• Loading stock data...
Saturday, June 21, 2025

How Digital Technology Is Being Leveraged to Create Great In-Venue Experiences in 2021

  • Being able to reduce points of contact between fans and venue staff is key.
  • Reps from NASCAR and the NFL discuss how they have engaged fans from a distance this fall.
image via Pexels

Reopening is constantly on everyone’s mind. Leagues have opened with and without fans, bubbled, and not. Ultimately the goal is to get back to a full-fan experience. Different sports teams and leagues have prepared for the short and long-term in-venue experience with fans, as well as the blending of the digital at-home experience.

Christi Bedan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tim Clark of NASCAR, and Don White of Satisfi Labs recently joined Front Office Sports to discuss a reopening strategy & planning (as well as the communication of those plans), fan-experience best practices, new industry trends, and the lasting impact COVID will have on the in-person experience for sports.

On Satisfi Labs’ place in the market (0:51)

White: “We produce an interactive answer engine. It’s a product that answers questions and, and provides a real asset for the fan to get all digital media by the initial search. So that brands like NASCAR and Tampa can have a one-to-one relationship with a fan about anything from scheduled scores, ticketing, food, and beverage, when appropriate and really own that relationship.”

On questions NFL fans ask of the Buccaneers (4:00)

Bedan: “We were open at a limited capacity and I think in bringing fans back, the role of digital in particular is very much two-fold. One, how are you communicating to fans at scale what the new policies are and what the reopening looks like? And then two, once you’re at the stadium, how do you make people feel more comfortable and use technology to minimize interactions for fans, especially in a COVID world? So everything from mobile ticketing to communication, to mobile ordering, what is all that technology that you can implement in a reopening strategy?”

Creating efficiencies in the fan experience process (20:01)

Bedan: “I’ll start with the, the AI piece that we’ve been talking about. So we originally had sort of that in-app hub to ask questions with a general answer base. And what we’ve done this year is expanded both into our digital ticketing guide and then Apple business chat…I think the digital ticketing guide in particular was important because not only this year, did we have new new policies in general, but we went to 100% mobile ticketing…So there was a big learning curve for a lot of people who had never used mobile to enter the stadium for the first time. So investing in that digital ticketing guide has been super helpful as we can see from the numbers, the usage of that is significant.”

On opportunities for virtual hospitality for fans (42:37)

Clark: “It’s hard to multitask in the virtual world, right? If you think of your traditional hospitality environment, there’s a very social element to it. Whether it’s within a suite or whether it’s tailgating or whatever the case may be, there are different experiences that you can offer in a relatively small footprint. I think it’s really hard to replicate that in a virtual environment because you want to engage your most valuable partners, but you also want to add value to the sponsors whether that’s data acquisition or information capture, whatever the case may be. I just think it’s really hard to replicate that in a virtual environment, which seems counterintuitive because I think everyone kind of seamlessly jumped from having meetings in person to you know, doing them virtually over Zoom. The reflex is to think that that’s how you could, maybe reinvent the hospitality experience. But I don’t think it’s that easy. I think it’s more nuanced.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field

‘More Is More’: The Elite Luxury Jewelers Decking Out Athletes

Meet the elite group of luxury designers crafting the biggest statement pieces.
Jun 8, 2025; Brooklyn, Michigan, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) celebrates with his team, holding up three fingers, one for each of his victories at Michigan International Speedway, after winning the FireKeepers Casino 400.

Judge Urges Michael Jordan, Co-Plaintiffs to Settle With NASCAR

Jordan’s racing team filed a co-suit in October alleging antitrust practices.
Noah Lyles

Tyreek Hill–Noah Lyles Race Is Off for ‘Personal Reasons’

Lyles and Hill agreed to a race in February with few concrete details.

Featured Today

Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park
June 14, 2025

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.
Jan 24, 2017; Davidson, NC, USA; The Davidson Wildcats student section cheers during the first half against the Duquesne Dukes at McKillop Court at John M. Belk Arena. Davidson defeated Duquesne 74-60.
June 6, 2025

Every College Wants a Flashy Basketball GM Hire Right Now

The role is more important than ever, and the definition is ever-evolving.
August 31, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Goodyear blimp flies over Ohio Stadium during the first half of Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game between the Akron Zips and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
June 6, 2025

Why the Goodyear Blimp Is at Every Major Sports Event

The airship wasn’t built to cover sports. Now it’s a regular presence.
Sponsored

Women in Sports are Leveling Up

Three graduates of Ohio University’s Professional Master of Sports Administration shared their sports business success stories on FOS Fundamentals.
Sponsored

Executive Roundtable: Putting Employees First

Best Employers in Sports, Charlotte Hornets, Miami Dolphins, remote work, diversity, inclusion, COVID-19, leadership, career development
Sponsored

Webinar: How The PGA TOUR Drives Digital Engagement

The PGA TOUR has always been at the forefront of digital engagement and innovation. In collaboration with its longtime partner, iX.co, the TOUR continues to create news ways to engage with its global fan base.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Ted Leonsis unpacks basketball’s global rise, media rights, and portfolio ownership.
Sponsored

Webinar: The In-Venue Technology That Can Welcome Fans Back

Representatives from Samsung discuss in-stadium tech solutions to keep fans safe and entertained with Front Office Sports.
Sponsored

How Today’s Brands Are Maximizing Sponsorship ROI With Their Own Analytics

Representatives from Dell Technologies, Stanley Black & Decker, GumGum Sports and FOS CEO Adam White discuss sponsorship analysis today.
pexels
Sponsored

OneTeam Partners: Athlete and Brand Amplification for the Cutting Edge Sports Marketer

Reps from OneTeam Partners join this Front Office Sports Webinar to discuss esports, NIL marketing rights, working with NFL players, and more.
Sponsored

Content Marketing: Real-Time Storytelling in the COVID Era

A panel of experts discuss how the PGA TOUR has executed their storytelling strategy during the COVID-19 era.