CONTEST UPDATE!

Over 100 innovative ideas for the Future Fan Experience have been submitted! Your support has been fantastic!

Now, it’s time for the next phase. Imagine you do not have the possibility to attend a match, because the event is already sold out or the location is too far away from home. How do you re-create the stadium atmosphere at a different event locations / third places? How do you liberate the stadium experience from its physical space? These locations can even be virtual and new created by you. Take your focus away from what takes place inside the stadium or at your home. Think of the perfect event location, where you’d like to watch a match. Your challenge is to re-create a stadium-like feeling at this event location. To get further inspirations, please check the information below:

People, Technology and Content!

Your task is to establish the ultimate fan experience by looking at the intersection of people, technology, content and space.

People: How do you connect fans across multiple locations (i.e. inside and outside the stadium)? How do these fan groups interact? How do you appeal to the fan’s emotions and senses (e.g. sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch)?

Technology: Which devices & technical solutions could be used? How would these be applied?

Content: Which content do you need for a perfect experience? How would this content be provided?

Summary: Create the perfect experience for fans that are not in the stadium. Focus on every step which might be included for a match day. Think of places besides your home and the stadium. If you have already submitted an idea with this focus, you may want to enrich it by using our inspiration: people, technology, and content.

Previous submitted ideas will still be evaluated and considered for the winner selection!

The three Phases of a Sports Event

An important game is on! The first thing you ask yourself is: Where do I watch the game? Do I go to the stadium and watch the match live? Or, maybe I’ll watch it at my favorite pub/bar, or at home?

In order to help you generating your ideas and make them more specific, we distinguish into 3 distinct phases: ‘before the game’, ‘during the game’, and ‘after the game’. All phases are applicable to the viewer’s inside or outside of the stadium.

Before the game

What do you have to organize before the kickoff?

• In which location will you watch the game? (bar, stadium, public viewing, at home)

• What kind of catering do you want?

• Where do you buy your tickets for accessing the stadium or public viewing?

• Which merchandise articles should be part of your football experience?

• How do you travel to your chosen destination?

• Do you need a hotel reservation?

• How do you find your seat ASAP in the stadium? Can this process be supported?

• How do you watch the pre-analyses? How do you get them and other interesting stats and things about the event?

• Do you meet up with friends, other fans or fan club members? How do you arrange it?

• How could social media influence a football match or event before the game?

• Which technical & digital gadgets could help you in every step of your journey to the match?

• …

During the game

What happens after the kickoff whistle?

• How could you solve existing catering issues? Are there any intelligent solutions?

• Which catering services do you want to be offered during the match?

• How could the interaction between fans (inside the stadium and outside the stadium) and players be improved?

• Which information and actions do you wish to have during the game and the halftime break?

• How could you use the halftime break ideally?

• How could social media influence the match during the game?

• How could gadgets improve your experience during the game?

• …

After the game

What happens after the final whistle?

• How does your departure proceed? Which means of transportation is ideal for you and how could your journey be supported?

• Which post-analyses are relevant for you and how could you get access to them?

• Are there any statistics which could be relevant for a fan experience that no one ever thought of before?

• How do you share your experience with other friends, fans or your family?

• How could your experience be summarized?

• …

Every exciting football game starts with the question of where to watch the game? Will I watch it in the stadium or broadcast it via TV/the Internet? If you decide to watch the match live in the stadium, a high organizational effort is needed: buying your tickets, planning the arrival, booking your hotel, buying merchandise articles, and much more. If you decide to watch the broadcast via TV/Internet, you have to organize the football night. To start up this event you have to consider things like setting the date and time to meet friends, buying food and beverage etc…

To simplify the different kinds of fan and football experiences whilst a match day, we categorize fans in 4 categories. Between groups, wishes, interests or personal situations are distinguishable to a great degree. Yet, they have one thing in common: they want their experience to be unforgettable.

• Foreign Fans and Expats:

A fan that lives in a foreign country and supports his club from far away. He has all kinds of merchandise products and doesn’t miss any match of his team. He loves his favorite pub, bar or any other location where he can support his club. He also likes to go to spots where he can share his emotions with other fans.

• Passionate Fan (e.g. Extreme Fans, Fanclub Member)

This fan watches every home and away match of his team in the stadium. He is part of the club’s family and identifies himself in any situation with his favorite club. This type of fan also loves to be in the fan block and engages in any choreography planned by the fan clubs. There is no game too far away for him. He doesn’t care about any mile he has to travel for his club.

• Pure Event Fans

The Pure Event Fan is interested in the experience of a single football match but is not meant to be a huge supporter of any club. A football game is just an event or opportunity to socialize with friends. He also loves the aspect of involving social media in his experience. Sharing live videos and pictures are worth it so that he can exchange his experience to anybody. Those fan groups can be found in international competitions like the World Cup or the Champions League as the media puts a huge focus on it.

• At Home Fans

This kind of fan enjoys the TV/Internet broadcasting. No one should interrupt him while watching the game. Even some days before the match he mentally gets ready for the upcoming match day. He also is highly emotionally attached to the club and supports the team with any kind of love. Pre- and post-analyses are of high importance for him. Additionally, he is very interested in live and real-time match statistics.