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A few weeks ago I wrote of one NFL team, the Indianapolis Colts blitzing its fans, figuratively via a new app which allows fans to play against one another in the stadium during games for the chance to win prizes.
The in game experience is becoming or has already become an extremely aspect to any and all professional sports teams overall marketing endeavors. At least it should be if it is not already. Time and again we read about the need to provide consumers with the best possible experience across all channels, right?
So why should the world of sports be any different?
Well it is different of course on many levels.
For one thing going to a sporting event is not a tangible thing like buying a car. You are in essence buying the experience are you not? Oh sure you can buy something while at the given game like a hat or shirt or whatever but you can buy those items elsewhere - you don't need to be at the given stadium or arena to do that.
My point is sports teams, operating in today's uber digital, mobile, social, connected world where the consumer, AKA fans have a multitude of options as it relates to spending their disposable income, need to constantly provide said fans with the best possible in-person experience possible.
Obviously the marketing departments at the respective teams cannot control what happens on the playing field but they can control what happens off it, in the stands specifically in this case.
That's what led the Colts to do what they did and it's what led another NFL team to do what they did. The team in question is the Philadelphia Eagles, my hometown team and what they did was provide its fans with the highest resolution display end zone video boards in the entire NFL along with a series of highly interactive HD boards around the stadium.
End zone scoreboard at Lincoln Financial Field (Source: Panasonic)
Listen To What The Fan Said
My Paul McCartney play on words aside, the Eagles, to their credit, did what every brand needs to do: they listened to their customers AKA their fans .
That is how the new boards came to be. The Eagles asked their season ticket holders what they wanted and they responded:
- Greater levels of in-stadium connectivity
- A better viewing experience on video boards with higher-resolutionIncreased informational capabilities: i.e. out of town scores, fantasy football updates, more camera angles, HD replays, etc.
What a novel approach for a brand to A) ask their customers what they want then in turn B) actually deliver on it. "The entire project was based on feedback from the fans and intended to enhance the overall fan experience," said Eagles President Don Smolenski.
He adds that it's all about the quality of the video content. "The new Panasonic HD video boards and the LED ribbon boards are designed to work together to provide superior camera angles and replays, more dynamic graphics and videos, as well as scores and stats from our game and around the league. The video boards make the experience more immersive”
It is that experience that is clearly high on the priority list for the Eagles.
“We are very fortunate to have incredibly passionate fans," Smolenski pointed out. "In Philadelphia, there is an emotional connection between the city, the team, and the fans. The in stadium experience provides an opportunity for us to tap into that emotional connection. While we cannot control the play on the field, we can manage all other elements of their game day experience. Providing exceptional customer service throughout the day plays a big part of the overall experience so that fans will come back to support the team after a win or a loss."
More Than Just Pigskin
Jim Doyle, President of Enterprise Sales Group at Panasonic says the delivery of video content at this high level of quality transcends the football field.
"From a business perspective, these state-of-the-art boards, driven by cutting edge technology and providing the platform and a significantly larger display area for corporate partners to deliver creative, high-impact messaging - simply make good business sense. The versatility and impact these boards have in delivering content helps generate revenue and allows brands to make strong connections with consumers. It’s good business and good for the bottom line."
I asked Doyle to speak to not only the importance of video in terms marketing and delivering the best possible experience, but also where he sees the future in terms of video marketing.
Steve Olenski: Why do you think the video experience has become so important when it comes to connecting with the consumer?
Jim Doyle: Video is a readily identifiable medium that everyone can relate to on a certain level , with the ability to connect, entertain and create a more immersive experience.
In the case of the Eagles, Panasonic has installed advanced system capabilities that allow programmers to use the optimal mix of content elements to engage fans – who are the consumers in this case – ranging from animation, crowd prompts, multi-screen images and social media to replays to in-game highlights, closed captioning, 3-D graphics and scores from other sports such as pro baseball and college football.
Furthermore, more than 2,500 linear feet of ribbon fascia boards now carry updated fantasy football statistics and scores from around the league, including details such as time remaining and ball possession.
Olenski: What does the future hold for video marketing?
Doyle: There are two answers to this question. First, delivering customized solutions means that our products and services have the flexibility to evolve and meet specific requirements aimed at helping clients realize new revenue streams and forging stronger connections. We can provide the back-end support and technology to make the content more interactive in real-time which could even include feeds from the outside or social media.
Maintaining high levels of connectivity and complete system integration gives the properties, sponsors and partners a dynamic messaging platform to solicit consumer engagement, increase brand visibility and generate revenues.
The question for the future of video marketing is what brands will do with it.
