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Watch the video above for more information on Aurasma and Augmented Reality
Dear Faithful Readers,
Recently, the sports industry has come across a new rival, the ‘in-home’ TV/media experience, leaving sports executives asking themselves, “How do we create an in-stadium fan experience that is unlike anything fans can get at home?” Luckily, technology continues to push the limits, making new opportunities to engage with fans virtually endless. Continue reading to learn how the Philadelphia Eagles took a chance on a new technology that literally has their players flying off season tickets.
Enjoy the feature,
Chantelle Neep
[email protected]
P.S. - Want even more revenue generating ideas? Follow @NatlSportsForum on Twitter to get more helpful insights on #sportsbiz, #sponsorship and more!
PROGRAM TITLE
Philadelphia Eagles: "Augmented Reality"
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OBJECTIVES
Embracing new technologies to enhance a fans in-stadium experience is essential to remaining a forward-thinking, modern day sports property. Teams who fail to keep up with changing times may find themselves struggling to fill empty seats, left behind by fans who’ve opted to stay home, in favor of the new super charged, at-home viewing experience. Tim McDermott, Chief Marketing Officer of the Philadelphia Eagles, fully understands the power and impact that new technologies can have on a team’s bottom line. “The Eagles have a proclivity towards pioneering things and utilizing new technologies, and we’re not shying away from being a leader in those areas. At the same time, we want to make sure we’re being smart and taking calculated risks.” Last season, the team took a gamble on innovation when their advisory board, made up of 32 season ticket holders, lamented that fans wanted more information on day of game details. To meet the needs of their most loyal supporters, the team embraced QR codes. By adding a QR code to season tickets, the Eagles were able to take a traditional ticket and turn it into a source of information. When scanned with a QR reader, the code gives fans information on where to park, halftime happenings, traffic information and other events surrounding the game. Thrilled by the new level of convenience they were able to bring fans, the Eagles looked to continue momentum and remain a technologically advanced organization by further advancing the capabilities of a season ticket.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
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To bring a new dimension to their season tickets the Eagles partnered with Aurasma, a visual recognition technology that brings static imagery to life with video activated through a mobile application. “Aurasma presents the opportunity to reinvent stale images with action and energy, giving tickets a real ‘wow’ factor,” claims McDermott. Working with their clientele, Aurasma places what they refer to as “trigger images” on a printed product. When scanned by a smartphone or tablet using the application, those trigger images produce a video.
Having already made the decision to feature their ten most popular players on the artwork of the season tickets distributed for the 10 games at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles looked to harness the power of Aurasma to bring those players to life, creating a unique opportunity to connect fans with their favorite players. During the September 30th game against the New York Giants, Brian Dawkins, a former Eagle defensive back, will be the focus of the Augmented Reality. In celebration of his retirement from the NFL, the Eagles will feature a highlight reel spanning the duration of his career. Additionally, Dawkins will provide a personal message to fans.
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All fans have to do is download the free Eagles Official Mobile app on any smartphone. Once fans have updated and launched the application, they simply access the “Augmented Reality” function through the Fan Zone tab, automatically activating the phone’s video camera. Once the camera is displayed, fans simply wave their phone over the artwork to watch their ticket come to life. “It’s quasi-Harry Potter-ish,” said McDermott.
Simplistic Instructions for accessing the Augmented Reality function
MEDIA
The ticket artwork includes instructions on how to use the application and the team is promoting the platform via emails to season ticket holders.
RESULTS
The Eagles view the technology as a fan engagement tool and are only just beginning to dabble in the possibilities it possesses. “It’s not just about triggering a video, Aurasma also has amazing 3-D capabilities and we’re still looking for new ways to improve our usage of the technology,” explains McDermott. In the future, the team looks to generate revenue from the platform by using its capabilities to bring a sponsor’s advertisement to life in the game program.
LOOKING AHEAD
Looking forward, the Eagles see endless potential to increase ticket sales and fan engagement through the application. “Aurasma gives teams the ability to bring game day programs, stadium maps, concessions, team apparel, fantasy league content – virtually anything in sports – to digital life with content that grabs the attention of game attendees or fans at home, lets them clicks through to make an instant ticket purchase, and compels them to immediately share the experience with their friends and family,” adds Jennifer Rapp, General Manager for Aurasma. The sky is the limit with this technology and it will certainly be interesting to see what the Eagles come up with next.
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