avaya commissioned Report conducted by Spider Marketing shows that today’s new digital sports fan is demanding more from their game day experience than ever before. Titled, Connected Sports Fans 2016 www.avaya.com/2016fans, it is based on 5,000 sports fans from the UK, USA and Australia who have attended a stadium in the last 12 months and own a mobile device. Key findings show sports fans who take a mobile device to the stadium are conducting ever more online activities while at the game, and there is a growing appetite for more digital information and social sharing. The report highlights digital information about the venue, prices, food and drink and logistics are among the most important to resolve fan frustrations, but it is equally important for them to be able to access information about the team, the players and athlete stats when it comes to team engagement and social sharing.

Venue goers want access not only to information, but access to streams of non-static, real-time information and newer technology, as over 50% sports fans said they would like to see a virtual reality view of the field on their mobile device and 63% want video replays of the game. Stadium owners and teams that provide more personalized digital experiences through stadium apps with video and social features, digital offers direct to mobile phones, and game information on digital boards can increase fan engagement and generate new revenue opportunities. 75% of fans use digital game boards to get information, however, more than half of respondents have at some point used digital sources of all varieties, including the web, dedicated apps and social media.

This study reveals that stadiums still have some work to do. Around one quarter of fans think that signal strength and web access is frustrating, while just under a third find download speeds frustrating.

Sports Fans move from viewers to broadcaster
The spirit of the sports community is going digital as fans move away from being passive viewers towards live engagement and broadcasting. Standard mobile features like cameras for videos and photos, social media apps, and instant messaging have changed the way sports fans engage with their teams and each other at live stadium events.  89% of fans take pictures of others while at a game, 71% take selfies, and a whopping 89% of the 18 to 24 year olds create videos when they visit stadia.

The shift from viewer to broadcaster is most evident when you look at the shift in digital behavior through the age groups. 90% of 18 to 34 year olds admitting to posting on social media while at the stadium. And it’s the younger generation who are sharing their experiences with an ever wider audience, as they will post their content to more public audiences, compared to the older fan who will mostly share with family and friends. In fact, more respondants wanted to find out what others are saying about the game on social media, over watching and listening to live commentary on their mobile device.

A digitally connected fan is becoming a venue’s biggest online influencer. The trend for public postings, particularly in the younger age groups is a sign of far more user-generated content to come in the future. Stadiums can take advantage of this public broadcasting to increase earned media coverage, enhance team support and drive interest for future live attendance of game events.

Additional findings include:

• Ability to access video replays and live information are high on the list of priorities for the millennial generation fan

• Almost three-quarters of 18 to 34 year olds said real- time updates on athlete performance would improve their experience

• High desire by fans for digital features to help address some of their biggest frustrations – queues for food, convenience and crowd management being high priorities

Stadiums need to work together with teams to create an integrated digital experience that matches fans high expectations and uses online solutions to generate higher attendance and new revenue opportunities.

To download the Report please visit www.avaya.com/2016fans

About Avaya
Avaya is a leading provider of solutions that enable customer and team engagement across multiple channels and devices for better customer experience, increased productivity and enhanced financial performance. Its world-class contact center and unified communications technologies and services are available in a wide variety of flexible on-premises and cloud deployment options that seamlessly integrate with non-Avaya applications. The Avaya Engagement Environment enables third parties to create and customize business applications for competitive advantage.  Avaya’s fabric-based networking solutions help simplify and accelerate the deployment of business critical applications and services.  For more information please visit www.avaya.com/uk/.

About Spider Marketing
Spider Marketing is a London based boutique content marketing and strategy agency who create original marketing campaign assets to generate engagement across multiple platforms and channels. Through developing in-depth original pillar research and reports they help brands build a unique voice in the market so conversions and engagement soars.

Find out more at spidermarketing.co.uk or contact us at info@spidermarketing.london.