“Being connected through their device is their expectation whether it’s music or sports.”

The NFL embraces Wi-Fi connectivity at stadiums.  Of course, when you’re shaking down the taxpayers for new stadiums every few years, it’s a lot easier to integrate the newest technology into your infrastructure.  So it’s not clear if this is a trend that will trickle down to the next level quickly.

But don’t tell me this won’t resonate with colleges sooner or later.

More teams are monetizing their apps by selling merchandise, food and drinks to fans, as well as tickets for future games. This is another reason it’s important to have a strong Wi-Fi connection and plenty of beacons in place. The beacons pinpoint where a fan is located within the stadium. By knowing this, the team can send messages about discounts, whether on merchandise or hot dogs at that moment in the stadium. The beacons also allow the stadium to give helpful information to fans such as how long the nearest bathroom wait is going to be.

VenueNext and YinzCam are two mobile platform developers used by many professional teams and arenas to boost profits through additional sales and advertising. All of these options make it easier for fans to spend money, and for stadiums and teams to make money.

It would be so Georgia to charge fans for an app to let them know which bathrooms had the shortest wait.  Greg McGarity’s probably already on that mother.

(h/t Raleighwood Dawg)

10 Comments

Filed under It's Just Bidness, Science Marches Onward

10 responses to ““Being connected through their device is their expectation whether it’s music or sports.”

  1. Chi-town Dawg

    Senator, you’re giving an old school guy like McGoofy too much credit. This type of creative revenue opportunity is much too forward thinking for him. It’s a lot easier to just increase ticket prices another 10% and the donation requirement by 20% for now.

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    • Eh, maybe.

      To me, it’s a logical extension of renting chair backs to people instead of improving the bleacher benches.

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      • Chi-town Dawg

        Hahaha, very true about the benches. The big difference here is that it may require a fair amount of infrastructure investment in order to make our horrible wifi capable of handling the capacity in a timely and reliable manner. I don’t know enough about the cost of the adding beacons, etc., but unless he can get the third-party to foot the bill, I’m not sure he wants to spend the UGAA money this way until he knows there’s a guaranteed ROI.

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        • Cousin Eddie

          So they will raise tickets 10% and donations 20% to pay for the installation of equipment needed to install a maintain and app that charges for use.

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      • I'm right, you're wrong

        If only McGoofy knew what “that mother” was and how it worked, then I’m sure he’d be on it. Don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so woefully under-skilled, ill-prepared and generally out of place in my life.

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  2. Chopdawg

    wonder how much the app would charge, just to leave you alone & let you watch the game

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    • The Dawg abides

      I’ll give you that answer for five bucks. Hint: it involves leaving your phone in your pocket and watching the damn game.

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      • PTC DAWG

        Better yet, leave the phone in your vehicle..or if you are really a risk taker, leave the damn thing alone and talk with your friends on the ride over, tailgating, etc. 🙂

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  3. PTC DAWG

    I just finished a Real Estate Continuing Ed course on Millenials, it stated that 53% of them would rather give up their sense of smell than their technology. Oh yeah, their numbers have surpassed the Baby Boomer generation too.

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  4. AusDawg85

    I’m no expert, but for the big festivals in Austin, AT&T and others just roll-in trucks with WiFi and cell reception to boost connectivity. Surely a truck or two can be parked outside of Sanford on game day vs. having to hardwire the place?

    And if you’re going to have an in-stadium app for concessions, then it should identify my seat location and bring my order to me so I don’t have to miss any of the action, wait in long lines, etc.

    Or better yet, have mini-“Food Trucks” with guys who walk the aisles with food and drink that sell directly to you…oh wait.

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