Professional sports teams and stadiums have always focused on improving the live-sport viewing experience to accumulate more fans and generate more revenue. It took decades for the technology to be near-perfect enough to be implemented into these major sports leagues.
As even newer technology gets developed, stadiums will try to implement ways to make getting your tickets, getting parking spaces, getting food and getting to your seats easier while also improving your viewing experience as the game commences. In this article, we’ll discuss the role of technology in enhancing the fan experience at live sports events, including the reasons why implementing technology for these events and how it directly affects the in-house viewing experience.
One of the simplest and most modern forms of implementing new high-definition technology in your stadium to improve the live fan experience is the existence of the giant replay screen. If you’ve ever been to any major sports event, you’ve seen one of the many massive screens on the inner edge of any stadium. Just ask yourself why it’s there, to begin with, and you have an easy answer.
Did you stand up to get food and miss a goal? Watch the replay on the big screen. Did you go to the bathroom and miss a touchdown? Watch the replay on the big screen. Do you want a closer look at that speedy slapshot hitting the back of the net after all the other fans stand up in your way, blocking the ice? Watch the replay on the giant high-definition jumbotron.
Another form that gives fans the in-house viewing experience they want is the implementation of a wireless internet connection to the stadium’s network. At first glance nowadays, you don’t even notice how much having internet access within your sports stadiums affects your viewing experience.
Send a friend who couldn’t make it to the game a picture of what they’re missing out on, or maybe, you forgot your physical tickets in the car and need to log in to TicketHub. Maybe you want to livestream to an audience how much fun you’re having, or maybe you simply want to download a map of the stadium to look up food locations. None of these would be possible without using wireless internet, so it is a crucial step for the role of technology in enhancing fan experience at live sports events.
Lastly, one of the most apparent reasons for the role of technology in enhancing the fan experience at live sports events is to improve overall efficiency at the venue. Aside from any sports franchise trying to generate as much revenue as possible, it wouldn’t be possible without an efficient setup to get people in and out of your stadiums, parking lots, etc. without the major hassle.
By using all of the technology available to us, we can come up with a system that benefits both the fans and franchise to a maximum and from there, reevaluate new ways to improve even further with possible new future technologies. So, apart from social media and fan engagement, the role of technology in enhancing the fan experience at live sports events has been extremely important in creating the balance between venues maximizing their profits and giving sports fans the best live experience.
Liam has been a major sports fan and soccer player for over a decade, with a particular focus on major top-level soccer leagues, including the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and MLS. He has written numerous promotional articles for various top sportsbooks and continues to publish historical and factual sports articles covering the NFL, MLS, NHL, MLB, EPL and more.