Live sports: Better at the stadium or with VR?

I came across an article this week highlighting the use of Virtual Reality (VR) in sports. A company called LiveLikeVR is said to be building the worlds first VR stadium. CEO Andre Lorenceau explains his goals for this new technology "Sports is not about being ‘on the field’ for the whole game, it’s about being able to hang with your friends, doing stuff while there’s a two-minute timeout, seeing replays, stats, and more.”

VR has always seemed weird to me. Mainly because I don't understand it. I often give funny looks to people as they step into VR booths to try it out for the first time. 

So my goal here is to objectively break down this new venture by looking at each aspect of a sporting experience to see who has the advantage: VR or the Stadium.

The Cost 

Factbook reports that the average family of four will spend at least $650 to attend a live sporting event in 2015. That includes tickets, parking, food, and souvenirs. Here lies an opportunity for VR. A Samsung Gear VR will costs only $150, even if you have to buy four to outfit the entire family, it’s still cheaper than attending one game. AND. You can use the VR’s over and over again. 

Edge: VR

Watching the Game

While I have never used VR, I can almost guarantee you that it doesn’t come close to replicating the stadium experience. Sitting in Kauffman or Arrowhead, two of the loudest stadiums in the country, has to be close to impossible to replicate. Not to mention the entire gameday experience that is nothing short of amazing. Walking to the stadium with the smell of juicy hotdogs filling the fresh air, giving high-fives to random people and then sharing the victory with 40K of your newest friends are what makes the stadium experience irreplaceable. 

Edge: Stadium

Social 

One of the benefits that was touted in this article was being able to connect online with friends while watching the game. This sounds great in theory. Being able to partake in the same experience with people across the world is something the stadium experience can’t beat. But for me, I’m usually so engrained in the game that I’m not worrying about posting pictures or videos to social during the game. I’m there to take in the play-by-play experience, yelling at the umpire from the upper deck and filling out a scorecard as if were a traveling scout. For the average fan though, social media is more important. I can attest to the fact that often at a stadium my service is slow and data is spotty. So, if constant updating social media is your thang, VR is the smart choice.

Advantage: VR

Game Stats

This is a no brainer. With multiple screens the user can toggle through, VR gives a more immersive game experience. If I can switch between batting stats, fielding stats, replays, highlights and player content all while the game is still going on and I don’t miss any game action, then I’m in heaven. Many stadiums have failed to provide this type of access for fans. Yes, some stadiums have increased their Wi-Fi and also offer tablets and apps for a better in-game experiences, but nothing comes close to what this VR experience could be. 

Advantage: VR

Down Time

When you're at the stadium there is not much to occupy yourself with in-between game action. Maybe a few vendors dance on the dugout or two fans do the bat race, but for the most part you’re kinda stuck twiddling your thumbs or trying to find a cell signal. If you're like me, most of your down-time is spent waiting in the beer, hotdog or bathroom line. As VR opens to advertising, brands will have to create content that fits with the medium. You will probably see more tech companies advertising as VR is a platform filled heavily with early adopters. One can hope that the ads will be more engaging and immersive than the crap filling our TV's these days. On the down side, since the platform is new there will be major growing pains. Cheap buys will bring many low-budget brands into the fold, lots of experimentation, trial and error. Is the VR experience worth that?

Advantage: Stadium

If you've been keeping score, it looks like VR comes out a winner. But at the end of the day, the idea of sitting in a room with a headset on to watch the big game just doesn’t feel right. 

This story spurs my fascination with technology. It's creeping into every experience we have ever known. That may not be a bad thing but we need to be careful that it doesn’t ruin human interactions. Sports are the one experience where complete strangers get along for a few hours and can become instant friends. That can’t happen with VR. Because of that, I’m still on the fence. But I’m eager to watch this innovation take off and see how brands use it as a new advertising platform. 

Jordan gets his own store in Chicago

My passion for Chicago goes back to my days as a young kid. I remember sitting in front of the TV watching MJ go off. There was the flu game, the buzzerbeater in the finals vs. the Jazz and the shrug against the Blazers. Those and many more endeared me to the Bulls. 

MJ's motley crew was fun to watch as well. You had those centers, Longley, Wennington and Cartwright and who could forget Dennis Rodman, aka "The Worm". The Bulls were my team in the 90’s.

I also have a passion for sneakers, and come to think of it, I can probably thank MJ for sparking that love. 

I bring all this up because of my nearly uncontainable excitement for Saturday. 11/24/2015 marks the grand opening of the Jordan store here in Chicago. 

There are reports that people have been lining up since Monday to buy some signature heat and maybe, just maybe, get a glimpse of MJ in person. Word on the street is "His Airness" is not planning on attending but they can always hope. 

So, what's inside? The first floor is dedicated to sales. From shoes to clothing to memorabilia - all Jordan. That’s cool. But what really gets me amped is what lies on the second floor. 

Known as Station 23. A 3,400 sq. ft gym dedicated to helping kids and teens become better ballers. Not with shoes, shorts or dri-fit tanks but through technology. 

This area is for serious hoopers, with rumors saying that taking the court will be "by invite only". I have a pretty sweet 3 point shot. Problem is, I may be a bit past my prime. 

Included at Station 23 is a training lab with the Noah system. Technology that analysis the shooters arc angle and provides feedback if it's too short, too long or just right. 

I’ve seen a lot of these gadgets pop up lately. Many promise improvements passed your wildest dreams. Most fall short because they just track the number of shots made. Digital stat boys. After reading a bit about Noah, it seems legit. It's more than a stat tracker as it uses sensors and technology passed my understanding to analyze the shooters technique. Helping to perfect their form. 

Here lies an opportunity for Station 23. Pair this system with employees who understand the game, who are not high-school drop outs that couldn’t get a job at Footlocker, and this could be a game changer in the hoops world. We could be witness to the lasting legacy MJ has on the youth. Not only outfitting them with the best gear but also bringing in technology and skills training to help young people reach their full basketball potential. 

Other elements of Station 23 include a digital training screen. Now when I first heard about this I thought this is another stupid screen put in the middle of the store enticing people to show of their skills, or lack of, and embarrass themselves in front of shoppers. But from the looks of it, this training area is legit. Kids can learn dribbling and footwork skills from CP3, Westbrook and Melo. This is where teens with talent go to amplify their skills. 

As you might be able to tell, I’m stoked about this store. Could we be seeing a new retail trend emerge where technology truly enhances the shoppers experience with the product passed the window shopping and buying experience. I'm not surprised Nike, er Jordan, is the first to do this. Don't be surprised if you see brands like Apple, AT&T and LEGO follow suit. 

Husband duties will keep me from attending the grand opening but you can bet your balls, basketballs that is, that I will be taking a stroll down State street next week to check out the environment. Succezz, watch out. You have sneaker competition in the Chicago.

A new direction for Flying Reddog

Don't be confused, it's not the band One Direction.

It's been almost two years since I last put key to keyboard on this blog-o-mine. I've done a lot of soul searching. Wait what? Who does that? This is real life. Basically, I got bored with the one-off stories and rando posts I was producing. I wish I could tell you over the last two years I have found my purpose and am now ready to write.

But it doesn't work like that. At least for me. The good news is I have found a new fresh, hopefully enjoyable topic to write about.

As a strategist at R/GA I'm constantly working on projects that integrate technology and with people who are sups talented in the tech field. Their smarts amaze me as I lack a good understanding of how technology works. What I do know is sports and many people who know tech don't know sports. Interesting huh. So, the point of me writing here is to share my thoughts, opinions, hopes and dreams about products, brands and stories that merge technology with sports.

My hope is that by writing this I learn more about technology and you learn more about both.

But don't expect me to stay 100% true to this new direction. If the mood hits me right, like a fall breeze in Chicago, I may write about anything. I'm sure it will still have a sports angle to it.

So. Stay tuned. Stick around. Comment. Agree. Disagree. And enjoy!

Track the social pulse of the Super Bowl

It's a common misperception that only B2C brands can make an impact on a consumers life. I think it stems from the fact that few B2B brands have been able to create meaningful content that highlights their brand promise and why it's important to people in society.
(See - Dow Chemical and their human element campaign)

Yesterday I found one B2B brand that is already making an impact on the Super Bowl conversation, an impact that is gaining steam every day.

SAP, a leader in software solutions (whatever that means), is using it's expertise and advanced visualized social media solution to give fans a new way to experience the Super Bowl.

With a partnership with Netbase, SAP is giving fans an inside look at the nationwide pulse of each teams fan base on social media. Their site called Super Bowl Stats Zone delivers an easy to follow data map of the US where a colored circle represents the amount of social chatter and the team that is dominating this chatter in each state. SAP has been recording this data since the first Sunday of the playoffs and will be continuing through the end of Super Bowl Sunday.

Although the site is not as robust as I anticipated, especially coming from a brand that is a global leader in data solutions, it does give NFL fans a fresh look at how each team dominates the nationwide social landscape. From their news press SAP says it's expecting to visualize and highlight the real time effects that big plays have on Super Bowl Sunday. For example: how will the games first interception affect the social chatter, how about the first TD or what if there's another episode like last year where the entire stadium goes dark? Fans who are second screen mavens will be able to follow the national chatter during every pivotal moment of the game.

What I learned from the data:
1. Most states, besides a teams home state, root for the underdog
2. The midwest has a lot to say about the Seattle Seahawks
3. Colorado is the only state where the Denver Broncos dominate the social chatter

What I'm missing from the data:

• I don't know if these mentions of teams are positive or negative. Were people rooting for or against the Seahawks? Yea, they dominated the conversation but what was being said?

• I would love to see this data broken down even deeper by time of day or milestone in the game such as each quarter. To see how each pivotal play changed the conversation.

• It could be more robust. I wish they would have a variety of maps depending on what the conversations were. Maybe segmenting the data by age or by social channel. It would be awesome to know if people are using Twitter to post their hate for a team and then using Facebook to post their love? We know each social site builds upon different user motivations.

Data visualization is a huge opportunity for all types of brands, especially when it comes to highlighting the nuances of social media. I'm just waiting for a brand like Google, a social media brand or even a mobile carrier like Sprint to jump on this bandwagon. These brands know how to take content and create emotional connections with people and they also have access to data to bring this kind of insight to life in a more impactful way.

Although this site and experience could be better, I will still be on the couch come Super Bowl Sunday with this site up and running. Eager to watch the nation converse about the memorable moments of the game.

Jaguar's innovative approach to branded content

The landscape of Super Bowl ads has changed. Gone are the days when commercials were first seen during the game. In today's world of instant gratification brands leak teasers of their spots and in many cases unveil the entire spot weeks before the game. All done to gain more attention and increase the bang for the buck.

One brand has already caught my attention even though the game is still 17 days away. And it's not because the teaser for their ad is really conceptual or funny but because they found a new way to keep the momentum going up until the day of the game, engaging a new audience without giving away those precious sixty seconds of the TV spot.

On Super Bowl Sunday Jaguar will unveil a spot for its new lineup titled "British Villains  with the concept of "it's good to be bad." It's not the spot that is so smart, it's how they draw attention to it that I find brilliant  They partnered with Gawker to create a surplus of digital content that will live on the Gawker site (click on the blue link to check out the site). This content will lead up to the debut in the game. Gawkers strategy was to celebrate the Villains by creating original stories, life hacks, videos and opinions.
My two favorite so far are:

What makes this campaign and digital extension so smart is that Jaguar solved a problem. They realized that their brand was viewed as old and un-hip by the precious 18-34 y/o target market. So in order to
re-invent their brand they built more than just a super bowl spot. They created a place where young people could go and learn about what makes Brit's different, unique and revered. They capitalized on the love that young people have for villans and risky behavior. By giving this younger demographic the opportunity to act more like their favorite british bad-asses they created a connection that is much deeper than the color, design and price of a car. They have also set themselves apart from their competition and filled the white space in the luxury car market. A white space that I believe no other vehicle brand even thought existed. 

It even got me to like the brand and I live in Chicago and don't plan on ever buying a car. Yet I still see the brand as innovative, relevant and very interesting. Mainly because they have provided me with valuable and entertaining content that is beyond what I would think to be their expertise.
Too often brands are one and done with their Super Bowl spot. $4 million for 24 hours of buzz. Here, Jaguar has successfully and strategically found a way to extend the buzz around their Super Bowl commercial while engaging and converting a group of people to be brand fans that had previously seen the brand as bland and outdated. 

The NFL goes full fashion for Super Bowl XLVIII

The NFL helmet, a piece of equipment some have called a weapon of deadly force, has received a make-over just in time for the Super Bowl.

For Super Bowl XLVIII (that's 48 for those who don't know roman numerals) the NFL has partnered with Bloomingdales and the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) to commission 48 couture helmets from designers such as Alice+Olivia, Donna Karan and Kenneth Cole.

Now this wasn't some small publicity stunt. It has true merit as it's part of a continued push by the NFL to be more inclusive and reach a more feminine audience. As one NFL marketing executive said "It gives the NFL a softer touch." This goal of reaching more women has been one that previously the NFL has been very successful at. From their newly designed more feminine fitted jerseys to the adoption of breast cancer awareness month covering the field and players in pink, the NFL has garnered more attention from an audience that previously saw the sport as grotesk and barbaric.

What the NFL has done here with the fashion helmets may garner them more attention in the short term and some guaranteed publicity. I mean look at me, I'm no where near the target audience for these helmets and I'm writing about them on my blog.

BUT

I don't see this stunt working in the long term to deliver a new set of passionate fans to the NFL. The game is still a sport dominated by men with extreme strength and skill where brute force wins the day. That just isn't inherently a game or event that high fashion and style conscious people are looking to gravitate towards. You won't ever see women in fur coats and high heels tailgating in the parking lot, slamming vodka martini's and then heading into the stadium to cheer with a foam finger. It's just not their style and that is perfectly fine.

These helmets are very cool and unique for sure. I definitely applaud the NFL for going outside the box trying to garner attention from a new audience. But if they really want to bring in a more feminine fan base they need to focus on creating more experiences surrounding the game that align with the desires and motivations of these fashionistas.

My wife came home one night with a great idea her and a co-worker came up with. And I think it just might work. It's fantasy football for females. This is not the fantasy football that most people think of. Gone are the points for TD's, yards, and field goals. In this league fantasy players get points based on a different criteria. This is how you bring in a new audience who has different motivations for watching the game. Points will be awarded for:

• How the athlete fills in his uniform - the tighter the better
• Size of muscles - the more ripped the better
• Post game attire - suit and skinny tie are a plus
• Sportsmanship - negative points for taunting
• The rhythm of his TD dance - more points for slow jams and hip circles
• Good job butt slaps - big point getters

Well I've ended on a random note. But seriously, this was a really interesting idea that was pulled off well by the NFL. I can't wait to see what I find tomorrow. Let me know your thoughts, do you think this will be successful in attracting a more feminine audience or was it just a stunt?

Here are a couple other unique helmets. They are all on showcase at Bloomindales till Feb 4th and then will be sold at auction. Would you bid on one?

Tracking brands as they prepare for the Super Bowl

I'm undertaking a side project to keep up with the breaking advertising, brand and tech news that leads up to the Super Bowl.

As a strategist and passionate sports fan I'm eager to dive into the sports biggest event of the year. I will writing about topics that affects the Super Bowl from many different angles. It may be a brand event, a digital experience, a unique story about a team or player or the introduction of a new technology. Whatever it is, it has to play a role in the lead up to or playing of Super Bowl 48.

Come back and look for something new. I hope you enjoy.