By Preston McClellan '14

Introduction
In today’s digital world, sports organizations increasingly have to rethink their value proposition to their fans inside and outside their respective stadiums. As television technology has improved and the popularity of fantasy football has exploded, fans today have more of a reason than ever to simply watch the game at home rather than spend the money on a ticket. Fans want constant access to a second screen, whether that is via a smart phone or a tablet, and they want to be able to access exclusive content on that device.

Problems in Paradise?
According to the Wall Street Journal, ticket sales in the National Football League have declined each of the past five seasons, and overall attendance is down 4.5 percent since 2007. As ticket prices have risen, at-home entertainment costs have continued to fall. Super high definition televisions are more affordable than ever, and packages like the NFL Red Zone channel allow fans to flip though every game and only watch the most exciting action. It is another evolution in the increasing “a-la-carte” way people live.

These developments have led the NFL to deploy a number of initiatives aiming at making the game day experience so unique that fans will realize they cannot get the same feeling watching at home on a big screen. According to a CBSSports.com article by Ryan Wilson, the NFL made the following digital/game day enhancements: 

• Liberalizing crowd control – teams can now use video displays and PA reads to rile up the home crowd much like what you would see at a college game.
• Less stringent blackout restrictions – teams can now set their own formula for game blackouts, as long as it is a number 85 percent or higher

Digital Game Day Enhancements
Beyond improving the game day experience, several NFL teams have also embraced the digital and social movement by incorporating video boards, social media promotions, and other contests into their game strategies. The next generation of NFL stadiums is now coming, with the opening of three new stadiums (San Francisco 49ers; Minnesota Vikings; Atlanta Falcons) in the next four years. Aside from the spectacular visual design of the buildings, a key theme is emerging: digital connectivity. Fans want to be able to do everything on a smartphone or tablet when at the stadium just like when they are at home.

In the current NFL, perhaps no team has embraced the digital movement like the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have instituted a number of new strategies this season aimed at getting fans to the stadium and improving their overall game day experience through digital enhancements. In addition to installing wireless Internet through the stadium the Dolphins also have the following three initiatives heading into this season:

• Digital Ticketing – While teams have done digital ticketing in the past, Miami is trying to take it to the next level with a card that will serve both as a ticket and a Fin Club ID badge. The card will give the ticket holder opportunities to gain points based on interactions socially with the club and in-store or online purchases.
• Mobile Applications – Miami is implementing a new game day feature in its mobile applications. Inside this application, fans can access their fantasy football data, play-by-play, live stats, NFL game scores, replays and etc. Miami also partnered with Leapseat, a seat upgrade app that allows fans to pay a premium and get better seats from inside the stadium when available.
• Social Networking – The Dolphins recognized the popularity of social networks amongst its fans and partnered with a company called Mass Relevance in order to better connect with their fans on social networks during the games. This partnership will allow Miami to display tweets, photos, and videos created by fans on the team’s video and LED board. This not only encourages fans to promote the club on various social networks but also gives fans another reason to come to the games instead of sitting at home and watching.

NFL Slow to Catch Up?
Miami is not the only team in the NFL making updates like these. Nearly every team has recognized the need for digital updates inside the stadium. Even Roger Goodell and the NFL league office realized this need, as the league office announced an initiative in May 2012 to install wireless Internet in all 31 NFL stadiums. Yet, less than half of the teams in the NFL had installed wireless technology in their stadiums before the start of the 2013 season. 6 Most teams seem to be slow in jumping on the wireless bandwagon even after Goodell made it a league-wide initiative. Couple this trend with the decline in ticket/attendance numbers, and it shows a lot of uncertainty heading into the future.

One team to stay ahead of the technology curve has been consistently has been the New England Patriots. The Patriots were the first team to have an official NFL website in 2005, one of the first to have an official team app in 2009 and one of the first ownership groups to make a significant investment in wireless internet. New England partnered with technology firm Enterays in 2012 to provide strong Wi-Fi throughout Gillette Stadium. This allowed the team to launch a new app before the 2013 season called “Patriots Game Day Live.” 7 Available exclusively for season ticket holders, the app uses the power of the available Wi-Fi to provide rich content through smart phones as well as information about concessions/restrooms lines. Most importantly at all, the Patriots have been responsive to the needs and wants of their fans. The team’s Chief Marketing Officer holds Google+ hangouts with fans and season ticket holders to get feedback and different perspective on team initiatives. This is a great idea in order to keep a pulse on the fan base. At the end of the day, the fans drive the business for the organization.

Another reason for teams to install wireless networks centers around the collection of data. The Patriots realized this early on with their wireless network. Whenever fans are using the Wi-Fi network at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots are able to track the sites they visit, how they spend money, their motivations behind using the Internet at the stadium, and more. This will allow the team to offer fans more personalized game day experiences and deals in the future, driving more revenue at all levels of the organization. 

Conclusion
At the end of the day, NFL teams need to get moving on keeping up with the technology curve. The league is already behind the NBA and MLB from a digital enhancement and engagement perspective. Though NFL is by far the most popular professional sports league in America, it is crucial that they stay in touch with the needs and wants of the fan base. A precipitous decline in ticket sales and attendance since 2007 shows a decline in game day interest, while an uptick in cable subscriptions and ratings show more people than ever watching at home. The NFL needs to make the game day experience as digitally rich as the home-watching experience in order to continue to drive fans to the stadiums.

APA References
1. Clark, K. (12, July 2). Game Changer: NFL Scrambles to Fill Seats. Retrieved September 30, 2013, from www.online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303561504577495083707417526.html

2. Wilson, R. (2012, June 30). NFL introducing new in-stadium enhancements to keep fans buying seats - CBSSports.com. Retrieved September 30, 2013, from http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/19452831

3. Tucker, T. (2013, June 22). Next generation of NFL stadiums unfolding | www.myajc.com. Retrieved September 30, 2013, from http://www.myajc.com/news/sports/next-generation-of-nfl-stadiums-unfolding/nYQw2/

4. Schindel, A. (2013, August 2). #NFLTechSeries 2013: Miami Dolphins. Retrieved September 30, 2013, from http://www.sporttechie.com/2013/08/02/nfltechseries-2013-miami-dolphins/ 5. Mass Relevance (n.d.). Mass Relevance. Retrieved September 30, 2013, from http://www.massrelevance.com/

6. Dulac, D. (2013, September 3). Why the NFL can no longer ignore the need for Wi-Fi in stadiums - Enterasys Networks. Retrieved September 30, 2013, from http://blogs.enterasys.com/why-the-nfl-can-no-longer-ignore-the-need-for-wi-fi-in-stadiums/

7. App, S. (2013, August 1). #NFLTechSeries 2013: New England Patriots. Retrieved September 30, 2013, from http://www.sporttechie.com/2013/08/01/nfltechseries2013-what-the-new-england-patriots-have-in-store-for-the-2013-season/