broadcasters, as the Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce brought Taylor Swift and her friends to Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. “After the winning touchdown, the first cut from the director was to Taylor Swift,” recounts Whitehead. “That’s going to annoy [some] NFL fans because what’s she got to do with the game? It should be the coach; it should be the guy who’s picked that play. No.” He continues, “It’s extremely clever because it’s speaking to that whole new audience that might be watching the Super Bowl for the first time. That’s what fan engagement should try to do.” That said, companies shouldn’t serve some fans while sacrificing others. “What’s important is that you’re not alienating a large section of the audience,” Whitehead contends. Rather, fan engagement should find a way to involve everyone for diverse yet tailored experiences. ALL-YOU-CAN-ENGAGE Fan engagement is multifaceted, encompassing everything from sports betting and shopping to player statistics. The key is to identify what makes each fan tick. “At Harmonic, our VOS low-latency streaming platform ensures end users receive tailored content and ads related to their preferred sports teams,” introduces Nicholson. This opens avenues for innovative business models, such as in-game gambling and multiscreen support.”
SERVICE PROVIDERS MUST FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ATTRACT AUDIENCES
Ateme’s fan engagement solution has a similar function. It ‘automatically detects and delivers the best content to the right consumer, while enabling innovative ways of monetising that content,’ describes Beaudouin. Although fan engagement relies on emotional investment, financial investment is equally critical. According to Whitehead, who’s exploring additional commercial avenues at Sport Buff, “engagement could be more focused on sales opportunities and that direct-to-consumer data [approach], which is something we’re building out now.” He also notes sports betting could mean a ‘small revenue share’ for content providers. Sharing opinions (everybody has them) is another integral aspect of engagement – it can inform more passive approaches to monetisation. Whitehead notes the strategic benefits of opinion- based content: “[It’s] valuable because it’s got data associated with it, it has money associated with it, along with sponsorship that could be used.”
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