BRONCOS

Dolphins Vs. Broncos: The Battle of Brisbane!

As a rugby league fan I can’t wait for the Dolphins to enter the NRL competition in 2023 as the league expands to 17 teams.

I really hope that the Dolphins are successful on and off the field with wins across the board for fans next year and I can’t wait to attend the derby with Brisbane, a ‘North vs South’ Cowboys clash, a ‘Coast to Coast’ battle with the Titans and the Arthur Beetson Trophy clash against Easts. Whatever the marketing magicians name the derby (The Brown Snake derby/Surf N Turf derby/Battle of Brisbane derby) it will no doubt be thrilling to watch with a packed out Lang Park featuring 52,000 rugby league fans in attendance.

The game days at Redcliffe will be sold out and look spectacular in person and on TV at the recently redeveloped Moreton Daily Stadium (please keep the fan-first pricing including cheap beers and lolly bags out there on game days!) while the seven games at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium and one to two tipped to be on the Sunny Coast represent an exciting time for league fans across these areas to see more NRL live in their backyard. It’s truly an exciting time for rugby league fans in Queensland as this will be the fourth QLD team playing in the NRL and no matter who you support you can’t deny that it is good for the game of rugby league in Australia to have more rugby league reaching more people in more communities.

I believe that the Dolphins have got a lot of things right from the outset such as player (plus coaching staff) and sponsor signings (Adventure Kings, XXXX) to membership package price points (cheapest adult NRL season pass $105 for 7 games at SS) and merchandising (Classic Sportswear). They’ve also done well to sign a lot of former Broncos staff and smart sports business creatives who I think have greatly helped the club get going and will no doubt come in handy around all areas of the business as the first season gets underway. It’s all looking really positive and exciting for the Dolphins.

However, the Dolphins are jumping around rough seas too. This is still Broncos territory right? How will the flippers go around driving fan/member acquisition? How will they differentiate themselves from the Broncos in marketing, media, game days/event presentation across the three venues, fan engagement, social media, community? How will they stand out and attract different demographics of female fans, Central QLD fans (newly announced CQ Capras partnership and one trial game per year in Rocky) kids, ex-Broncos fans, new rugby league fans, fans without a team, other sports fans? How will the game days/fan experiences be consistent across multiple stadia? What will the team do in the community (schools/charities) to spread the good word about our Dolphins? And many more intriguing questions….

I’m curious and inquisitive and these are the questions that keep me up early in the morning when trying to wrestle my toddler back to sleep with the help of the sweet dulcet white noise sounds of classic 1992-96 NSWRL/ARL matches.

I’m a die-hard passionate Broncos member and fan since dad first took me to games in 1993 so I’ll forever be loyal to the Broncos. It’s who I am. It’s etched in my memories and it’s part of my life like so many other Broncos fans. In the past two years I’ve also started the fan journey to Broncos games with my daughter Ramona, taking her to one game a year to start our traditions and instil in her the emotional loyalty, positive memories and passion that my dad instilled in me 30 years ago to the Broncos and their match day fan experiences. Apart from religion, sport is one of the only things people stay loyal to for their whole life and it’s why I’m so passionate about the fundamentals of fan engagement (effective communication, active listening, personalisation, empathy, authenticity, storytelling and much more) because if you do these things right, you will build and have positive relationships with fans for life.

Here are some of my thoughts which are in no particular order (mostly because I have written this over several mornings at 2am while telling my daughter to go back to sleep and she just smiles at me and laughs ‘no’):

  • Storytelling: Play on their long rich history (storytelling) of the club
  • Social media: Be authentic and ensure the content continues to be exceptional
  • Access: All access documentary on the first season (look to the success of Arsenal: All or Nothing and F1: Drive to Survive) and what it took to get to the first game in 2023.
  • Content: Harness the power of their existing fan base to drive authentic fan engagement (fan generated content creators) and get these fans on-side as brand ambassadors.
  • Communication: Listening to fans and go where they are. Social, fan forums and more. Work with fans for a fan code of conduct for game days.
  • Inclusion: Develop a inclusion, equality and diversity strategy for all stakeholders.
  • Kids/Families: School visits/workshops for kids and community family fun fan days. Go to where kids are (Minecraft, Roblox, Pokemon – what can be done here to attract kids as lifelong members). Don’t just do stuff because of FOMO. Do fans really want NFT’s, the team to be on the metaverse or paying for merch with ‘RugbaLeagueCoin’? Plus mascots….have a mascot for every freaking sponsor! The Cowboys have about 15 and kids love them (that’s a lot of costumes to dry clean though)
  • Community: Work with community groups, charities etc throughout Rocky, Bundy, Sunny Coast all the way down to Brisbane to get them and their businesses on board.
  • Sponsors: Communicate why they are sponsors and what they’re doing for fans/members rather than just $$$ into the team for brand exposure. I continually ask sponsors at game days why they sponsor the team and most just kind of shrug their shoulders as if they don’t actually understand why they’re fully doing it or want to understand the fans but can’t we be doing this better in 2023 to drive real connections between sponsors and fans?
  • Focus on evolving sports business tech. Tap into Brisbane start-ups who can add to the fan experience and more areas of the business.
  • Fan Experience and Game days. Focus on diverse offerings. Kids and families fun zones to party atmospheres and quality corporate hospitality that is different from the rest. Unique social seating spaces- how can SS be transformed? Look at what Everton FC have done here with their new venue plans. Ensure that venue staff are well equipped with information, knowledge and passion to assist fans on game days across the three venues to give fans the best, positive and most seamless event day welcome and experience. Look to how US venues run their game day pep-talk briefings. Fans at the centre of the game day. Match day first game certificates, fan of the game, community group of the game, Junior MC, guards of honour etc etc endless fan activations to reward fan/member loyalty.
  • Merchandise. Bring in a retro range of Dolphins gear (how good were those retro BRL kits a few years back) plus partnerships with cool brands including New Era for instance. A focus on kids merch too like with Ashtabula’s range of kids gear as well as ensuring cheaper options are stocked in Best and Less to cater for fans of all budgets.

But what do I know right? I’m just a fan. I want them to succeed even if I am a Broncos fan.

I asked a snapshot of 20 global sports business executives from Australia and overseas as well as 20 sports fans (across different sporting codes) for their thoughts on the topic of how the Dolphins can stand out from the Broncos, acquire new fans and members and be successful on and off the field to drive loyalty across social media, marketing, media, fan engagement and more.

Names redacted.

Responses:

  1. “Well by the looks of things they’ve got one of the best setups in regards to admin staff. Many familiar former Broncos faces circa 2015-18. They’ll be one of the best run clubs off the park. I haven’t checked recently, but I saw initially they had signed up a number of former/current Broncos sponsors. Many of the things the Broncos have done well in recent seasons they’ll likely emulate in their own way. They’ll go hard in the media market once their playing roster is finalised for their debut season.”
  2. “I am really excited to see what the Dolphins can acheive in the next 5 years. They have an abundance of knowledge and experience within their admin staff, many who were decision makers at the Broncos over the last decade. After being granted their NRL licence they’ve brought on board a number of exciting commercial partners who will look to engage with fans and the club in unique ways. From a fan-engagement perspective I am confident they’ll have excellent game-day experiences and membership offerings. They’ve already shown that they’re engaging the local community and this will continue to grow once their NRL playing roster is confirmed.”
  3. “It seems to me that the key is not too dissimilar to any other business. Be good at what you do. If you play well, and hopefully win, then people will get behind you. They are doing the opposite of the Crushers so far which is good. The crushers’ mistake was old players and a less experienced coach. Hopefully the dolphins can pair their experienced coach with a vibrant squad to give them the best chance of success.”
  4. “I like what the lions are proposing for Springfield and womens games. Turn game day into a market day, festival, family fun day. Also their culture should be very inclusive and focus on diversity, the broncos seem quite silent on that and I reckon a socially progressive culture would pick up a lot of fans. And win games ….that will set them apart from the broncos”
  5. “Digital first and content! Behind the scene content on all elements of what it takes to launch a new club. Lean into what’s so different and so unique about their position. The good, the bad, the special. Record everything.”
  6. “I’ll be switching allegiances to the Dolphins based on the fact I grew up in the area. So there’s a bit of brand loyalty on my part. I think that’s something that they have over the Broncos – a much longer history, so a lot of nostalgia they can draw upon. By extension, tapping into that suburban footy vibe. The Broncos are a city town, for all intents and purposes, whereas the Dolphins reflect a suburban corridor. Leaning into this is a strong starting point. They’re not a city club like the Broncos or Roosters, they’re a suburban club, like Wests, Manly or the Sharks.”
  7. “Depends on how the fans feel about the other ‘local’ team. Some will never make the switch due to loyalties through their families. Others fed up with the incumbent will jump right away. Popularity of management, coaches and players can play a part as well. Nicer venue could have an influence. Proximity to fans home/work could also come into play. Media is another thing – I think the Dolphins could really differentiate themselves by targeting a younger demographic, game presentation with a youthful twist or more digital interactivity.”
  8. “They need to be authentic and honour their history QLD’s don’t like fake. It’s a saturated market in my opinion so they need to play the long game, target the next generation the kids. Smart use of data and digital like LAFC in America they could really take some ideas from them on how to build a fan base authentically from zero.”
  9. Take a leaf out of the teal wave book and get volunteers to door knock too a genuine human conversation could quite easily be a convertion to that club. Also corporate support. Apparently a tech alley in Brisbane and surrounds get them on board to do some clever tech based fan initiatives.”
  10. “Gotta go to the Sunshine Coast and cement themselves in that region up to Bundaberg. Almost try and position themselves as a country side/underdog.”
  11. “What they need to do is win games. Wayne is the master of media exposure so they will have no issues there. Win games and they will win plenty of fans. Sign Munster and they win plenty of fans. Play a good brand of footy and be competitive and they win fans. Ensure their jersey is good and supporter gear and they will go okay.Everyone loves a winner. What we don’t need is another Gold Coast titans or wests tigers.”
  12. “My first thought to your message was.. win..and don’t be dickheads. From left field … have lots of mascots. (As broncos used to do in their ANZ Stadium days)… Coverbands for music .. just good singalongs. Fan experience prizes on game day. A junior team as guests of honour at every match … they form guard of honour for run on.”
  13. “I really just think they get into schools and do heaps of community based stuff like GWS did prior to Covid. Get the kids interested, give out free tickets and get families along. Good game day activations, prizes, even stuff like petting zoos and things like that which GWS did really well. Realistically everyone in Brisbane (and Qld) has a team, predominantly the Broncos but also plenty of Sydney teams as well. So I wonder who they are targeting for their fan base? And like Port Adelaide in the SANFL, it’s my understanding that if you’re not a Redcliffe fan you probably hate them so I can’t see many Norths Devils or Wynnum fans or whoever making the switch. So like Port they might just be pigeonholed as a niche side with a traditional following and no room for growth. If they struggle early (and they will because their squad sucks at the moment) it’s going to be a hard road for them because nobody will go watch at Suncorp. I don’t exactly think it will be Crushers Mk II but imagine if we had stuck with them 25 years ago, where might they be now?
  14. Best case scenario I reckon is to be people’s second team for now – cheaper tickets than the Broncos, more family friendly time slots (Sunday arvo?) and give off the community based team vibe as opposed to the corporate Brisbane. Will Broncos fans have a hatred of them or sense a genuine rivalry? Who knows. They don’t really have it with the Titans and they’re as close as they’ve had to a neighbour. My mate up in Brisbane is a lifetime Souths fan (lived in Sydney til he was 40) and his young bloke loves them as well but I feel they’d be more likely to go watch the Dolphins play Parra or whatever than they would to watch the broncos, so maybe that’s what they’re banking on until they can develop a generation of fans? Either way it’s weird to me that they went with an existing entity rather than a new team with no Q Cup ties. Or Perth but that’s another matter entirely!”
  15. “I’d be looking to do things entirely differently to any other team on socials, not the same cookie cutter stuff”
  16. I think they already have fans via their long history, so I think they’d want to make sure that’s all integrated in well. And people who don’t like the Broncos might just support them by default too. I think if they can win a few games, that’ll go a long way, as for game day etc, though not sure what they can do to really draw people. Will be interesting to see!”
  17. “I think it’s going to be difficult to create a consistent fan experience at different venues (suncorp vs Redcliffe have different vibes). I think one thing they have done well is promote their signings which started with Redcliffe as juniors – as they have an entire pathway to elite I hope this is something they promote into the future. I also hope they create a community and family atmosphere at games – kids zones and activities, family days to meet players, open training sessions etc. I think it all starts with being genuine to their community, need to win people over.”
  18. Community engagement (working with local clubs and schools), community appearances (winning over those who aren’t inclined to be Dolphins fans) and doing loca media to the marketThat stretches into Gameday, media, brand etc What is genuine to their community? You can’t pretend you’re Broncos 2.0 it won’t workI’d have a minimum commitment for all staff to do community hours – from players and coaches to the commercial and marketing team. Share the resources at all levels.”
  19. “Has to come from a place of brand clarity. What makes them inherently different? Who are their people?The long term is all about the kids as they’ll grow up in a world where the dolphins aren’t the new team but on equal footing with broncos titans and cowboys.”
  20. “Rugby league, in my view, is extremely reluctant towards change, so I’m not expecting anything significant from the Dolphins.
  21. “The Broncos are such a super power. I’d hate to go up against them. Also from what I’ve seen, the Dolphins haven’t recruited a side that’s going to really excite existing fans. So maybe you target the untapped markets? Cold Community’s , people who have no loyalty to anyone in rugby league, recently arrived migrants, refugees, WOMEN! I’d also probably case study Toronto Wolfpack game day and see what could be learned from their success. Different circumstances they didn’t have a competitor, but they had amazing engagement with fans that didn’t even know what RL was. A bit like Newtown do, they had craft beer festivals, and post match parties with a DJ on the field etc. made the players really accessible.
  22. More women business networks, and maybe even a female focused charity partner or respectful relationships flagship Community program, targeted female recruitment strategies for staffing, go real bold and have a family planning policy (recently raised by the Federal Minister for sport would be the first in the NRL) or all of the above. Oh and of course massive investment in female pathways from playing, officiating and administering. From day 1!”
  23. “They still haven’t claimed an identity. That’s a start. The fact that Bennett is coaching a foundation club against a club he won many premierships with is intriguing. Brisbane isn’t the club they were, and I think the Dolphins, as a new club, can entice supporters. The fact they are a new club is enough to give interest to supporters who don’t support Brisbane. The Bennett factor is enormous, and if they happen to get Munster, even more so. I think it will come down to who they sign. They will need to be competitive, at least to acquire a decent fan base.”
  24. “1. True two-way social media engagement. Don’t just post messages, respond to good quality fan input. 2. Show the team “behind the scenes” – membership team, guy who puts the jerseys out each game day, groundskeeper preparing the field. US teams do a great job of this with little docos. 3. Try and take some ideas from MiLB – Cap Days , bobble-heads, etc 4. Have the game day atmosphere start outside the stadium, food trucks, bands playing, mascot greeting fans before they enter the ground 5. Don’t assume people will know or seek out match info- I think the Dolphins need to promote themselves on radio, posters, buses, billboards with a distinctive ‘brand’ that’s not a cookie cutter NRL style 6. Really engage with supporters group(s). Work with them to harness their passion in the stadium. Work to give them priority seating, materials etc. 7. Run a competition for young kids- design a Dolphins t-shirt Winner is produced and sold at the team store. Proceeds to charity.”
  25. “As many others have said, I think they’re making a huge mistake not embracing their local community (ie. Redcliffe, Moreton Bay, even Sunny Coast) and representing them, forming a connection with them…Media wise, they’ll need to be extremely smart (and progressive). So in summary, they have a lot of work to do. All comes down to finding their real identity and investing their energy into developing that. They’ll need to take risks, they’ll need to think outside the box. Time will tell if they can do that.”
  26. “It’s a hard one to answer but when I look at the Dolphins, the way the have done things in in relation to their branding has been pretty front foot forward, bold and impressive. Not associating a particular suburb or city with their name as an example. Selling good looking merchandise such as snap backs you’d see in culture kings or street wear stores, everything down to the font screams ‘Expensive, Luxury’ team. It almost screams NFL or NBA.”
  27. “A team that understands current culture, wants to be modern, fresh and up-to-date. If they continue doing things that in my opinion continue to target the demographic they have by staying in trend, people will just follow.”
  28. “Merch! People want to wear a jersey to support their team, but they want to wear a good looking one. One that tells people around them the type of person they are.”
  29. “They should potentially look at merchandise outside of what typical NRL teams do.. jerseys, cheap produced hats, best and less looking gear.Have a look at the fashion trends around and continue to be a leader in the market. Show other teams that NRL these days is more than just tradies, Lowes gear and sinking xxxx (not that there’s anything wrong with that). But the NRL to me is about families, friends and culture. People want to represent their teams, but they also want to represent who they are. A lot of the teams just go for low hanging fruit in their advertising and are scared to be bold and make a statement saying ‘we’re different’. It’s too easy to sign an NRL mass produced cookie cutter merch deal and let the NRL look after it.”
  30. “Advice from my time working at REDACTED as a new club: generic but hopefully helpful, figure out your Audience and go hard on attracting those types (don’t try to be everything to everybody, try and build traditions from day 1, they all won’t land but some things will, it’s a unique opportunity to track fan milestones from the start, first game certificates and data tracking, don’t do things because the broncos do that, make membership really, really affordable or attractive in year 1 to drive data growth, leverage the derby to help define who you are (WSW and Sydney fc did this really well in year 1, a hero is only as good as the villain type story). They also need to have a name other than the dolphins in my honest opinion”
  31. “The broncos are who they are and all that it encapsulates – friday nights at suncorp, flashy, pressure etc. Having games on saturday or sunday will help. I think they should really embrace being a community club – by embracing those that already are on board. Example: highlight the NRL physio – he is 1000% a dolphins man already and they should make it seem like he is part of a place. The place where we all want to be.”
  32. “For one – more Saturday afternoon or Sunday afternoon games. We usually have magnificent winter days, and people love going to day games. I’m a bit tired of the drunk bogans on a Friday night tbh. Affiliations with junior clubs, reasonably priced family tickets. Really push the family atmosphere mate (I think). I see the peanuts acting up at Broncos games and think I don’t want my kids witnessing this rubbish.”
  33. “I think them having a well known coach and building an impressive roster of team players. I think having a long time until they officially start in the NRL gives time to promote for members. Media exposure has been sparse of late but when Wayne Bennett was announced as coach, it was a buzz for the team and a reason for people to take them seriously.”
  34. “I think the best thing that they can do (that has no cost) is involve fans in the creative process – Jerseys, apparel, social media templates ect. Get fans involved and invested in the club straight away by letting them decide how the club is going to look. First impressions are everything, and if they do it themselves and get it wrong it will be hard to recover. The broncos have such a strangle on Brisbane and the surrounds and the Titans have made good inroads in NSW, so it will be interesting to see how they market to those areas. As I said I think it all comes back to showing that the club offers a unique experience for fans where they can be involved in some decision making”
  35. “Social media playbook. First step is defining your voice. Who are you, what do you stand for, how do you communicate. – If I were them, I’d be taking an edgy, aggressive, upstart tone. Broncos are established. You need to get attention. Think a youngest child mentality. Be the smartass, the one who gets into trouble, the one who is goading their siblings because they want attention. – IMPORTANT to get senior management, coaching staff and players fully on board with this. – Get the players into the community as much as possible. Schools, charity, local business etc. – Set the bar for elite digital content. A new club has the advantage of being new and interesting. Fans of OTHER teams are going to follow them because they want to see how they announce themselves. So bespoke illustration, memes, high quality graphics etc. Be a leader in this space. – Set up “sister” teams/clubs/sports. I don’t know culturally/regionally how this will work, but for example, if you find out Patty Mills is a Dolphins fan, align with Brooklyn and make them your NBA team. They probably won’t have much interest in spending much time on that, but nothing stopping the Dolphins from doing a special graphic for key games, or a graphic jersey concept, or a merchandise collab. – Find ways to needle the Broncos. Think about it….. your fans are going to be Dolphins diehards, or non-Broncos NRL fans who want to see some banter.”
  36. “But some of the things I’d look at doing (based on what clubs are doing overseas) are: – consider e-sports – NRLW team ASAP – Wheelchair team ASAP – No pokies – youth engagement: well publicised event days to engage with local youth – have a clear, demonstrated policy around sustainability/environment – good F&B offering (including appropriate pricing) – active engagement with local charities – good apparel partner: making the kit something that people want to wear, with push into ‘fashion’ Aim is to make the club more than about sport, that people support regardless of the results.”
  37. “I think Dolphins need to come out winning, which is going to be tough on them and they are going to have to be consistent. I think broncos fans have had enough of the up and down of team and getting their hopes up. Although I think 2023 will be a different year for them. If the dolphins come out strong and consistent, I think they will turn a lot of SE QLD sports fans heads.”

Plenty of good thoughts here around identity, brand, fan engagement with a lot more to think about as well.

At the end of the day the most important thing is what happens on the field.

Win games and the fans will come!

Brisbane Broncos NRL Fan Experience at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, 10/07/2022

The Brisbane Broncos put on an absolute fan experience master class today at Suncorp Stadium for the 30th anniversary of the 1992 National Rugby League NSWRL Grand Final win.

All week the Broncos front of house has been producing stellar content online and throughout the club for fans with the focus on this Heritage Round clash and they have done an absolutely marvellous effort for fans both on-field, at the venue and online.

From the extremely popular FREE trading cards (hat tip to their designer as these are outstanding!) to the pet zoo that had kids going wild in the Paddock Club to the Tina Turner singer performing classic retro hits at half time, this was a very good game day and testament to the positive family vibes and stellar fan engagement that the Broncos team put on.

The photo booth activation inside the ground was also a cool experience to participate in and similar to one I did back at Staples Center for a LA Kings game in 2015.

The Broncos did a really good job with the retro merchandise too which was flying out of the stadium with caps and special commemorative shirts as well as the 1992 retro and 2022 heritage jerseys being big winners amongst fans today.

The pre-game lap of honour by the class of 1992 along with the fireworks, Buck the Bronco horse and the RACE THE KIA man were all fun highlights for fans too.

As always the fan journey to the ground is outstanding with free travel on public transport (a good tip for anyone driving and parking in the city that the King George Square car park is $5 on weekends and has dedicated pram bays) while I have to give a shout out to the Suncorp Stadium baby change rooms which were clean while the staff member who helped fill up Ramona’s water bottle offered superb customer service and awareness.

Ramona and I had a fantastic family day on her annual visit for a Broncos game day at Suncorp Stadium.

Sport is just so wonderful how it brings us together ❤️

NRL Preliminary Final South Sydney Vs Manly Sea Eagles, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane 24th September 2021

Images from the South Sydney Rabbitohs 36-16 win over Manly at Suncorp Stadium on Friday 24th September 2021.

  • Vaccinations at the game
  • Beer prices rise by 60c since last Broncos match 
  • VB fan zone area
  • Good to get 4 Pines but $11.80 is steep but it does taste better!
  • New LED sport lighting

Brisbane Broncos Vs Wests Tigers NRL Game Day, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia 18/07/2021

A special moment in my life as I take my baby Ramona Josie along to her first ever rugby league and Brisbane Broncos match day at Suncorp Stadium. And what a fabulous first game day it was for her and I.

 

Club by Club: 2016 NRL Fan Engagement and Fan Experience Activations

The 2016 National Rugby League season gets underway this week and fans across Australia and New Zealand are gearing up for what will be another exciting season of rugby league action on the field.

Conversely, there is plenty going on off the field as the teams all look to find new and creative ways to engage with their members both in the stadium and online.

I have put together a quick list of what each of the NRL clubs are doing to improve the fan experience in 2016 and it’s safe to say that there’s plenty of exciting fan engagement activations taking place at whichever club you support.

Have you seen something else that your club is doing to improve the match day and digital fan experience? Hit me up and I’ll add it to the list.

NRL

The NRL Bunker is a new addition to the match day coverage that is the most state-of-the-art video referral technology in Australian sport and is set to revolutionise the game’s decision review system and provide a better viewing experience for fans.

NRL Bunker

NRL Bunker

NRL Bunker

NRL Bunker

NRL Fantasy offers fans:

  • Over $350,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs
  • Winner claims $15,000 and the official NRL Fantasy Champions ring.
  • Enjoy match day Thursday’s and new interactive polling page

NRL Fantasy Ring

NRL Fantasy Ring

Brisbane Broncos

The Bronc’s had one of Brisbane’s City Cat’s decorated in their colours.

Broncos

Broncos

The free Broncos app features:

– An iOS design theme & layout optimised for the latest iPhone & iPad devices.
– Push Notifications to keep you updated with breaking news, score alerts & match info.

As well as News – Videos – Photo Galleries – Season Draw By Month / By Round (upload every Broncos game to your device calendar) – NRL & NYC Ladders – Team & Player Stats – Broncos Twitter (team & player accounts) – Match Tickets – Broncos Website – Broncos Membership – Broncos Superstore – Community – NRL Fantasy – NRL Tipping.

Broncos App

Broncos App

Broncos App

Canterbury Bulldogs

‘The Breed’ is the new match day activation from the Bulldogs with the club revealing each of these players through fan’s Instagram accounts.
The fans favourite Bulldogs players have been turned into Superheroes, showcasing their unique skills and reflecting their strong personalities and traits. More here The Breed

Cb35JkgUsAASR_e Screen Shot 2016-02-24 at 8.34.37 am Screen Shot 2016-02-24 at 8.34.09 am

Canterbury fans can also pick up free posters.

Bulldogs

Bulldogs

The  Dogs of Rewards loyalty program is worth a look to see how the club rewards fans.

The dogs have the ’18th Jersey Honour Roll’ which is a giant 18 jersey that will be displayed at the northern end of all Bulldogs home games at ANZ Stadium as a permanent reminder to every one of the contribution of Bulldogs fans.

Bulldogs 18 Jersey Honour Roll

Bulldogs 18 Jersey Honour Roll

The updated Bulldogs App features:

– Match highlights
– Picture galleries from every game
– Latest news, table and fixtures
– Push notifications for breaking news and live score updates
– Player profiles

Bulldogs App

Bulldogs App

Canberra Raiders

The raiders have run a comp for fans to design the team jersey.

Canberra Raiders

Canberra Raiders

Canberra Raiders Jersey Design Comp

Canberra Raiders Jersey Design Comp

Raiders members can also get their names on the banner that the team runs through each game.

Canberra Raiders

Canberra Raiders

The Raiders app features:

  • Access to the latest Raiders news, videos and photo galleries
  • 2015 Telstra Premiership draw and fixtures presented in a round or calendar format
  • Ladder for the Telstra Premiership and NYC
  • Full squad list with player profiles
  • Push notifications to keep you updated at all times with breaking news, score alerts and match updates
  • Access to all Raiders related sites, including membership and ticketing

Raiders App

Raiders App

Fans can follow the Raiders on SnapChat too.

Raiders on SnapChat

Raiders on SnapChat

North Queensland Cowboys

The Cowboys have held a community day for fans.

NQ Cowboys

NQ Cowboys

The Cowboys have ‘Full Time: Field Time’ at the end of every home game where fans can play on the field. Full Time Field Time

The free NQ Cowboys App features:

  • A brand new design and layout optimised for all Android Smartphone (2.3+) and Tablet (4.1+) devices
  • Access to the latest team news, videos and photo galleries
  • Telstra Premiership draw and fixtures presented in a round or calendar format
  • Ladder for the Telstra Premiership and NYC
  • 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
  • Access to all team-related sites, including membership, Cowboys Team Shop and ticketing

Melbourne Storm

The Storm have launched their 2016 Lightning Rewards program which is the best Australian sports fan rewards program. More info here Lightning Rewards

Lightning Rewards

Lightning Rewards

Storm 'Lightning Rewards'

Storm ‘Lightning Rewards’

Melbourne Storm 'Lightning Rewards'

Melbourne Storm ‘Lightning Rewards’

As part of Lightning Rewards, users will accrue points during the season for completing actions online, as well as earning points on game day at AAMI Park. As you build up your points balance, you will hit new reward levels.  At each level, a new reward will be made available to you.  The higher the level, the better the reward!

Lightning Rewards is a loyalty program designed to reward all of our loyal members. In 2016 the Storm have some great new additions, including following your favourite players live in-game stats to help you earn points!

The Storm offer training tips for fans here: Storm Training Tips

The new look Storm app and their SnapChat account are also worth a look. Storm SnapChat and Storm App

Storm App

Storm App

Storm SnapChat

Storm SnapChat

Melbourne also called on members to be apart of their biggest ever TV commercial.

Melbourne Storm

Melbourne Storm

The Storm have also held a member’s day as have many of the other NRL clubs.

Storm Family Day

Storm Family Day

New Zealand Warriors

Warriors fans had a chance to feature in the team photo.

NZ Warriors

NZ Warriors

Memories of the Vodafone Warriors’ stellar 2002 season have been evoked with the release of the club’s heritage strip for the 2016 NRL season produced by club sponsor Canterbury of New Zealand.

NZ Warriors

NZ Warriors

South Sydney Rabbitohs 

Souths held a mystery player signing session which is a bit of a clever idea to draw the fans/members out.

Souths

Souths

Souths fans can win an exciting fan experience by having the opportunity to hang out in the player’s enclosure during matches in 2016.

Souths

Souths

Souths have a ’Ticket Frenzy’ offer for fans to win free tickets.

Souths

Souths

The SS junior fan zone is a digital site for young fans that features memory and colouring in games. Check it out here: Souths Junior Fan Zone

Souths

Souths

Parramatta Eels

Parra let fans change up their Facebook profile pics by adding a blue and yellow over their pic.

Parramatta Eels

Parramatta Eels

The Eels are offering fans deals for special days like Valentines Day and after match wins.

Eels

Eels

Parramatta have held a Blue and Gold Army Festival fan day where free posters were also given out to fans. More info on the Blue and Gold army can be found here Blue and Gold Army

Parramatta

Parramatta

Eels

Eels

Eels fans can nab $5 match day parking for all home games.

Parra parking

Parra parking

The Eels have flag raisers as well for each home game.

Eels Flag Bearers

Eels Flag Bearers

Young fans have the opportunity to be a junior Eels reporter as well. Junior Eels Reporter

Eels Junior Reporter

Eels Junior Reporter

The team also have a playlist for each home game as voted on by the fans. This was the 2015 playlist:

Parramatta Eels Playlist

Parramatta Eels Playlist

Parra held a ‘Member’s Only’ opportunity to have member’s pictures taken with the Auckland Nines trophy.

Parra

Parra

The Eels are also calling on fans to wear and share their Blue and Gold colours on social media and get behind #BGFridays where fans can win passes to matches and other prizes.

Screen Shot 2016-02-22 at 10.38.32 am

The Sparky’s Brigade allows young fans to participate in digital activities as seen here: Eels Junior Fan’s Site

Parramatta Eels

Parramatta Eels

The free Eels app features include:

– A brand new design theme and layout optimised for the iPhone 5 and iPad devices ;
– Access to the latest team News, Videos and Photo Galleries;
– 2015 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!

Parramatta App

Parramatta App

Sydney Roosters

Easts fans can win their place in the team photo.

Roosters

Roosters

The Roosters app offers:

– A brand new design theme and layout optimised for the iPhone 6 and iPad devices ;
– 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!

Roosters App

Roosters App

The Roosters loyalty program recognises the importance of our Members and how valued your commitment is to the club.
Read more at Roosters Loyalty Program

The Roosters have held open training sessions for fans and have pushed out information for fans on how to sync their calendars to when games are on with a fixture list.

Roosters

Roosters

Roosters Open Training Session

Roosters Open Training Session

Roosters

Roosters

Fans can learn how to make healthy recipes as part of the Raw-C program seen here Roosters Healthy Eating Recipes

Roosters

Roosters

Roosters free legal advice for fans from club sponsor

Roosters Legal Advice

Roosters Legal Advice

Wests Tigers

The Tigers held a free trial game for fans.

Wests Tigers

Wests Tigers

The Tigers have free wallpapers for fans to download as well here Wests Tigers free wallpapers

The Tigers app offers fans all the news, videos, photo galleries, draw and results, ladders, statistics, match day information, tickets, online shopping and much more. Wests Tigers App

Wests Tigers are also having themed games throughout the 2016 season. More info here Wests Tigers to adopt themes for all home games in 2016 in bid to boost engagement with fans

Wests Tigers

Wests Tigers

St George Illawarra Dragons

Dragons fans can bid on player worn gear as well as partake in social media chats with players.

Dragons Bids

Dragons Bids

Dragons Bids

Dragons Bids

SGI members can also have their name featured on the member’s wall.

Dragons

Dragons

The free Dragons app offers live stats and more like:

  • Latest Dragons and NRL News
  • Dragons TV – interviews and entertainment
  • Daily News Wire – media, gossip and opinion
  • Draws, Results and Ladder for NRL and NYC
  • Player profiles and statistics
  • Up to the minute Push Notifications
  • Press conferences and match highlights
  • Dragons Twitter feed
  • Ticketing and Merchandise
  • Free updates

Dragons App

Dragons App

Dragons App

Dragons fans can experience an away day with the team as well.

Dragons

Dragons

Fans can sync fixtures to their calendars here Dragons Calendars

Members can also enjoy special benefits like these Red V membership incentives Dragons RED V Incentives

Gold Coast Titans

The Titans held a base camp fan experience at CBUS Stadium on the Gold Coast where members were able to sleep over at the stadium. More here: Titans Camp Out

GC Titans

GC Titans

Titans fans can help the team out on match days by being apart of the Titans crew.

Titans

Titans

Newcastle Knights

The Knights have held a community fan day where fans were able to get their pics with the team in this custom image.

Knights

Knights

The Knights fun quizzes for fans on social media too.

Knights Quizzes NRL

Knights Quizzes NRL

Cronulla Sharks

One of the more exciting fan engagement features from an NRL team this year has been the announcement from Cronulla about their #SharkPark3D virtual reality experience which enables fans to use a GoogleCard viewer or other Virtual Reality (VR) device, put their phone in the cardboard slot and then experience #SharkPark3D virtual reality! More here on Shark Park 3D

Cronulla #SharkPark3D

Cronulla #SharkPark3D

The Sharkies have launched ‘Sharks Rewards’ with fans able to earn rewards for supporting the club. More here: Sharks Rewards

Sharks Rewards

Sharks Rewards

The live streaming of trial games has been a highlight for fans with other clubs also doing this recently.

Sharks

Sharks

The new Sharks app is worth a look too. Sharks App

Sharks App

Sharks App

Free downloadable match day programs are also on offer for fans.

Sharks Digital Match Day Programs

Sharks Digital Match Day Programs

Penrith Panthers

The Panthers have held various player appearances around Penrith.

Penrith

Penrith

The Panther’s have a good deal for fans with a 6 game pass and a jersey for $199.

Panthers Jersey and Ticket deal

Panthers Jersey and Ticket deal

The Panther’s Oak Super Fan also sees Panther’s fans showcased on a special Instagram. Penrith OAK SUPER FAN

The Panther’s have offered fans free legal advice from a local sponsor which is a good idea.

Panthers

Panthers

The Penrith App offers:

– Access to the latest Panthers news, videos and photo galleries of training and games

– Telstra Premiership draw and fixtures presented in a round or calendar format

– Telstra Premiership and NYC Ladder

– Full squad list with player profiles

– Push notifications to keep you updated at all times with breaking news, score alerts and match updates

– Access to all Panthers related sites, including our membership site and online store

Manly Sea Eagles

The Sea Eagles are giving fans free match day programs which can be downloaded prior to the game.

Manly Match Day Programs

Manly Match Day Programs

Manly also held a members appreciation day as well.

Screen Shot 2016-02-25 at 11.32.37 am

The Manly Loyalty Rewards program can be viewed here.

Manly has also teamed up with Netflix and Daredevil to offer this interesting video series Barrett’s Daredevil plans for round 1

Barrett's Daredevil plans for round 1

Barrett’s Daredevil plans for round 1

The Sea Eagles App features:

– A brand new design theme and layout optimised for the iPhone 6 and iPad devices ;
– 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!

Sea Eagles App

Sea Eagles App

Fan Engagement for the 2015 AFL and NRL Grand Finals

NRL & AFL Grand Final's 2015

NRL & AFL Grand Final’s 2015

It’s that time of the year again as the top two teams in both the AFL and NRL battle it out to see who will win their codes respective Grand Final.

On Saturday the Hawthorn Hawks take on the West Coast Eagles at the MCG while Sunday sees an all Queensland derby with the Brisbane Broncos trying to win their 7th rugby league grand final against the North Queensland Cowboys at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium.

The action on the field is set to provide two classic close battles but whats happening off the field for fans in terms of fan engagement is also something for fans of both codes to get excited about.

*I’ll continue to update this for all teams as the week goes on and more fan engagement activities come to light.

Starting with the Aussie Rules and from Wednesday the AFL and Foxtel have a free family oriented fan ‘Footy Festival’ zone happening at the MCG with the ‘Best Of Melbourne’ featuring food, movies, merch and more. The free live site will feature a huge range of interactive displays, prize giveaways and challenges for the football fan, including: try your luck kicking your own Coates goal of the year into a mini excavator bucket, take a screamer in Toyota’s Hilux – unbreakable mark experience, compare your OPSM hand/eye coordination and reaction times to AFL stars, grab a pic of yourself with the Premiership cup and try Telstra’s interactive kicking screens. More details here.http://www.mcg.org.au/things-to-do/foxtel-footy-festival

AFL Footy Festival

AFL Footy Festival

AFLGF MCG Footy Festival

AFLGF MCG Footy Festival

Australian Mint offering special one off coins for AFL GF Footy Festival

Australian Mint offering special one off coins for AFL GF Footy Festival

Free MCG AFL posters for fans at Footy Festival

Free MCG AFL posters for fans at Footy Festival

The day after the GF fans can also take part in the MCG Open Day with a host of activities like having your pic taken with a replica AFL trophy. More herehttp://www.mcg.org.au/whats-on/latest-news/2015/august/mcg-open-day-returns

MCG Open Day

MCG Open Day

Friday here in Melbourne is a public holiday for the first time and will see thousands of fans out in force for the AFL Grand Final parade through the city. The Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade takes place on the 2nd October 2015 from 12pm and provides a chance for supporters of all age groups to see their favourite players who will take to the field in the Grand Final. Marching bands, roving entertainment and many others will join the cavalcade of Toyota HiLuxs carrying the two Grand Finalist teams along the route from the Old Treasury Building to Yarra Park at the MCG.

AFL GF Parade

AFL GF Parade

Both teams are also engaging fans via social with the Hawks catch cry hashtag being #PlayYourRole while the Eagles have #TheWestIsFinals and #GoEagles

#GoEagles

#GoEagles

#PlayYourRole

#PlayYourRole

AFL Retiring AFL Legends Lap Of Honour

AFL Retiring AFL Legends Lap Of Honour

The retiring AFL legends lap of honour is happening all over Victoria too. http://m.afl.com.au/lap-of-honour

 

AFL Retiring AFL Legends Lap Of Honour

AFL Retiring AFL Legends Lap Of Honour

Not only will music stars like Bryan Adams play before the game on Grand Final day but afterwards fans will also get to go on the field for a post match gig. Fans can also attend the ultimate post-match celebration when the MCG opens its gates to the public via Gate 4, 5 and 6 from 6pm on Toyota AFL Grand Final day. Enjoy a concert from the Grand Final day artists (featuring Bryan Adams and Ellie Goulding) before the 2015 AFL Premiers are presented to the crowd.

Fans can win a golden seat at the MCG for the big match as well.

AFL GOLDEN SEAT

AFL GOLDEN SEAT

Carlton Draft are also hosting an outside bar for 3000 select fans called the Carlton Draught Grand Final Front Bar where fans can rub shoulders with AFL personalities, win giveaways and last minute tickets into the MCG.

Carlton Draft Bar

Carlton Draft Bar

 

In terms of the two teams, the Hawks have also run some pretty cool fan engagement in the lead up to the big match as star player Luke Hodge has been leaving jerseys around Melbourne for lucky fans. First in, best dressed was the call here http://m.hawthornfc.com.au/video/2015-09-26/hodges-surprise-to-fans

Hawks Jersey Hunt

Hawks Jersey Hunt

Hawks Jersey Hunt

Hawks Jersey Hunt

The Hawks have these special shirts to get fans pumped while also a lottery for fans to win what must be some of the last tix to the game.

Hawks Lottery

Hawks Lottery

Hawks Shirt

Hawks Shirt

 

Hawks FREE Training Session

Hawks FREE Training Session

Hawks FREE Training Session

Hawks FREE Training Session

 

Conversely the Eagles are having a ‘March to the G’ with supporters encouraged to don their colours on Saturday while Domain Stadium back in Western Australia will host a live site for fans to have a picnic on the field and a kick to kick as well http://m.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2015-09-27/bankwest-live-site-at-domain-stadium?camefrom=EMCL_783800_33259721.

WCE March to the G

WCE March to the G

WCE Domain Stadium Live Site

WCE Domain Stadium Live Site

WCE Domain Stadium Live Site

WCE Domain Stadium Live Site

On Monday the team has a free opening training day in Perth for fans to cheer on the team with face paining and temporary tats for young fans.

WCE Open Training

WCE Open Training

http://m.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2015-09-27/open-training-tomorrow?camefrom=EMCL_783800_33259718

The Eagles also have a fan gallery here as well where fans can contribute their pics. http://m.westcoasteagles.com.au/finals/finals-fan-gallery

WCE FAN GALLERY

WCE FAN GALLERY

West Coast are using SnapChat to engage fans with press conferences and player chats as well.

WCE Snapchat

WCE Snapchat

10,000 fans flocked to Domain Stadium on Monday for the free opening training session.

WCE Training Session

WCE Training Session

 

NRL GF ANZ Stadium

NRL GF ANZ Stadium

As for the the NRL, ANZ Stadium in Sydney has fans covered with team bars, a special gig by Aussie legends Cold Chisel, giant merch tents, family-friendly activities and food stalls.

NRL GF

NRL GF

The NRL also has the launch of NRL Nation, an interactive fan site at Darling Harbour, on Thursday with a special appearance from the two Grand Final Teams and Cold Chisel.

NRL NATION

NRL NATION

NRL Nation will feature unique interactive experiences including an NRL National Stadium, while there will be meet-and-greet opportunities with NRL stars and legends, skills tests and other free entertainment.

NRL Nation runs through to Saturday with loads of free entertainment, player and legend appearances and activities. More here http://m.nrl.com/nrl-nation-at-darling-harbour/tabid/10874/newsid/89075/default.aspx

NRL NATION FIT SESSION

NRL NATION

A healthy part of this is also a free fitness NRL based session for fans to participate in. NRL FIT Sessions will be a unique opportunity to participate in a training session with former NRL stars.  Led by one-time Canberra Raiders Captain and current NRL Community Ambassador – Alan Tongue – the NRL FIT Session is a group-based outdoor workout session which will get the blood pumping at any fitness level. More here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mB5ztp0Ug32607G4gvo-gqAydMhhXE0xlvALnW_Fdes/viewform?c=0&w=1

NRL NATION FIT SESSION

NRL NATION FIT SESSION

NRL Australian Minted coins

NRL Australian Minted coins at NRL Nation for fans

The NRL are launching Periscope TV at the Dally M Medal night too.

NRL Periscope

NRL Periscope

The teams will also participate in Grand Final  Community Fan EventsThroughout the week where there will be a chances for fans and members of the two teams to get up close to the players before the 2015 NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final.

The NRL are showing the game live on NINE and for the first time in HD so fans will be in for a treat here. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-league/nrl-grand-final-to-be-shown-on-channel-nine-in-hd-20150928-gjwleo.html

HD NRL

HD NRL

On social the Cowboys are galvanising support under the hashtag of #RideEmCowboys while the Broncos have #BronxNation. The NRL also have their own with #NRLGF. All have the team logos and the trophy as well.

NRLGF

NRLGF

#RIDEEMCOWBOYS

#RIDEEMCOWBOYS

#BRONXNATION

#BRONXNATION

As for the teams, the Broncos are getting fans to show their true colours by asking them to join the #BronxNation and ‘Bronco-ify’ their profile pic. More here http://www.broncos.com.au/info/join_the_bronxnation.html

Broncos-ify Facebook Pic

Broncos-ify Facebook Pic

Broncos-ify Facebook Pic

Broncos-ify Facebook Pic

The Cowboys unveiled this fan banner at last weeks finals game and due to its success, it should make a comeback for the Grand Final.  A good idea for fans to leave their message of support.

NQ Cowboys Fan Banner

NQ Cowboys Fan Banner

NQ Cowboys Fan Banner

NQ Cowboys Fan Banner

 

NQ Cowboys Fan Banner

NQ Cowboys Fan Banner

More info here on the Cowboys banner and how fans are being asked to be involved.

NQ Banner

NQ Banner

The Cowboys are also hosting a free open training session for fans too.

NQ Cowboys open training session

NQ Cowboys open training session

NQ Cowboys GF March

NQ Cowboys GF March

 

The team are getting fans behind them on social.

NQ Cowboys social media

NQ Cowboys social media

 

Cowboys fans can even get their hands on these special NFLGF shirts

Cowboys NRLGF shirts

Cowboys NRLGF shirts

Away from Sydney, the Cowboys Leagues Club will be hosting a free live site.

NQ Cowboys Live Site

NQ Cowboys Live Site

NQ Cowboys Live Site

NQ Cowboys Live Site

The week is shaping up as a big one for classic footy encounters but also a big week for whats happening off the field in fan experiences for the crowds.

I’ll keep updating this as more fan engagement activations come in over the course of the week.

But for now, who are you tipping between Cowboys and Broncos and Hawthorn and West Coast?

Thanks for reading.

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