aussie rules

Gold Coast Suns AFL Fan Experience at Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast, Australia 24/4/22

On a wet and chilly Sunday afternoon I hit the highway from Brisbane to head down the M1 to the Gold Coast to take in the Gold Coast Suns AFL fan experience at Metricon Stadium in Nerang.

Today’s match was to be the Suns versus the Brisbane Lions in the annual QCLASH derby as well as representing an ANZAC Day ceremony to honour our servicemen and women.

I prepped for the match day by getting my daughter Ramona all dressed up in a Gold Coast Suns dress that I bought for her to show her support for another Queensland team (her first ever dress- which she hated, the dress that is!) while I pulled out my Brisbane Bears wool guernsey, grabbed my Sherrin footy, new Lions cord cap from the Lions shop and some fresh ANZAC biscuits to share with mates and laminated my printed out match day ticket to save as my ticket memento to go into my box of 1000+ tickets from 30 years of live events – anything to keep the physical part of the event day ticking on in my opinion.

The fan journey started at 1pm with a quick 50 minute car journey via tolls from Brisbane to Nerang Railway Station. Nerang Station has ample parking and a lockable bicycle station as well as open bike racks. I made sure to park via the exits under security cameras for better safety and to get away faster at the end of the night however by 2pm the car park was filling up with Lions and Suns fans meaning that this is a safe and secure place to leave your car and head to the match due to the number of people coming through here on match days.

Once parked I made my way through the station to the bus terminal area where the game day buses were starting up at 2pm to ferry fans to Metricon Stadium. The buses were free for fans with the transport included within the ticket, as was the train from Brisbane if fans had chosen to catch the train from Brisbane to Nerang Station. However with track work today on the Gold Coast line, driving to the station and then catching this free bus seemed like the best option.

The bus driver was cheerful as Suns and Lions fans hoped on the bus and I was impressed with security greeting everyone that was getting on and asking us who would win while the bus driver was equally impressive ensuring that fans were safely picked up along the way despite there only being the one designated stop at the venue which was a helpful thing to do for those fans who were walking to the ground. The bus arrived directly outside the stadium after a short five minute journey which made it a seamless entry into the ground. It was also important to note that since my last visit here a couple of years ago, parking restrictions have gone up similar to around The Gabba and Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane meaning restrictions apply on match days and it is not advisable to try to park as you risk a fine.

Parking is also available within the stadium for only $20 via the Ticketmaster site however this does seem to sell out quickly in the week leading up to match day. Metricon also has a ride share and public pick up and drop off zone near the venue too with accessible entry and exit to the stadium.

Making our way into the stadium was seamless and we were greeted by a ‘hello’ and ‘thanks for coming’ by the venue staff. I then made my way over to the AFL Record stand and picked up a copy of the ANZAC round AFL Record which is still a bargain at $5 and a game day tradition I never miss.

This is one of my favourite AFL venues in Australia for a number of reasons. The views are great wherever you sit while the ease of access to get in and out to get food and drinks or to go to the toilets is also not a hassle. I love a venue you can walk the full distance around and here at Metricon Stadium you can walk both the inside and outside concourses to take in the full sights and smells of the match day as well as accessing all the types of food on offer and not being cut off by security or ushers.

On the food and beverage front while there were food trucks and permanent food stalls in abundance I found the food offering we sampled to be below par and quite disappointing however this was no doubt not the opinion of every fan who purchased food items at the event. The hot chips we purchased for $6.50 were flavourless (my friend had a delicious peppery salt on his while mine had nothing which was odd) and undercooked while the hot dog looked quite sad presentation wise for $6.50 and the pie for $5.75 had hard pastry like a rock. There was an assortment of options from Chipsters offering dagwood dogs and loaded fries to a Kebab stand meaning there truly was something for every fan to get around. There were also wings and chips and Hawaiian burger combos along with churros and even popcorn boxes to satisfy fans tastes and preferences for both young and old with the more substantial offerings costly $15-$17.

Prices seemed quite high compared to other venues for items such as hot dogs and chips while the beer was fresh and on par with Australian venues with a Carlton Mid tinnie (served into a plastic cup) at $8.95 while Great Northern schooners were $9.80 and craft beer from Pirate Life Brewing Co (CUB/South Australian) was $11.20 for their mid-strength or $8.50 for their 0.9% light beer which all in all represented normal pricing and a good variety for beer drinkers. Furthermore some bars did not have electronic boards displaying prices or price lists so you weren’t sure how much you were paying until it was round up at the til.

The venue has an impressive outside concourse as as well as an inside open concourse which offers plenty of space to roam, order food and drinks as well as find a space to sit and take in the event away from your actual seats. It’s one of my favourite grounds because of the open space and the flexibility you have to walk around the venue on a game day. There are multiple member’s bars (one with a live band called The Fifth Quarter) as well as a Carlton Draught bar for Suns members and fans while there are chairs and tables and plenty of green space including a massive oval only 50 metres from the stands where you can kick footies on all throughout the match day. This is a big incentive for families and young fans who who come along as they can bring in their footballs to the match and head out for a pre, mid or post game kick as we did with our own Sherrin that was a lot of fun.

The sponsor activation social spaces were impressive and included the Carlton Draught bar and a comfy couch seating area overlooking the field of play (could not see sponsor, perhaps Metricon). There were two sponsor activation set ups that really caught my eye though and these included the Metricon Homes ‘Terrace’ that was a fully fledged house within the stadium that included a balcony overlooking the field while the Plungie Pool area was also eye-catching with its pool, lifeguard and blue astroturf seating.

The toilets here were clean and spacious with no lines seen throughout the night for either the women’s or men’s with the men’s having a lot of space to walk in and out quickly with soap and tap all working fine. Hand sanitisers were available around the ground and after checking three which had sanitiser in them on my travels around the venue it was good to see them filled up unlike on recent stadium visits where they have been on show but not filled up.

The views are simply breathtaking here with views on the ground level or up in the stands affording fans a cracking close up view of the action no matter the seating rake. Behind the goals at the scoreboard is also a place worth sitting and while not undercover affords fans a close up view of the action. Sitting high up in section 216 we did still get slightly wet as the rain permeated through the worn roof tarps with the roof, rails and shades all looking like they need a thorough clean. The way-finding in the stadium was not too difficult to see where to go for food, seating sections or toilets but I thought it could be made a bit more clearer and in larger text to make it more visible. I saw a few ushers on the night cheerfully helping fans however there was not one in our stand or the one adjacent, however it seemed that fans made their way to their seats easily with the night running very smoothly as well for stadium staff. Accessible seating is clearly marked and available for those fans needing it while outside the concourses there are merchandise stands offering both Suns and away fans the option of securing a piece of merch.

The Suns fan engagement really stands out and is underrated in my opinion both for AFL teams and in other Australian sporting teams. The Suns really cater well for families and kids with a big feature being their Suns ‘Little Legends’ train that runs around the venue picking up young fans and families and taking them on a fun casual train ride around the outside of the stadium concourse. The Suns do a lot for their members with the social spaces previously listed however they also have a member raise their Suns flag up the flagpole each game while they also have a junior reporter, Suns photo wall, face painting, a kids zone out the back and a member’s guard of honour. Screen activations like Air Guitar and the on-field kick the footy into the Plungie Pool were also fun to watch – I reckon I could have nailed the kick into the footy easily (It’s all about wearing the right shoes for on field fan engagement if you’re ever selected to participate!).

It was also good to see the way the Suns acknowledge their members with big plaques inside the venue honouring those fans who have shown their dedication as members along with history charts across the seating bowl that highlight the Suns formation and history on the Gold Coast over the past decade.

The Suns ANZAC Day ceremony was handled respectfully and included a marching band, the last post and the national anthems and it was good to see everyone take their hats off and stand in silence to appreciate the ANZACs and what this day means to so many Australian and New Zealander’s.

While it was an entertaining game in the rain, the Lions ended up running away with the win 132-80 before the final siren sounded and fans made their exits. I found it easy to leave the venue and the signage for the buses back to Nerang Station or to Broadbeach were easily identifiable with bus staff also speaking to fans to ensure they were headed in the right direction. Within five minutes of lining up we were on a bus and on our way back to the train station which again only took five minutes journey before heading back to the cars and home within an hour to Brisbane.

A Gold Coast Suns AFL game day at Metricon Stadium is a very worthy event day visit in my opinion, either as a Suns fan or as in my case travelling for an away day as a Lions fan. From the views and the big oval for a kick to the Suns fan engagement andd the ease of the fan journey both in and out, it really represents an enjoyable AFL match day for Aussie Rules fans. There is so much on here for families and fans with the Suns clearly going the extra mile to create lasting memories for their members and fans and I could not more highly rate the Suns fan experience as an event worth checking out.

Hawthorn Hawks Vs St Kilda Saints AFL Fan Experience at MCG, Melbourne, Australia 10/4/22

On Sunday 10th April I finally had the chance to do something I have been looking forward to for such a long time.

I finally got to be back in Melbourne after three years away and I got to take my daughter Ramona Josie along to her first ever AFL match and her first ever visit to the hallowed Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Ramona and I started our fan journey on a gorgeous blue sky day by walking (well she got an easy ride in the stroller!) the short distance from the city along the back inner suburban Melbourne streets of the MCG.

We had a fun little play in the grassy area outside the G where we kicked the football and had cuddles under this amazing stadium that is in my opinion one of the best to visit in the world for any event. That event today turned out to be a classic old school Aussie Rules battle between Hawthorn Hawks and St Kilda Saints which the Saints would eventually run away with in the end 142-73.

After a play we picked up a copy of the AFL Record which is always a must on an AFL game day and a bargain still at $5.

It was great to see a few things by looking up at the MCG and these included the solar panels out the front of gate 3 and the water station and solar powered CCTV and lights which all together has made the MCG run on 100% renewable energy which is spectacular to see from a major Australian venue. The ‘G-TRAIN’ was also a good sight to see for inclusion and accessibility as it carried less mobile fans around the G to their gates.

Today thanks to a friend we were lucky enough to sit in the MCC area which I had never been in to before. We were greeted and welcomed in by friendly MCG staff who waved and made RJ feel safe and welcome. I was even so surprised at how much Ramona enjoyed the atmosphere of a pumping MCG crowd from the people to the sirens, she was beaming ear to ear which made the day all the more memorable.

After walking in we did a big lap of the area taking in the F&B outlets, getting some photos, looking at the facilities and also going on a nice walk along the concourse. We had a look in the MCG shop which is stocked full of AFL and cricket items to buy with the retro range standing out as some very cool merch items. We walked out to then come back into another section and got a special Member’s Reserve pass which felt like something from the old days. The COVID check in process was also seamless and easy with security and gate staff helpful and efficient.

There were many new F&B stands with the addition of Royal Stacks burgers a welcome surprise and the prices were ok too from $12.50-$15.50. I remember when these guys had just opened in Brunswick when we lived here in 2015 so to see them in the stadium was pretty cool for fans, especially with their bright concession stand. There was also a brisket/BBQ outlet selling brisket rolls for $15.50, sweet crepes for $11 and southern fried chicken at the Cleaver and Coop outlet for $12.

Prices for some items were very affordable with water ($3.40) and coke varieties ($4.70) probably the cheapest in an Australian venue while the WAIT TIMES boards were helpful in showing fans which outlets had shortest lines and the distance to each outlet. Beer was priced at $9.50 for Carlton Draught while $11 for Mountain Goat craft beer which did absolutely taste that little bit nicer in flavour.

Power banks, water refill stations and plenty of helpful staff were also present inside the stadium on this event day. I found that the baby change and toilet facilities were also top notch here. I also had a check of some hand sanitisers and they all worked and had been filled prior to the event.

Ramona and I had an absolutely outstanding day at the MCG for her first visit and first AFL game with staff, affordable F&B and the views of the ground being the highlights of visiting this historic venue.

AFL Game Day Brisbane Lions Vs West Coast Eagles, The Gabba, Brisbane, Australia, 21/8/21

The view from the AFL Brisbane Lions Vs West Coast Eagles match day at the Gabba on Saturday 21/8/21.

Score was 19.11.125 to 13.9.87.

 

Brisbane Lions vs Gold Coast Suns AFL Game Day, The Gabba, Brisbane, Australia 24/07/2021

The Brisbane Lions AFL match day from the Gabba in Brisbane on 24/07/21.

The Lions 17.18.120 defeated Gold Coast 10.11.71

THE 2019 FAN ENGAGEMENT/ FAN EXPERIENCE 100-1 RECAP

Hello and welcome to my annual 100-1 fan engagement/experience year in review where I take a look back on the creative, innovative, exciting and tailored strategies from teams, venues, sports marketing agencies and sponsors which in my opinion greatly captivated fans across the globe in 2019.

There is a customary heavy focus on Australia and New Zealand as I am based here and please do keep in mind that this is a very subjective list based on my own personal experiences at games, what I saw from colleagues around the globe and what fans have suggested. There will, of course, be ideas and activations that I have missed so please feel free to tag them and add to the discussion here or on social. 

Some of the key areas of focus included:

  • Technology innovations from augmented reality to smart jerseys.
  • F&B incentives were again a trending area with more venues offering early bird offers, family-friendly deals, kids combo meal deals as well as catering for dietary needs and craft beer. 
  • Innovative social seating experiences such as pools, couches, and beaches in venues to offer fans unique fan experiences that can’t be had at home.
  • Inclusive approaches that offer better access and representation to fans with diverse needs to enjoy the same fan experiences as every other fan both in the community and on game day.
  • Harnessing the power of fan-generated content. Find out what skills your fans have by listening to them and then utilize these skills. Fellow fans love this while the fan feels a genuine sense of appreciation that they’re being rewarded for their contribution. I’m a big fan of this area.
  • Sustainable environmental approaches as fans care about their local communities and the environment around the team and society.
  • More political and social justice concerns from fans and teams that put inclusion and communities first.
  • Seamless, tech-driven, fan-friendly venues.

When it comes to fan engagement strategies and improving the fan experience there are few thoughts that I’ll leave you with before starting the 100-1 recap:

Thinking like kids: We must never forget to think like fans, families and in particular junior fans. The ability to continually put ourselves in the shoes of kids and get on their level as well as remember the importance and feeling of those first moments of fandom that we had as kids when we were enthralled and excited by our favourite team or player.

Listening and responding with authenticity: Constantly listening to fans is vital but it is not enough. Responding with empathy and authenticity goes such a long way in driving lifetime fan loyalty.

Keeping it simple: The greatest fan engagement is often the simplest stuff. While I’m constantly road testing the latest tech on my game day travels because I’m a huge fan of the way technology is enhancing our game days I do believe that stripping it all back to the purest and most honest form of fan engagement ends up having the most significant impact on fans. There are a number of outstanding examples of this below.

Inclusion: More than ever thinking about fans as people and not customers and looking at what we can do to better listen and engage them for the benefit of all. 

Personalisation: Never underestimate what it means to a fan to know that you have put them first by directly targeting them.

I trust that this educational summary provides you with some basis for thinking about how you can both improve your fan experience and better engage your fans on both a grassroots or global level while at the same time marvelling at the creativity on show here.

Finally, a huge round of applause to all of the hard-working, creative and talented front office team and venue crews, sports agencies, sponsors and other stakeholders out there who continually create these outstanding experiences for fans across the globe each year. 

If you would like to peruse the previous 100-1 annual summaries then you can find them here:

2018

2017

2016

2015

100. Craft beer and sports team and venue partnerships continued to pour in this year with the establishment of new partnerships with local breweries and venues in an effort to bring fans, local businesses, and the community closer together by offering local and better quality beer options on game days. 

I’ve written a fair bit about this area with my articles well worth a read to understand what teams, venues, and craft breweries are getting out of these partnerships. More info here.

Some of the craft beer and some of the other interesting beer developments from Australia and overseas included:

  • Melbourne Storm and Brick Lane Brewing
  • South Sydney Rabbitohs and Young Henry’s
  • Brisbane Bullets and Newstead Brewing Co
  • Melbourne Demons and Brewanity
  • Port Adelaide and Pirate Life Brewing Co
  • Newcastle Jets and Murray’s Brewing Co

99. Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) post-game kick to kick.  

98. NBL Brisbane Bullets post-game on-court autograph session.

97. @MijnVitesse  launched a pay per month ticketing model.

96. Wimbledon offering vegan strawberries and cream for the first time. A theme emerging of inclusive F&B offerings around the global grounds. 

95. The hilarious New Zealand Warriors (NRL) ‘Bush Shirt’ that took social by storm and will be debuted in the 2020 season. A clever idea to tap into the random side of fans and a nation’s culture. 

 

94. Weetbix and BBL/WBBL personalized backyard cricket bats.

93. Coventry City music themed ‘Specials’ kit for Kick It Out campaign round. Also special mention to West Ham United and their collab with Iron Maiden. Will there be more of these music/team kit collabs?

92. The Boundary Social at The Gabba, Brisbane.

91. F&B prices at Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta for Super Bowl LIII.

90. Chicago Blackhawks NHL chopping board giveaway to fans.

89. NY Mets Seinfeld Night and bobblehead giveaway.

88. Australian Women’s Cricket team trading cards. It’s been so good to see the rise of more women’s sport athletes being featured on cricket trading cards for fans of all ages to collect. Also Super Netball, WBBL and AFLW as well. 

87. Brisbane Lions (AFL) umpired youth games in the community. You should also check out the review I wrote of the Brisbane Lions and Gabba’s Verandah fan experience. 

86. Win an Adelaide Giants (ABL) contract for a day.

85. Chief Beer Officer at the LA Rams.

84. Queens Park Rangers crest collection for new members.

83. AFLX at Marvel Stadium. Light up goal posts, free trading cards and loads of kids activities. Another impressive event for 2019 at the venue. A lot of AFLX got blasted by the media and fans who weren’t the target market.

82. Kensington Oval beach cricket party atmosphere complete with jet ski chairs.

81. Melbourne Storm (NRL) Street Crew.

80. Commemorative yesteryear tickets from Collingwood AFLW.

79. Adelaide Crows (AFL) and Borussia Dortmund replying to fans with personalised kit wallpapers.

78. AGF Children’s Day drawings.

77. AIK Fotboll selling pre-signed jerseys for fans.

76Manchester United and Marriot launched the ‘Seat of Dreams’ at Old Trafford. 

75. New Zealand Warriors (NRL) and Auckland Blues (Super Rugby) ‘Codes of Auckland’ partnership and the Sydney Kings (NBL) and Sydney FC (A-League) partnership.

74. At Pollock FC in Scotland a big football fan – a dog called ‘Yardley’ – is allowed to watch games from the stands at Newlandsfield Park. Now that’s inclusion. Also, #74 just a bit of a laugh in the list. Also, lets put the Dallas Cowboys cat here too. That was very responsive from the AT&T Stadium and team to add the cat to the lineup. 

73. Reuseable cups from Rylands FC and free hot drinks to those who bring their own reusable cup along on match days.

72. @OU_Football launched a website with content and profiles of each signee. They made each of them their own logo and announced the athletes on the site.

71. This lovely story from the UT Vols.

70. Cousin Eddie hat giveaway from M State. One of the best random giveaways of the year.

69. This barbershop and barbershop singing girls at the V8 Supercars at Sandown Raceway in Victoria.

68. New Jersey Devils (NHL) had kids draw pictures of their favourite players and then put them up on the screen.

67. Seattle Sounders (MLS) calling out racism and fascism and in the process showing how inclusive they are to their community. 

66. Coventry City FC’s family zone but in particular their ‘lucky dip’ idea which I thought was simple and effective.

65. The Lawn at the MCG and in particular the caricature part of this. A simple and effective idea for hospitality guests and for kids in a fan zone. Here’s also a review I review of The Lawn fan experience that I wrote for Digital Sports Labs. 

64. Brisbane Roar (A-League) CEO shouting fans drinks at away games.

63. Montrose FC got fans together to road test the pies for the venue. Possibly the best fan engagement all year for food lovers.

62. Reading Fightin Phils had a gender reveal fireworks night.

61. The Holden mini-trucks race circuit at the State of Origin match at Optus Stadium in Perth, Western Australia.

60. Family-Friendly Sunday’s at the SCG. Discounted F&B prices for fans. What other venues are doing similar things?

59. Gender-Neutral toilets at Whitten Oval for the Western Bulldogs AFLW match. A very inclusive way for all fans to be made to feel welcome on game days.

58. Freebies for kids at Marvel Stadium over summer 2019/20 BBL/WBBL matches. 

57. This classy note from Manchester City to fans.

56. Various LA Dodgers themed nights.

55. DB Cooper CSI themed night at the Portland Pickles.

54. Pink Beer for the Pink Test at the SCG.

53. The Pool and Boundary Beach Club at Optus Stadium, Perth, Western Australia.

52. New Zealand All Blacks ‘Black Laundry’. “Running until the start of November, and open ahead of every All Blacks match, Steinlager wants to inspire Kiwis to show their true colours by sacrificing an item of clothing and dying it black  – with one Auckland woman already having dyed her wedding dress.”

51. Fans First free shipping. Savannah Bananas removed merch shipping fees.

50. San Francisco 49er’s ‘All You Can Eat’ tickets. 

49. State of Origin Light Show at Optus Stadium, Perth.

48. The Queensland Maroons visited the Brisbane Police Watch House.

47. Parramatta Eels (NRL) moving statue at Bankwest Stadium. Check out Bankwest Stadium too. I wrote a fan experience review for Aus Leisure Mag which can be found here.

46. This stubby cooler sweater from Cricket Australia as a hospitality piece of merch. Had to include something merchandise related and this was one of the best pieces I picked up this year. More on Brisbane’s The Gabba and Cricket Australia fan experience can be found here.

45. Sydney Roosters (NRL) members names on the LED ribbon at the SCG. Nice way to made to be feel welcome.

44. Brisbane Broncos (NRL) hackathon. What other teams did these well in 2019?

43. Peterborough PUFC young fans guard of honor.

Great to see so many first time fans at the game today – the looks on their faces when they see the players is priceless! Big ‘fans for the future’ initiative as alluded to by @JasonDavidNeale earlier is coming soon to get these back and ultimately season ticket holders.#pufc pic.twitter.com/KyuVypQRew

— Jake Baxter (@Jake__Baxter) February 2, 2019


42. These incredible kit reveal videos from Arsenal (Adidas) and Chelsea (Nike).

41. Free iconic Tayla Harris kick AFLW badges handed out at AFLW games.

40. Eredivisie Toy Toss. 

39. Manchester City became the first sports club to launch with YouTube Kids.

38. Royal Antwerp FC launched a special section for their vision impaired fans.

37. The @ThunderbirdsAHL‘s celebrated the 30th anniversary of the animated comedy series “The Simpsons.” with these Ice-O-Topes jerseys.

36. Kombucha coming into F&B offerings more and more like at Seattle Seahawks for foodies as healthier stadium concession products gain deeper traction with fans. 

35. Iranian women were allowed to attend a national team game for the first time in 40 years.

34. Baltimore Ravens Pop Up Shop idea.

33. LinkedIn sponsors Grimsby Town FC to help community score jobs. They launched the ‘LinkedIn Lounge’ – a permanent matchday fixture throughout the season, where match goers will be able to see current vacancies in the area, along with details of how to apply.

32. Huggity’s scrum machine challenge. 

31. For the Raptors 25th-anniversary, @PizzaPizzaLtd created an interactive GameBox to offer a tabletop gaming experience. 

30. Tottenham Hotspur’s fast pour beers at the new venue in London. Tech has been around for a while but it seemed to take off this year with the launch of the new stadium. 

29. Baltimore Ravens debut mixed reality Raven in venue.

28. NBA smart jerseys.

27. PSV helps a young fan enjoy a matchday experience like no other.

26. Chelsea FC unveiled a new ‘shirt holders’ Nike kit designed by fans.

25. Penn State Football’s creative poster that transforms into a helmet.

24. Hertha BSC ticket bot.

23. Premier League smart shirt.

22. FC Midtjylland hired a bagpipes player to greet Rangers fans.

21. FC Union Berlin made these posters up for their recently deceased fans. 

20. Feyenoord and Opel offer each away game a clubcar for four fans to travel to away games. 

19. Everton FC. Treats on seats for first time under 11 Season Ticket members to welcome them to Goodison Park for 2019/20.

18. Paris Saint-Germain partnered with Deliveroo for in-seat ordering at Parc des Princes.

17. Swindon Town FC Junior Takeover Day. Also another good example of this below from Brentford FC.

16. Brilliant work from Watford FC for those fans wanting to know costs, first time attendance and every detail for the match. This makes it so easy for fans to better understand the game day.

15. Andres Iniesta’s Farewell Jersey idea from beIN Sports.

14. VR work from Bayern Munich.

13. These ushers at Fiserv Forum for the Bucks game. 

12. GWS (AFL) ahead of the 2019 AFL Grand Final.

11. Dallas Cowboys/AT&T Stadium AR ‘Pose With The Pro’s’ activation. Also another fine example from Wolverhampton Wanderers too below.

10. Bat flips at the BBL/WBBL.

9. Swindon Town FC taking fans to their seats on their first game days.

8. DC United getting the local music community involved in game days.

7. FC Utrecht galvanising fans to donate their warm clothes to their supporters who live below the poverty line.

6. Charlotte Checkers having personalised notes on fans seats.

5. The Washington Capitals announcing their official team dog of the team. 

4. The warm welcoming work from Brentford FC’s team to create personalised welcome emails to fans coming to Griffin Park for the first time. A delightful way to ensure fans feel welcome and have all the information they need to be able to get the most out of their first experience. 

3. The work of teams like Melbourne Rebels (Super Rugby), Penrith Panthers (NRL) and Newcastle Knights (NRL) listening to their fans to lower the prices on their jerseys to $99 from the original costs of upwards of $170. 

 

2. The amazing work the Gold Coast Titans (NRL) and other organisations did to create a rugby league physical disability competition so that these young players could play the game they love. Watch Leagueability on ABC here. “A heart-warming, inspirational story about a bunch of young blokes who live for the game but have never been allowed to play and start a physical disability rugby league competition in regional Australia.”

1. AS Roma’s new recruits and missing persons campaign. There are just no words for how brilliant this was. 

So there you have it for 2019.

A pretty impressive list of fan engagement strategies and fan experience insights from across the globe highlighting the outstanding work being done to entertain and delight fans in various parts of the world.

100 (actually there’s well over that as I’ve combined a few here and there) truly exceptional strategies but what have I missed? What was happening for you as a fan in your neck of the woods?

Thanks also to my colleagues and the people I look up to in the industry and this space such as but not limited to:

Be sure to also scroll back through the 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 countdowns too to see what’s been happening over the past few years (found at the top of this post).

Let me know at @MrBlairHughes on Twitter or on LinkedIn.

Thanks and have a great holiday break.

2018 AFL Grand Final Footy Festival Fan Experience, Yarra Park (MCG), Melbourne, Australia

On what started out as a wet, cold and rainy start to the day in Melbourne for the AFL Grand Final day I made the trek into the MCG a few hours before the first bounce at 10am for a look at the impressive AFL Footy Festival fan engagement set up which is free for all fans to check out during the AFL Grand Final week and on Grand Final day.

Walking in to the MCG I grabbed a copy of the special limited edition AFL Record which in my opinion is one of the best game day programs you can buy in Australian sport however I was not aware until today that there is actually this silver limited edition which is different to the one that you can pick up during the week from newsagencies. Same price too at $15.

The atmosphere was building as soon as I made my way into the Footy Festival and only continued as I made my way around the ground pre-game chatting to fans both those heading into the game and those seeking tickets of which there were many of the latter. The Footy Festival comprises a host of exciting spaces for fans to hang out in and features the ‘Taste of Football’ food truck area, the MILO Kids Zone with loads of activities to keep families happ along with the Toyota AFL Grand Final Live Site.

The fan engagement is next level with so many new, well presented and exciting sponsor activities for kids and fans young and old to try out both with a fitness and fun factor.

This is a truly superb best practice fan engagement spectacle which has a key inclusive focus on kids and families and featured a host of impressive, fun and colourful sponsor activations which included:

  • Scream A Meter
  • Family zone
  • Ball pit
  • Kicking challenges
  • Fitness challenges
  • Giveaways
  • Kids activities in the MILO zone
  • Inflatables fun
  • The Dunkinator
  • Ultimate Handball Challenge
  • Free hot pies
  • Tower of Torp
  • Ferris Wheel
  • Outside broadcasts
  • Toyota chill out zone
  • As the day progressed and the sun came out in Melbourne, it was also good to see the MCG’s Buggy Transfer Service which has been a clever inclusive addition to the fan experience here at the G for less mobile fans and those needing assistance around the ground on game days.

    The ‘Taste Of Football’ food truck area and bars were keeping fans well fed with a range of local gourmet food and beverage options from Melbourne staples like Biggie Smalls. A really good thing to see that the AFL have continued to keep it local with these Melbourne F&B institutions to show off the best of Melbourne’s foodie culture.

    All in all, the AFL Grand Final Footy Festival is an outstanding sporting fan experience at the MCG which in my opinion is right up there with NFL Experience at the Super Bowl,  the Australian Open, Australian F1 Grand Prix and the Denver Broncos as one of the best global fan zones. A quality inclusive family and fan fun spectacle from the AFL.

    Here’s a quick video recap of the Footy Festival.

2017 AFLGF and NRLGF Fan Engagement/Experience Overview

With the 2017 AFL (Adelaide Crows Vs. Richmond Tigers) and NRL (Melbourne Storm Vs. North Queensland Cowboys) grand finals happening in Melbourne and Sydney this weekend respectively here’s a quick snapshot of what fans can look forward to in the lead up and on the day at both of these major Australian sporting events. 

AFL

Starting with the AFL and the league has done a tremendous job down in Yarra Park outside the MCG with the massive free AFL Footy Festival which has been put on for big and small Aussie Rules fans. Featuring a fan engagement extravaganza of authentic sponsor activations, photo opportunities and giveaways, the free footy festival is a young fans paradise.

The focus on fan engagement for kids here is impressive with the AFL Rookie Passport standing out along with the ‘Dunkinator’, ‘Tower of Torp’ and countless skills drills workshops involving the Sherrin footies bouncing all over the park. The new UberEATS partnership allows fans to skip the queues at an exclusive VIP area while there’s loads of gourmet F&B offerings from local food trucks like Biggie Smalls and Gelato Messina. If you’re in Melbourne it’s well worth getting down here to check it all out and take in the AFL Grand Final atmosphere.

Doughnut Time has some special Dustin Martin and Tex Walker styled doughnuts for fans to try while there are endless photo opportunities, bars and food stands that deserve a look in. This is one impressive set up outside the G!

Here’s a walk through of the event I did on Wednesday when it first opened. 

Uber is also giving fans in Melbourne $20 in free credit (with no catches) to enable them to get to or from the game at the MCG. There is also a dedicated Uber pick up and drop off zone outside the MCG on Clarendon Street where fans will no doubt be given a code to wait for their driver to arrive as has been the case with my experiences outside NBA and NFL venues with Uber partnerships. The Melbourne free tram zone has also been extended to allow fans more access to get to and from the venue for a cheaper price and relieve congestion. 

The Adelaide Crows have held an open training session and also updated their impressive club app to include ‘Facepaint’ which allows fans to paint their faces within the app. 

The Richmond Tigers have also put on a live site on Saturday for fans without AFL Grand Final tickets but this is sure to sell out. 

My tip: Adelaide Crows by 26.

 

NRL

The NRL put on a fan fest on Thursday for rugby league fans at Luna Park which featured rides, player appearances and a family zone. Fans were able to grab some photos with players, see the grand final teams be presented and see all the mascots in a mascot parade. 

At Sydney’s ANZ Stadium on Sunday fans are able to secure a free cap from sponsor 47 Brand who are giving away 60,000 free caps with the NRL and NRLGF logo on them to fans. The venue is also giving fans the chance to grab a special limited edition grand final cup inside the stadium too but no doubt these and the caps will go quickly. 

The Storm and Cowboys each have grand finals tees which fans can buy while Storm fans can go on a cruise and to get to the game which sounds like a fun idea out on the Sydney harbour. Fans also get free transport included with their ticket to the match. 

NRL fans have the chance to be picked up in a Golden Holden by booking with Uber for their ride to ANZ Stadium on Sunday while the Cowboys held an open training session and put on a grand final parade in Townsville to send the team off. 

My tip: North Queensland Cowboys by 8.

Future Stadiums: How Technology Is Revolutionizing The In-Stadium Fan Experience

Here’s a recent article I wrote for Australasian Leisure Management Magazine 

In a stadium near you right now the battle for the fan is on in the sports world to improve and enhance the fan experience. With stadiums across the globe racing each other to become the most technologically advanced theatre for live sports, an arms race is on to get fans out from their home sports caves and back into the stadium. From bio-metric finger print security screening, AI ticketing and vibrating seats to rest room app’s, virtual reality streaming and in-seat food ordering, global stadiums are continuing to innovate through technology in an effort to create exciting and immersive experiences off the field for fans to drive revenue and create long lasting memories and added value for sports fans.

Through looking at the recent global developments in stadium innovations into the fan experience, the following journey through the stadium of the future will look at and highlight the key stadium innovations that are revolutionizing the revenue options for stadiums and enhancing the fan experience for sports fans around the world.

Ticketing

With the stadium fan experience starting long before the actual event takes place, ticketing is often the first point of call for fans with the innovations taking place in this area being heavily influenced by mobile technology. While resale ticketing firm StubHub and Washington’s National’s Park Stadium allows fans to don a virtual reality headset to check out the view of their seats before buying them, Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium features ‘loaded tickets’ where fans can pre-load money onto their tickets which can then be used for food, drink and merchandise. Elsewhere the Dallas Mavericks listened to their fans and launched a new app that features the ability to view a 360º angle of the seats as well as purchase tickets seamlessly via the app while ticketing platform ReplyBuy is brining artificial intelligence to the fan ticket buying experience by allowing fans the opportunity to purchase tickets by sending a ‘buy’ test message to the service and having chatbots respond with questions asking how many tickets the fan is after.

Transportation

A constant gripe amongst sports fans has been the costs and hassle associated with getting to and from the stadium on game day be that from traffic congestion to parking, however now some stadiums are using creative inducements to inspire fans to more easily get out to the venue. At Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami Dolphins have partnered with Uber to create a hassle free tailgate experience with a dedicated pick up and drop off point and the ability to book a ride to the game and have a private tailgate section complete with game day supplies. Across to the west coast and the 49ers are working with Amazon’s PrimeNow service to offer fans the fast delivery of game day tailgate items like hot dog buns, and ice which are then shipped to the fans in the Levi’s Stadium tailgate for only $8.

Uber Tailgate

Uber Tailgate

Uber Tailgate

Uber Tailgate

Uber Tailgate

Uber Tailgate

Security

As a result of Daesh having stated their intention to target global stadiums as well as the recent bomb explosions at France’s Stade de France and a Baghdad soccer stadium it is clear that there is a growing terrorism challenge for major sporting events and stadiums. However while teams and venues are always looking for cutting-edge technology to enhance safety they also have to ensure an exceptional first class fan experience. With this in mind the Colorado Rockies Coors Field has deployed CLEAR fast access technology that enables fans to gain faster access to the stadium by having their finger scanned by a biometric fingerprint reader at designated entry lanes. With stadiums like AT&T Stadium in Dallas and Yankee Stadium in New York doing away with PDF tickets, mobile technology is also increasing stadium security and eliminating fraud as tickets are now increasingly being linked to the identity and mobile device of the person entering the stadium which means security agencies can cross check watch lists and see who is coming into the stadium.

Seating

Having made your way inside the stadium, the next step is to find your seat and while some stadiums have incorporated cushioned seats and cup holders the new Atlanta Falcons Mercedes Benz Stadium has stepped it up a notch with vibrating seats that enable fans to feel the impacts of each big hit. Not to be outdone the Jacksonville Jaguars Everbank Field have swimming pools overlooking the field but which come at a cost of 12K per game whereas Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium recently installed ‘smart seats’ which feature pop up HD TV’s into some of their seating. It’s clear that stadiums are looking to offer more and more of these unique seating and viewing options as a way of enticing fans into the ground as well as generating revenue from new premium seating solutions.

Way-Finding

Finding your way around both the outside and inside concourses of the stadium is also an area that stadiums are revolutionizing with tournaments like Wimbledon developing an app that enables fans to plan their visit which enhances the individual fan experience while Canada’s New Mosaic Stadium has developed an interactive map to help fans get around the venue. Perth’s nib Stadium has also undergone a make over which has provided a distinctive visual environment for fan circulation that has included electronic touch screen maps of the venue’s concession stands and toilets.

Lighting

A major upgrade that stadiums such as Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans and Globe Life Park in Texas are undertaking has been to install sophisticated energy saving LED lighting systems that can instantly be turned on and off as well as create a vibrant fan experience that enhances visibility around the venue for players, fans and broadcasters while also improving the entertainment offering.

Architecture

Ensuring that the fan experience is a comfortable one, stadium architecture design is an exciting area in the sports business with venues now having interesting design aspects like cross-laminated timber and undulating fiberglass roofing that amplifies the noise for fans at Olympique Lyonnais to size convertible structures like West Ham’s take over of the Olympic Stadium. The brand new US Bank Stadium in Minnesota installed giant pivoting glass doors and used a special plastic called ETFE that opens the field to natural light while providing protection from the snow, rain and winter weather.

Food and Drink

Grabbing some stadium grub on game day has not often been a pleasant experience with food and drink options being limited in terms of variety, quality and quantity. However many stadiums are now hearing fans concerns by offering creative and delicious dishes which are giving fans more reason to attend. Multiple stadiums like Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium and Melbourne’s MCG have lowered food prices to remove the back pocket sting from a day out while Levi’s Stadium in California has an app that allows in-seat ordering so fans never have to leave their seat to grab a bite to eat. I road tested this in 2015 and from app download to hot dog delivery the total time was only 16 minutes. On the beverage front, New Zealand’s Westpac Stadium has recently partnered with a local independent Wellington brewer to have craft beer on tap during A-League matches while the Minnesota Twins Target Park offers self serve beer machines and Dodger Stadium has a frozen beer foam that sits on top of beer cups keeping fans beers colder for longer.

IMG_4481

In Seat Ordering at Levis Stadium

In Seat Ordering at Levis Stadium

Rest Rooms

Highlighting the fact that no area is off limits for stadium innovation, rest rooms throughout venues are now being upgraded to enhance the amenity experience for fans as well as provide sponsors with a new way to drive brand awareness. In California, the Levis Stadium app features a function that allows fans to see which toilets have the shortest queues while sensing an opportunity to improve the rest room experience, the Tailgating Sports Marketing Group have deployed toilet trailers that feature HD monitors that include interactive gaming and sponsored content.

Toilet app at Levis Stadium

Toilet app at Levis Stadium

Audio-Visual

Venues are increasingly updating their audio-visual infrastructure by incorporating cutting edge technology into their screens and sound systems as a way of improving the fan experience for the senses. New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium has installed huge programming boards that act as a delivery service for fans with information on fantasy sports and fan tweets while Mercedes Benz Stadium has added 2000 video display screens and a 360° 63,000ft HD halo video board in a new partnership with Daktronics. In the UK, Norwich City have revolutionized screen technology by becoming the first team in English football to install a 360° revolving LED stadium screen that switches between portrait and landscape while for Perth’s new stadium plans are to have 240sqm mega screens installed at both ends of the ground.

MetLife Stadium

MetLife Stadium

VR-AR

Racing each other to be the most technologically advanced stadium in the world through the use of virtual and augmented reality, stadiums are looking to offer new unique viewing experiences to bring fans in closer to the action and change how they consume content. The NBA’s Warriors recently broadcast the first live streamed game in VR that incorporated 360° cameras being installed around Oracle Arena with fans wearing VR headsets to see a new perspective of the game. Manchester’s Etihad Stadium in conjunction with Melbourne’s AAMI Park and New York’s Yankee Stadium also enabled fans to trial viewing a Manchester City match in VR in an effort to promote more fan involvement. Elsewhere there are rumours that the new City of Champions stadium in Los Angeles will feature on field projections using VR.

VR at Australian Open 2016

VR at Australian Open 2016

Connectivity

Enabling fans to have seamless in stadium connectivity to fast and free high density Wi-Fi has become the norm amongst leading stadiums who have understood the importance of ensuring fans have no impediment to mobile access. Venues such as US Bank Stadium have 1300 Wi-Fi hot spots while Levis Stadium features over 600KM of Wi-Fi cabling and one access point to every 100 seats in the bowl. Throughout Australia many of the leading stadiums now feature free Wi-Fi which have enabled fans to enjoy a better fan experience through interacting with team and stadium content, uploading pictures as well as receiving targeted ads for food, beverage and merchandise offers.

The stadium of the future has arrived and fans should be excited. While global stadiums show no signs of slowing down as they continue to innovate and revolutionize with smart technologies, it is evident from these ten areas that the stadium fan experience is being improved in every single aspect to ensure that fans are put first and provided with more reasons to attend.

 

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2016 NRL and AFL Grand Final Fan Engagement Overview

It’s that time of the year again as the AFL and NRL Grand Final’s are on this coming weekend in Melbourne and Sydney respectively.

With the action set to be electric on the field at both Sydney’s ANZ Stadium and Melbourne’s Melbourne Cricket Ground there are also a fantastic selection of fan engagement activations happening in each city from these national sporting codes as well as the competing teams that will be sure to keep fans entertained, engaged and having a world class fan experience at each stadium and online. 

While Melbourne’s MCG plays host to the Western Bulldogs versus the Sydney Swans in the AFL, Sydney’s ANZ Stadium will see Melbourne Storm take on the Cronulla Sharks in the NRL. 

Twitter has already jumped in to add special Grand Final emoji’s for both the #NRLGF and #AFLGF as well as the teams.

Twitter GF Emoji's

Twitter GF Emoji’s

AFL Grand Final 2016

Taking a look at the AFL first and that code will be holding the Foxtel AFL Footy Festival in Yarra Park outside Gate 3 of the MCG. The free festival will be showcasing the best of what Melbourne has to offer in food, music, movies, and of course, footy.

The event is open to the general public and will be running for four days from Wednesday, September 28 until Grand Final day, Saturday, October 1.

AFL FOXTEL FOOTY FESTIVAL

AFL FOXTEL FOOTY FESTIVAL

AFL FOXTEL FOOTY FESTIVAL

AFL FOXTEL FOOTY FESTIVAL

AFL FOXTEL FOOTY FESTIVAL

AFL FOXTEL FOOTY FESTIVAL

The AFL Live Site has 20+ activities on offer for fans over the four days with plenty of photo opportunities for those lasting memorable moments. Here is the full list:

Toyota AFL Grand Final Live Site

Toyota AFL Grand Final Live Site

Toyota AFL Grand Final Live Site

Toyota AFL Grand Final Live Site

Toyota AFL Grand Final Live Site

Toyota AFL Grand Final Live Site

*Update 28/9/16

I’ve just been through the AFL Footy Festival site and it is spectacular. From 30+ sponsor led fan engagement activation stands to gourmet food and drink this place has everything fans young and old could want in the lead up to the Grand Final. Pics below. 

A tradition on grand final eve, the AFL Grand Final Parade provides a chance for supporters of all ages to see the players taking part in the 2016 Toyota AFL Grand Final. Marching bands and roving entertainers will join the cavalcade of Toyota HiLuxes parading the Grand Final teams, from the Old Treasury Building to the Live Site at Yarra Park at the MCG on Melbourne’s public holiday Friday 30th September from 12-1pm.

AFL Grand Final Parade

AFL Grand Final Parade

Showcasing gourmet food options at sporting events is all part of the new wave of stadium advancements and the Lifestyle Taste of Footy event will be sure to showcase some of Melbourne’s best food options. With gourmet kebabs from Biggie Smalls Kebabs and Mexican fare from Lady Carolina to the yummy fries of King of Spuds and modern Japanese flavours of Tokyo Tina there is sure to be an option for every tastebud at this AFL footy food festival.

Screen Shot 2016-09-22 at 12.58.51 pm

Tokyo Tina

Tokyo Tina

King Of Spuds

King Of Spuds

Lady Carolina

Lady Carolina

Biggie Smalls

Biggie Smalls

Adding to the AFL Grand Final fan experience is the AFL Kids Zone which will include a range of activities for young AFL fans including the ever popular Woolworths AFL Playground, AFL Bounce, Ben 10 Drone Zone and NAB lounge.

AFL Kids Zone

AFL Kids Zone

Woolworths AFL Playground

Woolworths AFL Playground

Woolworths AFL Playground

Woolworths AFL Playground

Woolworths AFL Playground

Woolworths AFL Playground

The kids zone at the AFL Footy Festival also includes the Presto Movies at the MCG which will include a free public screening of the popular film Minions.

AFL Movie Day

AFL Movie Day

To keep fans connected, Telstra is also providing free wi-fi hotspots throughout the Foxtel Footy festival. Fans can connect to the ‘Free Telstra Wi-Fi’ when they arrive and share their photos and videos from each day of the event.

The AFL Grand Final Eve Party featuring Australian hip hop supremo Illy is a free gig for fans at Yarra Park on September 30.

AFL Grand Final Eve Gig

AFL Grand Final Eve Gig

To get fans to the MCG on Grand Final day, Public Transport Victoria are putting on extra services and extending the free tram from the CBD to the MCG. More on the free transport here: MCG Public Transport

PTV

PTV

 

Sydney Swans

As for the teams, Sydney are holding an open training session at the SCG on Monday while galvanising their fans passion together under their #AFLGF hashtag of #ProudlySydney. Fans can also pick up their special Swans Grand Final tee’s as well.

The Swans Finals Hub has all the information fans needs to have an exceptional fan experience at the MCG and features a page where fans can leave their Fan Mail to support the team.

The Swans App also features lots of exclusive content for fans to engage with on Grand Final day including:

– LIVE scores and team/player stats direct to your device
– Player profiles for every current player
– Video on Demand allows you to watch match highlights and press conferences while you’re on the run
– Latest News & Videos from your club
– Team Selections as they are announced
– Match details for the season including Results, Ladder and team Fixture
– Team Stats including disposals, kicks, handballs, and more
– Player Stats including goals, behinds and Fantasy points, plus their season averages
– Follow your club via the official Twitter feed
– Visit the Swanshop
– Book tickets to any match

Swans Finals Hub

Swans Finals Hub

Swans Open Training Session

Swans Open Training Session

Sydney Swans GF tee

Sydney Swans GF tee

Swans Fan Letters

Swans Fan Letters

The Swans are calling on fans to get behind their ‘Proudly Sydney‘ campaign and asking them to change their profile pics on Facebook to support the team while also having a Live Site for the Grand Final in Sydney on Saturday. 

Proudly Sydney

Proudly Sydney

Proudly Sydney

Proudly Sydney

Swans Live Site

Swans Live Site

Western Bulldogs

The Western Bulldogs have plenty on for fans as well with their AFL Grand Final Live Site at Whitten Oval, their Fans MVP Vote and an open training session on Tuesday featuring a host of activities.

Quality content such as the Dogs CartoonKidszone Healthy Eating Tips and their The Pack kids activities are also sure to excite fans young and old in the lead up to the grand final.

Bulldogs AFL GF Hub

Bulldogs AFL GF Hub

Bulldogs Live Site

Bulldogs Live Site

Bulldogs GF merch

Bulldogs GF merch

Live Site

Live Site

Dogs Cartoon

Dogs Cartoon

Dogs Open Training

Dogs Open Training

The Pack

The Pack

The Pack

The Pack

The Pack Colouring Page

The Pack Colouring Page

The Bulldogs app features a heap of fan content such as:

– LIVE scores and stats for every game of the 2016 AFL Toyota Premiership Season
– Refreshed Match Centre, including new team and player stats, and in-game video highlights
– New Team Stats section showing how the club shapes up against competition averages
– Improved Player profiles with additional stats and player information
– Video on Demand to watch match highlights and press conferences while you’re on the run
– Latest News & Videos from the club
– Player profiles for every current player, including bio, related articles and video, and season stats
– Team Selections as they are announced
– Match details for the season including Results, Ladder and team Fixture
– Alerts to your phone for club news, team announcements and match starts
– Team song audio and lyrics
– Fans’ MVP
– Follow your club via the official Twitter feed
– Visit the Bulldogs Shop
– Book tickets to any match

WB App

WB App

On the Sunday after the AFL Grand Final (Sunday October 2nd, 2016) the Melbourne Cricket Ground is opening the doors to the public for the annual ‘MCG Open Day‘ where sports fans can have fun on the field as well as participate in the following activities:

-Relive your favourite sporting moments on the hallowed turf of the MCG with kick-to-kick with family and friends.
-Kids can participate in free cricket clinics courtesy of the Melbourne Stars.
-Create your own Grand Final celebration and have your photo taken with the 2016 replica AFL premiership cup (at the reduced cost of $5 per photo if you pre-registered).
-Bask in the glory of the Cricket World Cup and the Women’s Ashes Trophy.
-Don’t miss our Frozen stage shows which will take place throughout the day. You can even take a photo with Elsa, Anna and Olaf!
-Explore the inner sanctum of the MCG, from the player change rooms and cricket viewing rooms to the MCC Library and The Long Room.
-Visit the National Sports Museum at a discounted cost (only $5).
-See, hold and take photos with a variety of amazing animals at our petting zoo
-Kids can enjoy free pony rides from 11am-3pm
-Enjoy traditional footy fare – from meat pies and hot chips, to salad and sushi at family friendly prices. Don’t miss out on the Kids meal deal!
-Free face painting.
-Roaming entertainment.

MCG Open Day 2016

MCG Open Day 2016

 

National Rugby League 2016 Grand Final

The NRL is hosting a free NRL Grand Final Fan Day on Thursday 29th September at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt in Sydney which will include the following fan activations and activities:

– Virtual kick

– Kids entertainment and activities

– Player signing sessions and photo opportunities

– Team mascots

– Live entertainment

– Photo opportunities with a life size NRL Trophy

NRL Grand Final Fan Day

NRL Grand Final Fan Day

NRL Fan Day

NRL Fan Day

On Grand Final day, Sydney’s ANZ Stadium will be hosting an array of activities for fans close by in Cathy Freeman Park which will include:

– A massive pre-game Grand Final party will kick off from 11am on Sunday.

– Loads of live entertainment and gourmet food and drink options.

Megastar Keith Urban will perform LIVE pre-game as part of an electrifying build-up to the NRL Grand Final. The chart-topping ARIA and Grammy Award winner will bring home the pre-game show following a performance by multiple Grammy Award-winner Richie Sambora, a founding member of Bon Jovi, who will be joined by Australia’s own guitar goddess Orianthi.

Melbourne Storm

Melbourne are holding an Open Training Session this week for fans.

Open Training Session

Open Training Session

Melbourne through sponsor Tiger Air are offering fans 5% off their flights to the Grand Final while their app is a must download ahead of the final match of the season on Sunday and includes:

– A brand new design theme and layout optimised for the iPhone 6;
– Access to the latest team News, Videos and Photo Galleries;
– 2016 Telstra Premiership Draw and Fixtures presented in a round or calendar format;
– Ladder for the Telstra Premiership and Holden Cup;
– Full squad list with Player Profiles;
– Push Notifications to keep you updated at all times with breaking news, score alerts and match updates;
– Integrated Twitter feeds from the official team and player accounts; and
– Access to all team related sites, including Membership, Merchandise Store, Ticketing, Events Calendar and many more!

Storm

Storm

Storm App

Storm App

Cronulla Sharks

The Sharks Finals Hub has all the information that fans need to know for the big day with merch, game notes and interviews while the team are encouraging fans to use the hashtag #WhyNotUs to get them psyched up for the game.

Cronulla are hosting a fan day on Tuesday.

Cronulla Fan Day

Cronulla Fan Day

Sharks Social

Sharks Social

Sharks Fan Day

Sharks Fan Day

A pop up shop will help fans gear up for match day while they have also put together a Sharks Spotify playlist for fans to dance to ahead of the big match. You can listen in here to the Cronulla Sharks NRL Playlist.

#WhyNotUs

#WhyNotUs

Sharks Grand Final Hub

Sharks Grand Final Hub

Sharks Pop Up Shop

Sharks Pop Up Shop

Sharks Playlist

Sharks Playlist

 

Cronulla Sharks Playlist

Cronulla Sharks Playlist

 Sharks fans are able to get their hands on official Grand Final shirts 

Cronulla Sharks shirts

Cronulla Sharks shirts

There are sure to be even more activations,  content and activities for fans of both codes and teams which are set to excite and engage sports fans this weekend and showcase the best in fan engagement from both codes. 

Note: I’ll be adding in more pictures and updates as they come in across the teams social streams and websites as well as pictures of the AFL Footy Festival in Melbourne which I’ll be checking out on Wednesday. 

 

Team by Team: 2016 AFL Fan Engagement and Fan Experience Activations

AFL Fan Engagement 2016

AFL Fan Engagement 2016

The 2016 AFL season get’s underway this Thursday night at the MCG with the Richmond Tigers taking on the Carlton Blues in what will be one of 207  hotly anticipated Aussie Rules matches played across the country.

Fans will be excited for the footy happening on the field but what else can they look forward to in terms of the fan experience both inside the stadium and while their online at home, in another state or country, on a mobile or tablet or even with their own virtual reality headset?

Just like I posted a couple of weeks back ahead of the start of the 2016 NRL season (See here: Club by Club: 2016 NRL Fan Engagement and Fan Experience Activations), this AFL club by club fan engagement recap will examine what each of the 18 teams are doing for their fans to drive deeper connections, engage their sponsors with their fans and shine a light on how these teams are listening to their fans.

Disclaimer: All of these team fan engagement activations and fan experience ideas have been sourced from the club’s social media pages and team websites, therefore there may be a great idea which I’ve missed. In this case please reach out to me on Twitter at @MrBlairHughes and I’ll update the article.

Adelaide Crows

The Crows held their season launch on Friday at Adelaide Oval and online offer fans the chance to participate in AFC Quizzes.

Adelaide also have a fan jet called Crows Jet that can fly fans interstate to matches as well as their own Crows Match Day Lottery.

Fans were also given the opportunity to be the ’19th man’ (although why not woman too?) in the team photo.

Crows Jet

Crows Jet

Crows Quizzes

Crows Quizzes

Crows Season Launch

Crows Season Launch

Adelaide Be The 19th Man

Adelaide Be The 19th Man

Crows Lottery

Crows Lottery

 

Brisbane Lions

The Lions have a wealth of fan engagement happening in 2016 and it probably a bit easier for them with their own ground as they can make full use of front Stanley Street area of The Gabba for their Lion Park fan zone.

Brisbane offer fans the opportunity to share their member stories in their Your Club, Your Stories online portal, include behind the scenes shots with their Snapchat account, produce weekly member only online TV Recovery Reports and Training Resources as well as offer healthy eating insights from player Daniel Rich with his Richie’s Recipes.

The Lions through sponsor Hyundai offer Game Day Parking incentives for fans and the member’s only area Hyundai Terrace, the ability to Train with the team, downloadable season calendars and wallpapers as well as free on field Kick to Kick fun after the final siren which enables kids to have a kick of the Sherrin at the end of the game.

The Lions have not forgotten about their female fans as well as their hugely successful Women of the Pride group continues to go from strength to strength in engaging their female fan base.

Lions members can participate in the members road trip for the Geelong match.

Fans can also get their name up on the Member’s Wall at The Gabba for home games as well as cast their vote in the Hall of Fame jersey.

The Lions recently held a Family Fun Day and in partnership with the Brisbane Roar A-League team also offered a creative collaboration which saw the chance for 5000 A-League fans to come to a Lions AFL game and they in turn returned the favour and let 5000 AFL fans head along to one of the Brisbane Roar’s games across town. Read more here on this: Brisbane Roar, Brisbane Lions announce ticket deal

Brisbane Lions 'Richy's Recipes'

Brisbane Lions ‘Richy’s Recipes’

Members Road Trip

Members Road Trip

Lion Park

Lion Park

The Hyundai Terrace- Lions

The Hyundai Terrace- Lions

Train with the Lions

Train with the Lions

Park Inside 50- Lions

Park Inside 50- Lions

Brisbane Lions

Brisbane Lions

Lions Snapchat

Lions Snapchat

Brisbane Lions

Brisbane Lions

Brisbane Lions Members Wall

Brisbane Lions Members Wall

Lions Vote for Hall of Fame Guernsey

Lions Vote for Hall of Fame Guernsey

Lions App

Lions App

Brisbane Lions - Lion Park

Brisbane Lions – Lion Park

Brisbane Lions- Your Stories

Brisbane Lions- Your Stories

Lions Kick to Kick

Lions Kick to Kick

 

Carlton Blues

The Blues push the boundaries and offer fans some unique fan engagement from their player Music Playlists, Blues Museum Blueseum and Carlton Wine Club to their Member’s Stories portal and Ikon Park Carlton Ghost Tours.

The Blues have held a family day, host regular open training sessions, let members names be on their jersey, gave away free posters at a recent family day, let members in for free at the NAB Challenge games, meet the players for signing sessions and even ran an exclusive members opportunity where fans could win heaps of prizes as a different player’s locker revealed new information each day in the lead up to the new season.

The Blues The Journey: Inside the reset of a football club documentary was a great watch for fans of any club to view.

The Journey: Inside the reset of a football club

The Journey
The Journey:
Inside the reset of a football club

Carlton also engage their fans with exclusive on demand audio through their audioBoom channel that features press conferences, radio interviews and raw behind the scenes sounds. As part of their Blues Wall of Fame at Ikon Park the club have installed a beautifully tiled wall of famous players and moment which each have a QR Code that links back to an audioBoom post therefore meaning that a fan can come out to the club and use their phone to interact with the feature while also hearing interesting insights and sounds from that era as they walk along.

Blues News audioBoom

Blues News audioBoom

Carlton Wall of Fame

Carlton Wall of Fame

Carlton

Carlton

Carlton Blues

Carlton Blues

Carlton

Carlton

Carlton

Carlton

Carlton Locker Room Fan Giveaways

Carlton Locker Room Fan Giveaways

Blues Open Training

Blues Open Training

Carlton

Carlton

Meet The Players- Carlton

Meet The Players- Carlton

Carlton MOG Playlist

Carlton MOG Playlist

Carlton- Member Stories

Carlton- Member Stories

Blues Wine Club

Blues Wine Club

Carlton Ghost Tours

Carlton Ghost Tours

Blues Player Playlist

Blues Player Playlist

 

Collingwood Magpies

The Magpies have a host of fun things for fans from their special match day deals and special day deals to their family fun run and walk event and even their Collingwood Cartoon.

Collingwood have run an intra club match, host regular training sessions, have the opportunity for a coach to win an ultimate coaching experience with Nathan Buckley’s staff and have their Magpie Army as well that engages fans across the globe.

There’s plenty to look forward to for Magpie’s fans as this article ‘AFL clubs fear a costly ‘contest’ in match-day experience’ points out that ‘Collingwood president Eddie McGuire bemoaned a “sterile” atmosphere at matches last season, prompting the Magpies to revamp their cheer squad, which will now span three bays at the MCG. The Pies will also have sausage sizzles at their Olympic Park home ground before the match, with fans able to march to the MCG together.’

Collingwood's Magpie Army

Collingwood’s Magpie Army

Collingwood Magpies

Collingwood Magpies

Collingwood Magpies

Collingwood Magpies

Collingwood Magpies

Collingwood Magpies

Collingwood Family Fun Run and Walk

Collingwood Family Fun Run and Walk

Collingwood Cartoon

Collingwood Cartoon

Collingwood Open Training

Collingwood Open Training

Essendon Bombers

The Bombers have some exciting multicultural fan engagement happening at the club with their unique Embracing India Indian supporters hub on their website.

Essendon will play a country game against Geelong this year and have also featured this in their country portal on their home page. Essendon Country Hub

The Bombers players and staff have even been out to members homes to present them with their 2016 memberships which is always a nice touch and puts an unexpected smile on fans faces.

Essendon are just one of a number of teams who have seen the rise in podcasting and have jumped on this hugely popular media to engage with their fans. Their Lloyd’s Lowdown is a very successful podcast that amongst other audio like pressers, match sounds and interviews with players and fans has seen the club generate over 1M listens. Listen to Lloyd’s Lowdown here:

Bombers fans are being encouraged to wave their jackets at key moments of the 2016 season in an effort to get the crowd pumped up and as a homage to the famous Kevin Sheedy jacket waving moment. Skip to 3.44 here to view that classic AFL moment.

Embracing India- Essendon

Embracing India- Essendon

Essendon Surprising Members

Essendon Surprising Members

Essendon Country Fan Engagement

Essendon Country Fan Engagement

Essendon Embracing India Portal

Essendon Embracing India Portal

Fremantle Dockers

Freo have their Digital Docker online magazine, offer fans free fixture Docker’s Wallpapers and have some good deals for members at their home games with seat upgrades throughout the season.

The Dockers also offer a valuable array of educational programs and worksheets in their Welcome to Freo resources to get young fans involved with the club and learn healthy habits and participate in player visits to schools.

Dockers Digital Magazine

Dockers Digital Magazine

Fremantle Dockers

Fremantle Dockers

Fremantle Wallpapers

Fremantle Wallpapers

Welcome to Freo- Kids Worksheets

Welcome to Freo- Kids Worksheets

 

GWS Giants

The Giants G-Man Kids Site is a must view for teams thinking about doing something similar. NRL teams like Parramatta and Souths lead the way here with their kids sites however this is one of the best in the AFL.

GWS fans can download free GWS Wallpapers, vote for their Giants MVP each round,

Their Giants G-Man Kids Zone is also worth a look for what happens on game days at the ground and online.

GWS fans can cast their say in their GWS ‘Your Say’ while the club even held a GWS Hidden Camera Surprise for fans who found a lucky orange ticket.

Giants Wallpapers

Giants Wallpapers

GWS Fan's MVP

GWS Fan’s MVP

Meet G-Man

Meet G-Man

GMAN Wallpaper

GMAN Wallpaper

GWS Wallpapers

GWS Wallpapers

GWS Giants Hidden Camera Surprise

GWS Giants Hidden Camera Surprise

GWS Wallpapers

GWS Wallpapers

GWS G-Man Kids Site

GWS G-Man Kids Site

GWS 'Your Say'

GWS ‘Your Say’

Geelong Cats

Geelong are on Snapchat, have held a family fun day and have allowed fans the chance to be in the team photo. 

Their HALF CAT’S TELSTRA ALLSTARS TEAM enabled junior fans to be in a run on team at the family day. 

Geelong Snapchat

Geelong Snapchat

Geelong Family Day

Geelong Family Day

Geelong Photo

Geelong Photo

 

 

Gold Coast Suns

Gold Coast let fans be in the team photo, host a TV show for members called Sun Burnt, held a family day at their home base in Metricon Stadium, offer VIP match day experiences and held an open training session on a Gold Coast beach for fans.

The team are calling on fans to have their pictures featured on their giant Suns social wall and in good news for fans who like to stay connected at the stadium, Metricon Stadium has just announced details regarding free Wi-Fi in the ground for fans on match days. Read more about that here: Metricon Stadium completes Wi-Fi roll out.

The Suns fan zone is one of the best in the country in any sport and needs to be seen by other sports fans to understand it’s excellence and best practice in providing a unique fan experience. From their football paddock, giveaways and live stage with bands to members bars, abundance of social media picture opportunities and gourmet food options the Suns fan engagement is top notch. I have attached some pictures from when I visited in 2014 and 2015 and hope to be back this year to see how it has improved.

GC Suns

GC Suns

GC Suns

GC Suns

Be in the Suns Team Photo

Be in the Suns Team Photo

GC Suns Open Day

GC Suns Open Day

Open Beach Training with The GC Suns

Open Beach Training with The GC Suns

GC Suns Social Wall

GC Suns Social Wall

 

Suns Fan Engagement

Suns Fan Engagement

Hawthorn Hawks

The Hawks Humans of Hawthorn is a great take on the popular Humans of New York while fans can also fly the flag at Hawks home games in 2016 with their Fly The Hawks Flag campaign.

Hawthorn’s ‘Call It’ App allows fans to participate in the action on their second screen with other fans while fans can also join up to the club tipping comp.

Instead of having a typical family day, Hawthorn have opted for a Night Market event complete with food trucks which is a nice change. More on that here Hawks Family Night Market

The Hawks are also letting fans design their alternative jersey for 2016 with details found here Design our alternate guernsey

Hawthorn Hawks Humans of Hawthorn

Hawthorn Hawks Humans of Hawthorn

Hawthorn 'Fly The Flag'

Hawthorn ‘Fly The Flag’

Hawks Tipping

Hawks Tipping

Hawks Night Market

Hawks Night Market

Design the Hawks Alternative Jersey

Design the Hawks Alternative Jersey

Design the Hawks Alternative Jersey

Design the Hawks Alternative Jersey

Hawks App

Hawks App

 

Melbourne Demons

Melbourne have a wealth of fan engagement happening this year from their Kids Deezone which features a section where young fans can submit a book review, play footy shuffle and participate in other activities.

The Dees Women’s Team section is a showcase of what is happening to engage supporters for the games that the women play this year leading into the new national competition while the Pledge Per Win is a way for fans to contribute a sum of cash after every win that directly helps the club.

Melbourne also have free Wallpapers for fans, held a family footy festival, allowed fans to be in the team photo and host open training and signing sessions for fans as added bonuses.

DeeZone

DeeZone

Melbourne Demons

Melbourne Demons

Book Review- MFC

Book Review- MFC

Demons Family Day

Demons Family Day

Melbourne Open Training

Melbourne Open Training

Melbourne Festival of Football

Melbourne Festival of Football

Melbourne Demons

Melbourne Demons

Demons 'Meet The Players'

Demons ‘Meet The Players’

Melbourne Family Day

Melbourne Family Day

Melbourne Wallpapers

Melbourne Wallpapers

Melbourne Pledge Per Win

Melbourne Pledge Per Win

North Melbourne Kangaroos

The Roo’s digital presence is quite engaging as they do all the regular social stuff however also have a Gif’s section that is a nice touch.

Along with this, North also offer fans the chance to participate in club Quizzes, held a big family fan day and have also released a special retro jersey as seen below.

NMFC Gifs

NMFC Gifs

NMFC Family Day

NMFC Family Day

NMFC Retro Gunerseys

NMFC Retro Gunerseys

NMFC Quizzes

NMFC Quizzes

Port Adelaide Power

Port have released a special retro jersey from their first season for fans. 

PAFC Retro Guernsey

PAFC Retro Guernsey

The rendition by PAFC fans of INXS’s classic tune ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ at home games at the Adelaide Oval is probably one of the greatest sights by any sporting team in Australia right now and needs to be seen in person (I hope to get over this year for a match) This collaborative fan sing along from Port fans has become a stand out anthem at games. Watch it here now

Port Adelaide have also held open training days and have exclusive member benefits with their PAFC App

PAFC Open Training Session

PAFC Open Training Session

PAFC App

PAFC App

Richmond Tigers

The Tigers offer fans a superb match day fan experience with music performances and the new addition in 2016 of being able to control and access around one kilometre of LED signage plus the big screens at key periods on match days.

Tigers fans can get their hands on free Tigers Wallpapers and young fans can be the 2016 Tiger Cub.

Richmond Fan Engagement

Richmond Fan Engagement

Richmond Tigers

Richmond Tigers

St Kilda Saints

The Saints are utilising Snapchat in 2016 to provide fans with AAA footage and pics from behind the scenes on match days and throughout the week.

St Kilda also held a family day and a jersey presentation and have much more to come in 2016 by the looks of things.

Saints on Snapchat

Saints on Snapchat

St Kilda Jumper Presentation

St Kilda Jumper Presentation

Sydney Swans

The Swans fan engagement is world class best practice and offers fans exceptional Match Day fan experiences.

Young fans can be the team reporter with the Red Rookie Reporter while the women’s L@SS ‘Ladies of Sydney Swans’ is a great way for female fans to get closer to the game and team.

Fans can catch a ride for free to the game thanks to this Be Driven To Match Day bit of fan engagement from sponsor Volkswagen.

Swans fans can hear from the players directly with their Swans Player Blogs while also getting pumped up at games and getting involved with the #HCFGOSWANS social call to arms.

The Rainbow Swans LGBTI group is also a brilliant way that the Swans are showing how inclusive they are to all fans which in 2016 is brilliant to see from a major sporting team in Australia.

 

160209VWheader

Swans Red Rookie

Swans Red Rookie

Rainbow Swans LGBTI Fan Group

Rainbow Swans LGBTI Fan Group

Rainbow Swans

Swans

Swans

Sydney Swans

Sydney Swans

Sydney Swans- Lift to the Game

Sydney Swans- Lift to the Game

L@SS Swans

L@SS Swans

Swans Player Blogs

Swans Player Blogs

Sydney Swans Fan Engagement

Sydney Swans Fan Engagement

West Coast Eagles

The Eagles run fun fan WCE Competitions throughout the season, produce interesting audio with their EAGLES FM digital audio channel, hold regular Open Training Days

The Eagles FREE zone offers an array of fan benefits as seen below while the Global Eagle global fan zone means Eagles fans all over the world can engage with each other and the team. 

The Eagles have held a family fun day and have also released a 30th anniversary guernsey for fans in 2016. 

WC Eagles

WC Eagles

Eagles Fan Day

Eagles Fan Day

WCE 30th Anniversary Guernsey

WCE 30th Anniversary Guernsey

WC Eagles Fan Fair

WC Eagles Fan Fair

WC Eagles Fan Engagement

WC Eagles Fan Engagement

West Coast Eagles 'Global Eagle'

West Coast Eagles ‘Global Eagle’

WCE 'Rick's Fun Stuff'

WCE ‘Rick’s Fun Stuff’

Western Bulldogs 

The Doggies offer fans a weekly Bulldogs Cartoon, a special ‘Ask a Bulldog’ segment, information and ways for fans to get involved with their Bulldogs Women’s Team as well as ways for men to look after their health with their men’s health focused Sons of the West program. 

Young Western Bulldogs fans can learn healthy eating tips in their online Bulldogs kids zone called ‘The Pack’ and also participate in reading challenges with the Bulldogs Reading Program. More on The Pack can be found by following the links. 

Bulldogs fans have been able to go to interstate open training days while junior fans can be the ‘Pup Press Reporter’ for each game and also participate in a junior member training session with a player. 

Bulldogs Cartoon

Bulldogs Cartoon

Bulldogs Women's Team

Bulldogs Women’s Team

Bulldogs 'The Pack'

Bulldogs ‘The Pack’

Bulldogs Kids Zone

Bulldogs Kids Zone

Western Bulldogs Open Training

Western Bulldogs Open Training

Western Bulldogs Pups Press

Western Bulldogs Pups Press

Bulldogs Junior Member Clinic

Bulldogs Junior Member Clinic

audioBoom and the AFL Grand Final

 

#AFLGF 2015

#AFLGF 2015

This week sees the biggest clash on the AFL calendar with the Hawthorn Hawks up against the West Coast Eagles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the 2015 AFL Grand Final.

At audioBoom we’re working across our content partners, the AFL and the teams to help them record, upload and share with fans as much great quality audio content on the big game as we can.

Our content partners like SEN, RSN, UBET, 3AW and others along with a multitude of our AFL specific podcasters are posting some great content which you can listen to below.

Each day this week, my colleague and I have been posting a daily wrap up of all of that day’s AFL Grand Final content which can be found here:

Monday 28/9

Tuesday 29/9

  Wednesday 30/9

Thursday 1/10

Friday 2/10

The West Coast Eagles who use us are also posting content throughout the week. Their channel can be found here:

On Saturday we’ll be posting content all day long on @audioBoomANZ and @audioBoomSports ahead of the massive clash at 2pm.

If you’re an AFL fan you’ll no doubt enjoy this audio content and if you’re keen to use audioBoom for free and monetise your content then touch base with me and I’ll help you get set up.

All that’s left to ask is who you’re tipping? Eagles or Hawks?

Thanks for reading.

How Podcast’s Are Engaging AFL Fans

Within my role managing the Australian operations of audioBoom I’m always searching for creative ways to help sport’s teams engage with their fans through our social sound platform.

We’ve worked with the Gold Coast Suns AFL team to find the ‘Voice of the Suns’ while the UK team worked with the NFL Jacksonville Jags to feature messages of support from fans in the locker room prior to the team running out on to the Wembley Stadium field.


I’ve also previously put together this handy ideas sheet for audio fan engagement by using audioBoom which many major and grassroots clubs that use our free platform have found useful in terms of adding to the fan experience.

However there is one type of audio on our platform which is greatly resonating with sports fans and that’s in the form of short form audio podcasts.

The recent 2015 Internet Radio Trends Report highlighted that user growth is rising rapidly for podcasting with time spent listening online displacing traditional audio which in turn is leading to revenue growth from advertising. Moreover consumer behaviours are changing with a large shift to mobile listening amongst all demographics but with a skew towards tomorrow’s audience of Milennials. All of this bodes well for sporting teams looking to use audio such as podcasts to provide further content for their fans.

Many of the AFL or Aussie Rules teams on audioBoom produce weekly podcasts for their fans and are having huge listens on their 20-40 minute podcasts.

Here are a selection of AFL teams who are engaging fans on a weekly basis with their podcasts that feature fan questions, interviews with players and coaches as well as a discussion of the big issues in the game.

If your team or organisation is interested in looking into audio fan engagement then let’s talk about what audioBoom can do for your fans.

Carlton Blues- Two Tones

Essendon Bombers- Lloyd’s Lowdown

Adelaide Crows- People’s Podcast

Sydney Swans- SwanCast

Geelong Cats- PodCats

 

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