The Problem

For a long time customer experience in the live sports industry has relied on getting closer and closer to the action. If this were not an element of the spectator experience, you wouldn't be able to trade in a courtside Lakers ticket for a second hand car.

 

The way I see it, modern technology-enabled entertainment has the potential to change this dynamic. Instead of focusing on moving spectators closer to the action, we should be looking at leveraging technology to break down the barrier between the game and the spectator to provide a completely immersive experience.

 

We can already see other entertainment industries embracing this digital disruption. For instance, in video game development we are seeing products being released that more and more simulate a virtual reality. Long gone are linear narratives, instead the best selling games now provide almost complete avatar free will,  entirely interactive landscapes and 360 degree vision. In addition, most consoles use vibrations and sounds that provide a physical stimuli to your actions.

 

Similarly, when it comes to customer experience for sports spectators, the name of the game is eliminating the sidelines and placing the spectator in the centre of the action. It's about turning aspirational spectatorship into an exciting virtualized experience while retaining the social elements of sport that are so near and dear to Australians.

 

Certainly, we can see with the upcoming release of the ANZ stadium digital offering that the Australian sports industry is beginning to realise the potential of a digitally enhanced sports experience. However, my goal is nothing less than a completely immersive experience that redefines the traditional relationship between spectator and athlete in a sports venue.

 

My solution brings together a range of technologies to get the client's customers closer to the action than ever before, while enhancing the sense of community that underpins the Australian sports industry.