Fluid Fan Featured Four Newsletter
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From our Founder Angela Ruggiero
“Fluid Fans need to be able to trust the venues they are returning to are safe, and if they are unable to attend a live event, they want to be able to recreate the power of togetherness at home.”
The sports industry is creating innovative ways to try to tackle one of the biggest challenges it has faced to date: how to safely play and host sporting events during a global pandemic. There have been bubble formats and single-site tournaments, as well as fans in the stands at limited capacity. We’ve seen digital courtside seats in the NBA Bubble in Orlando, the NFL, and multiple NCAA universities allowing limited fans in the stands, and co-watching companies are working within European soccer. There needs to be innovative solutions on multiple fronts, including the venue and in the broadcast. Fluid Fans need to be able to trust the venues they are returning to are safe, and if they are unable to attend a live event, they want to be able to recreate the power of togetherness at home: the stories below demonstrate just that. Enjoy.
Weekly Brand Breakthrough
Earlier this week, the online brokerage firm previously AxiTrader, now known as Axi, inked a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with Premier League giant Manchester City. The partnership came at a time of rebranding for Axi, who chose to sponsor Man City because of the team's fast-paced tone, dedication to their competitive edge, and international reach. The firm will now promote itself at Etihad Stadium; additionally, the firm's clients will receive exclusive deals and promotions.
In this new age of sponsorship, it is no longer about dollars and signage. To read more read our Next Generation Sponsorship Report here.
Weekly Live Entertainment Breakthrough
Technology has taken on a new role in keeping fans safe as they return to sporting events. Both the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers are relying on technology to disinfect their stadiums. The Falcons will be using D1 Disinfecting Drones to sanitize the seating bowl, handrails, and glass partitions. The use of drones reduces the cleaning time by 95% and is 14 times more efficient than regular backpack foggers. Taking a different techie approach, the Panthers are harnessing the power of "LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots," which blast areas with UV light, which destroys the virus by damaging its DNA.
Want to stay up to date on the latest tech advancements in the sports industry? Connect with us here!
Weekly Media Breakthrough
The Bundesliga has agreed to a streaming deal with German-based OneFootball, to make all 2020/21 matches available for free in nine countries in South America. As the OneFootball CEO Lucas von Cranach says, “The innovative model we are pioneering solidifies our presence in the market and offers a new generation of football fans readily available, personalized, live content at their fingertips.” Beyond publicity and reach for OneFootball, the deal promises to foster a whole new fan base and further their efforts to democratize the sport.
A non-linear broadcast, OneFootball again shows us where the future of watching sports is headed. To learn more read our report here.
Weekly Athlete Breakthrough
This past week Major League Baseball and the Players Association (MLBPA) agreed about a neutral bubble for the postseason. The postseason will consist of an American League Bubble (in Southern California) and a National League Bubble (in Texas), with the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field to host the World Series. Players on all teams will be required to quarantine at their hotels for the final seven days of the regular season. Families will be allowed into the bubble for the seven-day quarantine. They may stay for the duration of the postseason run. Everyone within the bubble will be tested for COVID-19 daily, and once eliminated, players will be free to leave the bubble.
Although the most successful way to allow pro sports and curb COVID-19, the bubble model asks a lot of the athletes inside. Not only are they potentially putting themselves at risk, but they are also being asked to compete at the highest level in a much different environment than they have ever played in before. Learn more about how athletes are faring in the Pandemic here.
Sports Innovation Lab Events
AUGMENTING THE FAN EXPERIENCE WITH GOOGLE
On this week’s episode of the Fluid Fan Podcast, Angela Ruggiero is joined by Kate Johnson, Director, Global Marketing Partnerships, Content Sports Media at Google. Not only is Kate leading the sports division of Google, she is also an Olympic Silver Medalist and World Champion Rower. Kate brings her Olympic attitude to the boardroom at Google, and on today’s podcast shares her outlook on the sports media industry, the importance of a mobile device to Fluid Fans, and the opportunities Google has to innovate and change the industry. Listen now
CONTACTLESS PAYMENT TECHNOLOGIES WITH TAPPIT
Our AMA Series continues Thursday October 8th at 1pm ET with Meka Morris the Chief Revenue Officer of Tappit. Tappit is a payment solutions provider that focuses on contactless payment technology. As COVID is causing stadiums to rethink the fan experience, safe payment methods are going to be crucial moving forward. Meka is ready to share her experience and answer all your questions on Tappit’s strategy and technology. Join the conversation by registering here! You can view all of our previous AMAs on our website and our Youtube Channel.