Technology in sport for fans.(Blog 4)

Technology in sport for fans.(Blog 4)

 Leicester City FC won the 2013/2014 English Championship League and two years later, the team won the English Premier League surprisingly. After the Leicester City FC won the English Championship League, there were around 35,000 fans come out to the town to celebrate their winning (Leicester City Football Club, 2014). In addition, figure 1 shows that 240,000 fans turned out the city to celebrate their amazing winning after the club won the English Premier League (ITV, 2016).

Figure 1: 240,000 fans came out after Leicester City FC won the EPL 

Source: itv (2016)

 Also, Leicester City FC achieved high increase in the number of fans in social media. During the 2015/2016 English Premier League, the number of Leicester City FC fans increased in 12.59% (246,513 followers) in one weekend through the Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (Leicester City Football Club, 2016). 

 The sport technology that they used could be the one reason how and why they won the Premier League (Smith, 2016). Also, those results made their fans happy and out to the street (ITV, 2016). Each player in Leicester City FC wore a Catapult Sport's OptimEye S5 which is the wearable sport technology (Smith, 2016). Figure 2 and video 1 show that the features of this device. It collects between 800 to 900 information such as acceleration, direction, position and impact of collisions with other players in a second (Smith, 2016; Catapult sports, No Data). This device analyses biomechanical, tactical, post game behaviour to perform better for the next matches (Perform better, No Data). This device leads the athletes to rest and recover effectively and can help to make appropriate strategies for each player with better performance (Smith, 2016). Also Southampton FC could reduce a number of injured athletes by using this device that has a GPS training system and injured players could recover faster since they use GPS training system (Smith, 2016). 

Figure 2: Catapult Sport's OptimEye S5

Source: Perform better (No Data)

Video 1: Inofrmation about the Catapult 

Source: YouTube (2014)

 Not only the Leicester City FC but also many sports teams such as 7 NFL teams, 5 NBA teams, 14 universities, 54 soccer teams, 23 rugby teams, 26 Australian Football teams and 22 rowing teams use the Catapult devices and analytics programmes (Catapult sports, No Data). Most of all, figure 3 indicates that this technology immediately gives real time information such as heart rate, calories burned, arms waived, hands clapped and jumps to coaches' and fans' mobile phone (Catapult sports, No Data). Also, fans who engaged well with their phone could get mobile apps coupons for pro shop and upgraded tickets to the next sport event. Sports clubs who use Catapult technology can increase fan engagement and experience through it (Catapult sports, No Data). Sport technology could enrich sport teams and athletes by increasing performance. Also, the sports technology market is growing a lot (Seikaly, 2015). For example, Seikaly (2015) mentions that the sport and fitness wearable market for professional athletes and regular consumers will be worth $14.9 billion by 2020 (Seikaly, 2015). Also, the apps for wearable sport technology revenue was $850 million in 2015 (Seikaly, 2015).

Figure 3:Coaches and fans can get the information through their phone.

Source: YouTube (2014)

 In addition, Leicester City FC used social media well to gather more fans in 2015. For instance, the result table of social media ranking (figure 4) shows that the team was the top in 2015 even though their score was 10th position in 2014 (Sport social media index, 2015). 

Figure 4: Social media index 

Source: Sport social media index (2015)

 The marketer in Leicester City FC used social media marketing before the season started in 2016 and the team received the prize about the social media (McLaren, 2014). Over 30 million Twitter followers of Leicester City FC reacted to the contents since the season started (Vale, 2016). Also, Leicester City FC fans around the world and other football teams' fan could easily access the contents about the information about Leicester City FC through the social media (Vale, 2016). The participant rate of the fans also could increase the team's revenue (Vale, 2016). For example, 5.84% of Leicester City FC fans followed Samsung which is famous for smartphone in 2015 (Vale, 2016). At that time, the Leicester City FC had no sponsors who are related to mobile technology (Vale, 2016).

Justification

 In the wearable sport technology, various kinds of sport business and sport teams are participated in this industry (Loftus, 2016). Therefore, sport company related to sport technology could increase their brand image and more regular people could use those kinds of sport technology devices (Loftus, 2016). Sport fans want to follow teams who perform well (Needle, 2016). Therefore, sport teams can be make more fans by using sport technology (Needle, 2016). Also, wearable technology can increase fan engagement and experience (Catapult sports, No Data). This is because fans can be directly received the detail real time information about the each player and team (Catapult sport, No Data). It makes the fans are involved in the sport events (Catapult sport, No Data). 

Reference

Catapult sports. (No Data) Athlete and fan analytics! The new weapon in sports. [online] Available: http://www.catapultsports.com/uk/media/athlete-and-fan-analytics-the-new-weapon-in-sports/. [Last accessed 21th Mar 2017].

ITV. (2016) Leicester City victory parade: More than 240,000 fans turn out to celebrate club's Premier League triumph. [online] Available: http://www.itv.com/news/2016-05-16/leicester-city-victory-parade-city-turns-to-celebrate-clubs-premier-league-triumph/. [Last accessed 22th Feb 2017].

Leicester City Football Club. (2014) Around 35,000 Foxes fans painted the town blue on Bank Holiday Monday as the Leicester squad paraded the Sky Bet Football League trophy through the city streets. [online] Available: http://www.lcfc.com/news/article/050514-city-streets-turned-blue-1531470.aspx. [Last accessed 22th Feb 2017].

Leicester City Football Club. (2016) Leicester City See Significant Increase in Social Media Followers. [online] Available: http://www.lcfc.com/news/article/leicester-city-see-significant-increase-in-social-media-followers-2948695.aspx. [Last accessed 23th Feb 2017].

Loftus, K. (2016) wearing to win: wearable technology in sport. Available: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/advertising-week/wearing-to-win-wearable-t_b_12455882.html/. [Last accessed 22th Mar 2017].

McLaren, D. (2014) Leicester City top social media league table of British sport teams. [online] Available at: http://digitalsport.co/leicester-city-top-social-media-league-table-of-british-sports-teams. [Accessed: 24 February 2017].

Needle, D. (2016) How sports execs use tech to improve fan engagement. [online] Available:http://www.cio.com/article/3137405/software=sports/how-sports-execs-use-tech-to-improve-fan-engagement.html. [Last accessed 23th Mar 2017].

Performbetter. (No Date) Catapult OptimEye S5 athlete monitoring system. [online] Available at: http://performbetter.co.uk/product/catapult-optimeye-s5-athlete-monitoring-system/. [Accessed: 23 February 2017].

Seikaly, F. (2015) In 6 years the sport and fitness Wearables market is estimated to be worth $14.9 Billion. [online] Available at: http://www.sporttechie.com/2015/09/24/gadgets/in-6-years-the-sport-and-fitness-wearables-market-is-estimated-to-be-worth-14-9-billion/. [Accessed: 24 February 2017].

Smith, N.K. (2016) The wearable tech giving sports teams winning ways. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36036742. [Accessed: 23 February 2017].

Sport social media index. (2015). Premier League. [online] Available: http://www.sport.socialmediaindex.co.uk/files/vantage/ssmi15-premier-league-football1.pdf. [Last accessed 24th Feb 2017].

Vale, A. (2016) Leicester City: a tale of success, social media affinity,and crisps. [online] Available: http://audiense.com/leicester-city-football-club-tale-digital-success-social-media-affinity-twitter-marketing-followers-and-walkers-crisps/. [Last accessed 22th Mar 2017]. 

YouTube. (2014) Newcastle United FC mastering Catapult. [online] Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikNUv-OMfKs#action=share. [Last accessed 21th Mar 2017].

NBA media marketing. (Blog 1)

NBA media marketing. (Blog 1) 

 The NBA has strong relationship with their fans. For example, The NBA has approximately 24,500,000 Twitter followers in 2017 (NBA Twitter, 2017). The NBA fans are able to watch live NBA games on NBA's Twitter named NBA Live Tv. The NBA works with various kind of companies such as NextVR and Verizon. The NBA has a partnership with Verizon to help their fans upload high quality of contents on social media and fans watch live NBA matches with smartphone application named go90 which made by Verizon. Also, the NBA provides live matches services in virtual reality (VR) from the NBA official website by having a partnership with NestVR.

-Live events with virtual reality

 The NBA fans can have a special experience with virtual reality(VR). The NBA has a partnership with NextVR that is a powerful broadcaster of the live events in VR industry. NextVR is the company that provides live sport events through the VR device. It can allow subscribers to watch live NBA matches of the 2016/17 NBA season. The fan who use the VR device at the first time can watch the match without paying. This characteristic of marketing with new media device might encourage more NBA fans to be involved in the NBA. The people who use the VR device can be available to experience as realistic as possible. It feels as if fans who use the VR device are sitting in the stadium even though they are sitting on the couch in their house. The price of subscription of the Live VR is cheaper than ticket price in order to watch live game in the stadium so that fans will be interested in live NBA match with VR.

Figure 1: VR service for the NBA fan

Source: NBA (2017)

-Partnership with Verizon and developed go90

 After the development social media such as Twitter, Facebook and so on, users upload many contents having copyright issues without permission. The NBA noticed that problem and made a solution about that issues by do having a partnership with Verizon. Verizon is a company to connect their consumers with interactive entertainment, digital media and the broadband internet by using their own award-winning network system. Verizon made a smartphone application that named go90. Figure 2 shows that the NBA solved the problem by doing partnership with Verizon and developed go90 that provides live sport events in HD. There are abundances of positive impacts of using the go90. Firstly, users of go90 and NBA fans can watch the live NBA games with their smartphone. Secondly, fans are able to edit NBA matches with the app. Thirdly, it is possible to edit and share the video via text, Facebook and Twitter. Fourthly, fans can download this app for free. Finally, fans who use this app can upload better quality of edited video by avoiding uploading unauthorised low quality video. This strategy of media marketing is able to satisfy both the NBA and their fans.

Figure 2: How to edit video through go90 

Source: Roettgers (2015)

 -NBA Live Tv on social media

 NBA Live Tv on Twitter is other way of increasing fan engagement. The NBA designed the live streaming of the NBA game on Twitter since last year. Both the fans who already have Twitter account and fans who do not have Twitter account can access the live NBA game through the Twitter for free. The Figure 3 indicates that how to watch the live match on Twitter. This service can be possible for everyone to access NBA sports more easily so that it can result from increasing the number of NBA fan. Also, fans can watch the NBA Live Tv through their smartphone regardless of their location for free.

Figure 3: Live streaming of the NBA match on Twitter

Source: NBA Twitter (2017)

-Managing social media

 There are around 24,500,000 followers on the NBA Twitter in 2017 (NBA Twitter, 2017). The number of the NBA followers on Twitter shows that the NBA manages well their social media with various interesting contents.

 The Figure 4 shows that the NBA wrote an interesting and controvertible content on Twitter. Fans of LeBron and Kyrie can have a heart-to-heart talk each other on Twitter.

Figure 4: Increasing fan engagement

Source: NBA Twitter (2017)

 The Figure 5 indicates that the NBA bring some funny contents from the NBA players’ social media. It can give a chance to increase more followers of that player. 

Figure 5: Funny contents from player

Source: NBA Twitter (2017)

 The Figure 6 shows that fans can get two kinds of information from the one content. The NBA uploaded player’s birthday with his performance during the match.

Figure 6: Information of player and playing ability

Source: NBA Twitter (2017)

- NBA TV Fan Night

 The NBA designed NBA TV Fan Night that was an interesting media marketing by themselves in 2011. The NBA fans could vote which NBA game that they want to watch on Tuesday. The fans could have a vote on NBA official website. After the vote, NBA TV broadcasted the match that received the highest number of votes from the fans on Tuesday. From this media marketing strategy, fans might vote for their favourite team and it would increase the fan engagement.

-Justification

  Sport industry can make more fans all around the world through the internet (Baker & Esherick, 2013). The development of the technology attracts more global fans to engage in the sports because television, radio, internet and social media disseminate the news of sport event instantly world widely (Trenberth & Hassan, 2012). It is possible to interactive communication with sport fans, players and agents through social media such as Twitter and Facebook (Baker & Esherick, 2013). Also, the development of media encourages more sport fans to watch sport events and the global communication media through the internet helps the sports organisation extend their market to the world (Beech & Chadwick, 2007). Social media lead to build a deeper relationship with sport fans and players. Also, sport organisation can promote their ticket  sales on the social media (Baker & Esherick, 2013). All NBA teams have their own social media now (Xu, Yu, & Hoi, 2015). However, the NBA was not always good at dealing with social media in 2009 because the NBA did not allow coaches and players to use social media 45 minutes before the match began and before finishing a post-game interview (Xu, Yu, & Hoi, 2015). Also, players who use social media before the match can perform the play better than players who do not use social media before the match (Xu, Yu, & Hoi, 2015). This is because using social media before the game can motivate the players (Xu, Yu, & Hoi, 2015). In addition, social media can collect fans opinions as a research and development tool and get various feedback for their service, product and customer support (Xu, Yu, & Hoi, 2015).

-Referencer

Baker, R. E., & Esherick, C. (2013) Fundamentals of sport management. Champaign, IL: Human kinetics. 

Beech, J., & Chadwick, S. (2007) The marketing of sport. Harlow, England: Prentice-Hall.

Kelley. (2016). Verizon Launches Stream Pass, a Free Sports Package for go90 That Includes Free NBA League Pass. [online] Available: http://www.droid-life.com/2016/10/25/verizon-launches-stream-pass-free-sports-package-go90-includes-free-nba-league-pass/. [Last accessed 14th Mar 2017].

Kiernan, T. (2015). Why The NBA Is Better For Social Media Than Any Other League. [online] Available: http://www.sporttechie.com/2015/11/24/trending/nba-better-social-media-league/. [Last accessed 14th Mar 2017].

NBA. (2015). Verizon, NBA announce new content and marketing partnership. [online] Available: http://www.nba.com/2015/news/11/04/verizon-nba-reach-new-marketing-agreement/. [Last accessed 14th Mar 2017].

NBA. (2016) Experience the game like never before. [online] Available: https://watch.nba.com/page/vr. [Last accessed 14th Mar 2017].

NBA. (2016). NBA Digital and NextVR to deliver one live game per week in virtual reality. [online] Available: http://www.nba.com/article/2016/10/20/nba-virtual-reality-stream-league-pass. [Last accessed 14th Mar 2017].

NBA. (2017) NBA Twitter. [online] Available: https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor. [Last accessed 23th Mar 2017].

NextVR. (2017) We are NextVR. [online] Available: http://www.nextvr.com/about. [Last accessed 20th Mar 2017].

Roettgers, J. (2015). Verizon Mobile Video Service Details Uncovered: To Be Called Go90 (Exclusive). [online] Available: http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/verizon-mobile-video-service-details-uncovered-to-be-called-go90-exclusive-1201548130/. [Last accessed 20th Mar 2017].

Soper, T. (2016). Here are the live shows the NBA will stream on Twitter, as 2016-17 season tips off today. [online] Available: http://www.geekwire.com/2016/live-shows-nba-will-stream-twitter-2016-17-season-tips-off-today/. [Last accessed 14th Mar 2017].

Trenberth, L., & Hassan, D. (2012) Managing sport business: An introduction. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

Verizon. (2016). Introducing Stream Pass: The best premium live sports in HD for Verizon customers. [online] Available: http://www.verizon.com/about/news/introducing-stream-pass-best-premium-live-sports-hd-verizon-customers. [Last accessed 18th Mar 2017].

Verizon. (2017) Verizon is one of the largest communication technology companies in the world. [online] Available: http://www.verizon.com/about/our-company/who-we-are. [Last accessed 18th Mar 2017].

Verizon. (2017). Verizon copyright alert program. [online] Available: https://www.verizon.com/support/consumer/account-and-billing/copyright-alert-program. [Last accessed 14th Mar 2017].

Vibe. (2011). NBA TV Fan Night: Vote For Which NBA Game You Want to See Next Tuesday Night. [online] Available: http://www.vibe.com/2011/03/nba-tv-fan-night-vote-which-nba-game-you-want-see-next-tuesday-night-2/. [Last accessed 14th Mar 2017].

Xu, C., Yu, Y. and Hoi, C. (2015) Hidden in-game intelligence in NBA players' tweets. Communications of the ACM. 58, (11), pp.80-89.