Experiencing Football World Cup 2018 Like Never Before

Global sports events are changing rapidly in the way they’re organized, managed, broadcasted and consumed by audiences. These changes are heavily influenced by technology, which is affecting many functions – e.g. spectator services, sustainability, security, ticketing, food/beverage sales and merchandising. Location-based apps, among other things, will re-shape live, sporting events in ways previously unimaginable.

Improved spectator offerings

A simple seat isn’t enough for millennial spectators. These tech-savvy guys and gals now crave a mix of physical and digital experiences while attending sporting events, and location-based apps have the capability of providing information on directions, parking, connecting with event personnel, assessing traffic, and locating a seat all with complementary links displaying high-definition replays in real-time from multiple angles on mobile phone screens.

Additionally, location-based apps will allow fans to easily find food, drinks and merchandise as well as give them the ability to gauge where the shortest lines are or even purchase items online and having them delivered in the stadium. An innovative, new app, Geme.io, is free, location-based, and offers users a host of services – directions, phone, SMS or emails to event personnel to facilitate arrivals among a range of additional options.

Digital Ticketing

Technology is already playing a role in event ticketing (alongside bus and tram ticketing), and with the rise of mobile phone usage, sporting events will adopt digital and facial recognition ticketing as it will facilitate ticket purchases via apps and aid in stimulating individualized, fan experiences – the Holy Grail for any major sports franchise.

The New York Yankees are pioneers in this area, having banned print-at-home tickets for all home games in favor of mobile ticketing to internet-enabled mobile devices. While digital ticketing must obey privacy laws and refrain from using data to predict buying habits without the consent of the app user, the upside of being able to create personalized encounters at an intimate level is highly enticing.

Volunteering

Volunteers are a valuable resource at any major sporting events. The sense of euphoria, camaraderie and once-in-a-lifetime experiences generated by volunteering at events is extremely attractive, and often leads to repeat volunteering. Here is where municipalities can leverage location-based apps to create promotions surrounding volunteer opportunities in the area where the event takes place.

Security

The number one issue confronting event organizers is security. With threats to events becoming more and more sophisticated, organizers will naturally step up their global collaboration and knowledge sharing to combat these dangers.

Innovative technology will include location-based social media (monitoring for keywords), which will aid security staff in identifying threats before they happen, via real-time alerts such as WeLink or Geofeedia.

Sustainability

Sustainability is a huge issue surrounding major sporting events, especially after strong criticism of the damaging environmental legacy left by the Olympic Games in Rio. Zero waste coupled with the offering of recyclable or compostable food/drink containers and utensils will be commonplace. Fields and stadiums will run on solar energy, constructed from local materials and food sources with 80 to 90 percent coming from local farmers and nearby producers. Debate on how to reduce carbon emissions of large-scale events and how to educate consumers in sustainable behavior change for both visitors and locals will be vital.

Who knows, perhaps in the future we will see bids for Olympic Games, World Cups and the like that include talking points like sustainability and technology to help spectators, athletes, businesses, the host city, volunteers and locals to create a vibrate community, pull off an awesome event, and eventually transform cities into better places to love and live in.