Australian National Rugby League (NRL) club Melbourne Storm has announced the launch of what is being described as the country’s first smart-stadium loyalty and fan engagement technology.
Developed in partnership with Vix Technology, the stadium solution, dubbed Vix SmartSite, integrates payment, access, loyalty rewards and patron analytics technology at Melbourne’s AAMI Park stadium.
After a pilot program in 2014, Vix SmartSite stadium technology will be offered to Melbourne Storm members as a standard component of their membership for the 2015 season.
The new integrated technology combines payment, access and loyalty capabilities within members’ club cards, laying the foundation for a cashless stadium environment. Sporting clubs and stadium managers are provided with new fan engagement opportunities and insights into their behavior to help enhance the matchday experience and grow revenues.
For Melbourne Storm members, their membership smartcard will allow stadium access and can be topped-up with money to spend on food, drinks and merchandise while at AAMI Park.
Melbourne Storm director, Mike Billing, said the implementation of the technology would set Melbourne Storm apart with its membership offering: “There is no other program like this in Australian sport that integrates smartcard technology to track spending at the stadium, integrates sponsors, as well as rewarding digital actions across social media and our own website.”
The platform is enhanced through Storm’s Lightning Rewards program, awarding users with points for attending matches, purchasing items at the stadium and engaging with the team on social media. The SmartSite technology is complemented by a mobile app and web integration, providing a platform for Melbourne Storm members to access the program.
April 21, 2015
