Looking through some old notes I’d made on Evernote this morning I came across the basis of an article I wrote back in January 2012.  This was at a time when Real Madrid and Barcelona had installed wifi within their stadiums and other teams were looking at doing the same.

Almost 2 years on and the cost of installation is coming down and the possibilities are starting to be recognised.  The likes of Liverpool, Man City, Celtic, Rangers and many others (especially in the US) have installations now.  But have we actually moved much further forward than where we were then?  Have teams decided what to do with the new capabilities or is it a case of it being seen now as something they just have to do?

Is it something that clubs can use to interact with fans during game time or is it more about allowing them to connect with friends and share content whilst in the stadium?

Here is what I wrote back then…

We see in many posts how clubs should be utilising social media for fans who come along to the games.  The likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona have upped the game by making wifi powerful enough to actually be able to use your smart phone when there are 30,000+ other people in the area trying to do the same thing.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban came out recently (Dec 2011) to say that he doesn’t believe in any of this in-game digital entertainment with his post ‘The Fan Experience at Sporting Events – We don’t need no stinking smartphones!’.

I can’t say that I agree with everything that he says but some of it does make sense.  When people go to a game it is about the experience, otherwise they would just stay at home and watch it on TV (its cheaper and more comfortable for starters).  The first aim for a club is to make the event day the most memorable, fun experience possible both on and off the pitch.

So when we start talking about in-game apps, talking to fans at the game on Twitter, etc are we taking them away from the experience they should be enjoying?

For one it depends on the sport.  If you go to football, basketball or another fast-action sport then you will be too ‘in the game’ to be staring at your phone checking up on the latest stats.  But for a longer event such as cricket, long distance running or motor racing then there will be things you can do that add to the experience when you won’t actually see that much action.

This is not to say there is not a role for using social media with fans coming to a game.  But I would recommend sticking to this mantra, ‘be useful’!

Take time and think about what content is right for the fans on your different pages.  If they are going to be either at the game or watching it on TV, are you adding that much by giving out score and action updates?  If they’re watching it they already know.  One alternative would be to set up an @XXXXlive account so people who want live updates when they are out shopping or on holiday can opt-in to this and follow the game. (note – this is something I did when working with the ICC, setting up @ICClive for match updates rather than clogging up the main account).

How about offering fans some useful info when they are on their way to the game.  Give out info on traffic news, what the car parking situation is like, if tickets are still on sale, etc.  Information which is useful to those coming in and at a time when they are more likely to be on their phones. Answer peoples questions and add to making the day the best possible experience for everyone coming along.

Facebook could be used to show the players getting ready for a match and offering behind the scenes clips that add to the pre-match buzz.  Remember that you have to know which fans you are targeting with which platform.

There are so many platforms now, including the club websites, that it can be tempting to treat them all the same and farm out links and replicate content.  If you can put together a strategy that gives each a purpose and knows which audience they are speaking to then you really are being ‘useful’.

What do you think….  If you have stadia wifi has it resulted in better interaction and been a useful asset to the business?  Love to hear your thoughts.