It’s an interesting question that teams, leagues brands wrestle with for the consumer, but especially for the sports fan. We need to drive more revenue, but how do we make sure the user experience is good and that we are giving fans both buzz and value as we battle for their discretionary income.
We continue to see how the digital and mobile space is creating new “opportunities” for fans, from enhanced online ordering at events, to on-demand merchandise, to expansion in the collectable space to NFT’s, heck even into virtual competitions like what ZEDRun has done. Jabari Young had a great piece last week on how he tried an enhanced AR version from Meta during a game, and was engaging with fans in other parts of the world who also seemed to be enjoying the experience from wherever they were that was not in an NBA arena.
Teams, leagues, properties all know fans will want more content, more engagement, more fun, and more enhancements to actually show up for events, even as 5G brings the digital and in-home and mobile experience even deeper and richer.
It’s all great to think about and try, but end of the day, will we at some point hit enough? Traditional sports have more and more looked to the gaming space for ideas on engagement and growing fandom with a younger audience, so we offer a cautionary tale courtesy of the New York Times. The story talked about the rebellion of gamers who, although used to micropayments, feel that other digital enhancements, be they NFT’s or tokens, are now being forced upon them with little use or utility, only for the game developers to make a buck.
In recent months, at least half a dozen game studios have revealed plans to add NFTs to their games or said they were considering doing so. The digital assets, which are verified by blockchain technology, give proof of authenticity and ownership. That provides gamers with unique digital items, game makers said, which can enrich those that sell the NFTs in online marketplaces. Game publishers said NFTs could also potentially be transferred among games in the future, meaning items from one games franchise could affect gameplay in another.
But players said they see the moves as a blatant cash grab.
“I just hate that they keep finding ways to nickel-and-dime us in whatever way they can,” said Matt Kee, 22, a gamer who took to Twitter in anger this month after Square Enix, which produces one of his favorite games, Kingdom Hearts, said it was pushing into NFTs. “I don’t see anywhere mentioning how that benefits the gamer, how that improves gameplay. It’s always about, ‘How can I make money off this?’”
He joined thousands of fans on Twitter and Reddit who raged against NFTs in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.’s sequel. The game maker, they said, was simply looking to squeeze more money out of its players. The backlash was so intense that GSC quickly reversed itself and abandoned its NFT plan.
So while we all are looking to see what’s next in fandom, and what we can glean to make the experience better and more engaged for a global fanbase, it’s always good to remember that trial and error…and asking and testing…are also essential to a user experience that can either grow, or blow up, in a social moment. Somewhere in my basement I have 4D glasses…and I found a coupon the other day in a box for the first round of Google Glasses. Anyone have an original ESPN phone? How about an old Blackberry?
Now that’s not to say crypto, blockchain, NFT’s are going to all be a fad that will pass. On the contrary, most have been percolating for years waiting for technology and adoption to catch up. What is important is that those looking for the extra short term dollars remember that fandom is about the engagement and the ability to enjoy and be inspired by the greatness of athletic ability, as well as building communal experiences. It can’t every second be about squeezing utility out of the next shiny new toy.
So when building the fan experience, pick the toys carefully. Listen to those you are selling to, and most importantly, make sure everything works well. If not, we can spin ourselves down holes that will cost more in engagement than they would have made with a few small payments..
