• Loading stock data...
Saturday, December 14, 2024

Webinar: How to Improve the Fan Experience at the Stadium and Online

  • Three team representatives from the NFL, NBA and MLB discuss how they are using technology to improve the fan experience.
  • How the Salesforce Marketing Cloud and Customer Data Platform (CDP) are changing the approach for pro sports marketers.

The best sports organizations in the industry now operate entertainment businesses, and the first priority is to give the fans what they want – while simultaneously growing revenue and innovating. Today however, the needs and wants of consumers are constantly evolving.

Front Office Sports sat down with three team representatives from the Dallas Cowboys (Rob Sender), Indiana Pacers (Sydney Lesko) and Texas Rangers (Jake Radelet) to discuss how each of their organizations are using technology to gain meaningful insights on their fans, personalize the digital experience, automate marketing programs and improve the overall fan experience.

On the biggest business challenges each organization faced following the pandemic (2:53)

Rob: “We look at this as an entertainment business. The product on the field…we like to just say, ‘That’s the coaches and that side of the front office, let’s just focus on everything else.’ So one of the biggest challenges for us is it’s a year-round schedule. Outside of the actual football season, we immediately move into the combine, draft planning and very quickly it’s training camp, new players, free agency and all of those things. So we’re constantly battling the mini entertainment opportunities, because we do a lot of those off-season programs live…Yes, football is our bread and butter – that’s who we are traditionally. But we stand to bring in new generations of fans in so many other ways.”

On the importance of personalizing marketing efforts as it relates to the overall fan experience (7:20)

Jake: “I’ll give you a Salesforce example here. We recently began using service cloud to connect our sales and support organizations like we never had before. So one of our primary support channels for our fans is through emails to our guest services department. In the past, these support interactions were pretty siloed in guest services. They would handle them one at a time, but they didn’t really have any history or even knew who they were speaking with. So we began bringing those emails into Salesforce using service cloud, and we were able to really get a better idea of who we’re working with. For our season ticket members, we’re able to connect them directly with their account executive over on the sales team. So that’s really a level of visibility and service-level personalization in those one-to-one interactions that we never had before.”

On how the Customer Data Platform [CDP] creates a connected experience for fans and streamlines marketing efforts (25:45)

Sydney: “One of the products that we’re really excited about to improve the fan experience is CDP. We got CDP with Salesforce again last year, and CDP really allows for our customers to have a connected experience as they move through their channels. It provides that one environment in real time where all that information is there. The information that we have from Ticketmaster for people that purchase games now flows into marketing cloud, and I’m able to automate all of our ‘Know Before You Go’ emails now. These emails became really important for us during the pandemic because there were rules and regulations changing all the time. Utilizing CDP and those files that we have imported, I have an entire automation that’s set up to run the entire season and it will trigger an email to be sent to people that have tickets today, if today is a game date. So I’m really excited about that because half my job in the past was sending ‘Know Before You Go’ emails and game attendee emails. Now, I just have to hit launch as the season gets closer and then I’ll never have to touch it again until the season is over. That’s all possible because of the CDP and the connected data experience for our customers.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

The Top-Secret Operation to Create the Army-Navy Football Uniforms

The two-year process includes dozens of employees, NDAs, and military historians.
Mina Kimes and Ryan Clark at NFL draft

ESPN Talent Turns Its Fire on Aaron Rodgers

The network’s NFL talent ripped the QB as ‘hypocritical’ this week.
De'Vondre Campbell

49ers Set to Cut Starter for Refusing to Enter Game: ‘Stupid’ and..

De’Vondre Campbell refused to re-enter the game Thursday night.

NBA Cup Prize: Every Player Wants the Money, But One Would Get..

Each player on the championship team will win nearly $515,000.

Featured Today

Nov 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detailed view of a Wilson NBA basketball held by a referee during the second half between the Utah Jazz against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena

‘Obvious Weak Point’: Refs Remain an NBA Gambling Concern

A season after Jontay Porter, the biggest risk may not be players.
Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines cheerleader runs with a flag before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Michigan Stadium.
opinion
December 7, 2024

College Football’s Billionaire Backer Era Begins

Is this the new normal in CFB recruiting?
LA Galaxy forward Dejan Joveljic (9) celebrates with midfielder Riqui Puig (10) after scoring a goal against Seattle Sounders FC in the second half in the 2024 MLS Cup Western Conference Final match at Dignity Health Sports Park
December 6, 2024

With or Without Messi, Major League Soccer Is Barreling Into the Future

After the Cup final, the league looks to accelerate its growth.
Dec 18, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; FIFA president Gianni Infantino claps during the awards ceremony after the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium.
December 2, 2024

FIFA Wants More Matches. Resistance Is Growing Inside the Global Soccer World

Resentment and frustration over expanded schedules is nearing a breaking point.

NBA GMs Rank Salary-Cap Apron As Rule That Needs to Change Most

Schedule changes finished second with 17% of the vote.
Sponsored

Mastercard’s Foodies & Fairways: Where Golf Meets Gourmet at the TOUR Championship

This year’s TOUR Championship in Atlanta isn’t just about world-class golf—it’s also a celebration of local flavors.
September 8, 2024

US Open Breaks Attendance Record

Top-seeded Jannik Sinner beat No. 12 Taylor Fritz in straight sets Sunday.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
July 18, 2024

Loyal WNBA Fans Hit With Enormous Season-Ticket Price Hikes

Some season-ticket holders are seeing their prices doubled.
July 16, 2024

CONMEBOL, Hard Rock Stadium Continue Trading Blame Over Copa Disaster

Each blames the other for the security madness at Sunday’s final.
July 15, 2024

Colombian Soccer Federation President Arrested in Copa Madness

The 71-year-old on the FIFA Council was arrested alongside his son.
July 12, 2024

Oakland Minor League Baseball Team Experimenting With Fan Ownership

The Ballers say more than 1,000 people have registered interest.