Venue Apps Power The Smart Venue Experience
Smart Venues Automate the Fan Journey
The Smart Venue is a platform for fan experience, it automates the fan journey from ticket purchase to safe return home. However, for most fans, the reality is anything but automated. Long lines and crowded spaces define their experience as they approach the venue, enter the arena, navigate the premises and search for the shortest bathroom line.
At the concessions stand things go from bad to worse. According to Oracle, 40% of fans abandoned a line due to wait time, these same fans would spend an additional $20 if the lines were shorter. 33% of these impatient fans think mobile ordering would help.
Mobile Phones Connect the Smart Venue and its Fans
Several teams and venues like the Miami Heat, Dallas Cowboys and Mercedez Benz Stadiums are emphasizing mobile-first entry. This primes fans to interact with the venue through their phone. Getting fans to use their phones more is a win for everyone, using their phone to access services results in fans who spend more, wait less and are happier.
Venue Apps Unlock Smart Venue Services
While fans are willing to use their phones, they are not willing to download a host of applications. Venue apps consolidate multiple applications which automate the fan journey. Software developers like MLBAM, VenueNext, Venuetize and Yinzcam are some of the most widely adopted venue apps in the game. Yinzcam and MLBAM lead the way and are responsible for 22 of the NBA's team apps and the majority MLB and NHL venue apps. These providers did the hard work of conditioning fans to expect specialized mobile services on game day, but as venue operators and fans become more demanding no one vendor dominates. It's anybody's game.
In-Stadium Media Augments the Gameday Experience
Venue apps need to do more than reduce congestion, they also add to the in-stadium experience. MLB has been using Apple's ARKit to offer real-time stats, Xperial is also looking to bring augmented reality to game day. Brizi, FanCam and 15 Seconds of Fame integrate with Venue apps to provide fans with game-day mementos. Every fan also enjoys a good deal, VenueNext and Ticketmaster partnered to create "Magic Money" for the Orlando Magic. The NBA has also worked with PogoSeat to do real-time seat upgrades for fans.
Some technology such as beacons provides value to fans and venue operators alike. District Detroit which houses the Pistons and Redwings have iBeacons that assist fans with wayfinding, but also provide the operator valuable information on human movement. When orchestrated properly, the smart venue literally sheds data which the venue operator can use to understand the preferences of their customers better, and optimize their facilities to serve fans efficiently.
Takeaway
If the smart venue is going to provide fans with a great experience, the first step is owning the touchpoints which define that experience. Mobile ordering helps venues get the wallet right, but the wallet is not everything. Today, these same venue app companies that helped fans get a beer faster must evolve to do the complex integration work to make sure that security, payment, and transportation systems cooperate. The Smart Venue needs to own automation of the fan journey and achieve this through a well-integrated venue app. Fan Journey Automation apps are the answer.