Before the event: Warming up
Connecting a better fan experience before they even arrive.
When fans head to a game or a concert, it’s not just about the big event. The whole experience matters, from the second they click ‘find tickets’ online. The expectation is a frictionless experience with easy to make choices that can be decided before they enter the venue. They’re choosing digital ticketing options, so they never lose their stub. Planning where they’ll eat in advance. What merch they’ll buy. How they’ll get home at the end of the night. And when it all comes together, they’re prepared to get there earlier to enjoy more of what they came for. Why does this matter? Because these moments before the main event aren’t just about building excitement; they’re opportunities to step up the game.
An experience you just can’t get at home
Despite the rise of live video streaming, the vast majority of respondents (93%) say seeing an event at an arena or stadium offers an experience they just can’t get at home. For most (60%), it’s about having the experience itself and creating memories. Almost as many (57%) mention the atmosphere as a reason for attending a live event. And nearly half see it as a way to support the team or artist, or as a good chance to get together with friends and family (43% for each). Whatever the reason, these experiences are something they want to share. Not just with those around them in the stands but with their networks online.
QUESTION: Why would you choose to attend an event at a stadium/arena over watching it at home?
Digital tickets are taking over
Once upon a time, physical ticket stubs were part of the event experience, serving as mementos that often found long-term homes in scrapbooks or picture frames. But today, only about one-third (31%) of event-goers use physical tickets. In contrast, more than three-quarters (77%) access their tickets digitally. That includes those who access their tickets through their phone’s e-wallet app (33%), the ticket provider’s app (30%), a PDF sent to their email (27%) or the venue’s app (19%). Whether fans use physical tickets or digital ones, it’s vital for venues to ensure their scanners and back end systems can handle the demands of ticket processing.
Why use digital tickets?
Two-thirds (66%) of fans said they did so because it was convenient. Other benefits included less risk of losing their tickets (52%) or not getting them in time through the mail (44%), not having to print them out (42%), and having fewer items to carry at the event (42%).
of event-goers are using digital ticketing options.
QUESTION: Once you have purchased your ticket, do you look into any of the following options before going to the event?
Event-goers like to be prepared
Almost all event-goers (94%) do some research before leaving for the stadium or arena. Food and drink options at and around the venue top the list of what they search for before and on the way to the event. Before an event, more than one-third look up food and drink available at the venue itself (43%) or in the area around the venue (42%). About as many look up that same information on the way to the event as well. Before the event, around one-quarter look into hotels in the area (27%), merchandise options (25%), parking (24%), and commuting and wayfinding (24%). On the way to an event, 31% look up parking options, while 27% search how they’ll get home after the event. Venues can enhance the fan experience by making sure information about food and drink, merchandise, parking, and other on-site amenities is clearly accessible on their websites or through digital tickets – and by providing links to accommodations, transportation and other off-site services, too. Internet of Things (IoT) devices can deliver real-time notifications while fans are on their way to the venue so they know where the best place is to park, how much merchandise is in stock, or when a fresh batch of their favorite snack is hot and ready. Venues can even push personalized offers on items fans have expressed interest in or purchased during previous visits.
QUESTION: On the way to the event, do you look into any of the following options?
QUESTION: What are some of the first things you normally do once you get to your event venue?
Most people arrive early
For most, arriving just in time for the opening whistle is not an ideal experience. Arriving early leaves more time to enjoy everything the night has to offer. On average, event-goers arrive about 50 minutes before an event starts. More than one-third (37% for sports; 38% for entertainment) arrive with an hour or more to spare. Finding their seats and finding a bathroom are among the first things event-goers do when they arrive (61% and 45%, respectively). However, 50% look for food and drink vendors, 29% seek out merchandise, and 31% post or check in to social media. And 22% actively look for in-stadium entertainment, like selfie walls and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) experiences. Early arrivals are great for venues: the longer fans are on-site, the more opportunities venues have to drive revenue by providing enticing offers. With the right connectivity infrastructure, venues can offer monetized extras like band activations, unique shopping experiences, special offers on food and drink, and next-level AR/VR entertainment.
The bottom line
In a nutshell, every step of a fan’s journey – from ticket purchase to the final whistle or encore – is our playing field. Seamless connectivity onsite becomes part of the adventure. Imagine fans browsing and buying merch on their phones while in line for a snack. Or getting real-time updates on their travel plans, making the journey to and from the venue a breeze. Using advanced connectivity, venues can enhance the pre-event experience – and drive revenue – with easy digital ticketing options, personalized information about on-site and local amenities, and pre-event extras.
