Preparing for the Fans’ Return: Five Strategic Priorities
With so much up in the air as health officials race to provide guidance on COVID-19, many businesses are in the dark about what to do right now. For teams especially, having the season screech to a halt can create feelings of loss and lack of direction. While we don’t have an exact date of when events will resume, what we do know is that our fans will return to our buildings and we need to be prepared to put on an exceptional experience. And as the adage says, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” and with that, their expectations will have grown. They will remember a romanticized game day experience, which makes the emphasis on creating an unforgettable event essential for your team. Using this time to enhance your experience will position you to exceed expectations when events resume.
We’ve outlined five strategic priorities for you to work on this week to prepare for your fans’ return.
Build a solid picture of fan expectations by using this time to conduct research.
Prepare for the physical & emotional needs of your guests.
Optimize your sponsorship assets and inventory.
Start planning your Welcome Home party.
Program the experience surrounding your venue.
FIVE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
1. Build a solid picture of fan expectations. What you think your fans care about and what they actually do is often not the same thing. In addition to using your Evolved Scorecard data, we recommend using this time to conduct targeted research on what your fans prefer and what they are anxious about given the situation. Evolved has developed a standardized tool to help you get this information so you can understand how to prioritize resources heading back into the season to strengthen and enhance your event experience. Visit www.evolvedexperiencesolutions.com or email team@evolvedexperiencesolutions.com to discuss further.
Understand and plan for changes in fan preferences. From a EES 2018 nationwide study that analyzed over 3,500 fan responses to why fans chose to watch a game on television instead of attend live, 72% indicated lines and congestion kept them away and 64% indicated the venue cleanliness. While building & bathroom cleanliness, ingress process, sense of space, safety and concourse flow have always been important, it is very likely these elements will become an even greater priority to guests in the wake of COVID-19. Understanding what the fans expect will enable you to build a solution to minimize these concerns and keep them attending.
Gain insight on entertainment preferences across fan groups. Knowing what your fans who attend your games think and prefer is critical. Beyond just the elements you include in your game, there is a world of stimuli and activity that compete for your audience’s attention. Dig deeper into this area to paint the broader picture of who your fans are, what they seek in attending your game and how this translates into entertainment priorities for your show (and therefore revenue opportunities along with that).
Use validated questions to gather the right information. You can always arrive at the answers you’re looking for if you format the question the right way. Often questions are designed without validity and reliability constructs in place and can lead to poor data that leads your team down the wrong path or gathers only a portion of the insights. This is the perfect time to assess your fan entertainment preferences and behaviors when your audience is mostly at home and has time to provide you with feedback. Evolved has worked with national brands to facilitate this and can help your team launch this inventory immediately to get you the data you need to prepare for the return to play.
2. Prepare for the physical and emotional needs of your fans. With all that has happened, it is likely that fans will be wary of crowds for the foreseeable future. They will likely be guarded and nervous if they feel germs are being spread. The medical industry will undoubtedly have their advice, which should absolutely be followed by businesses, but we know that human emotions are a real part in all of this as well. People will be especially anxious in the wake of COVID-19, so providing amenities to both keep clean, but also assuage fears, will make your event stand out above the rest. Having supplies and procedures in place to make them feel comfortable and clean will pay long-term dividends in getting them back in the seats faster.
Plan ahead for supplies. Most distributers are having a shortage and with hospitals and health facilities receiving very justified priority on any supplies, for many it will take 60+ days to receive your order. Make it a priority to order this week so you are prepared when events do resume. Work with wholesale providers to purchase items in bulk to save on cost and have the quantities that may be needed throughout the venue so you are equipped for games.
Hand Sanitizer: Having ample locations around your building where guests can use hand sanitizer brings great peace of mind to your attendees. Make it is easy to locate in your building and fully stocked. You can expect fans will actively be using this. Consider branding the large, refillable distribution points with your logos or clever sayings to keep the atmosphere.
Gloves & Face Masks: While we do not encourage you to stockpile and deplete the items needed by healthcare teams, talking with your providers now to get an order in for an inventory of these items when they become available will set you up to be prepared for events. Have these items available for front-line staff, especially those scanning tickets and running security where they touch shared items, is critical to providing a sense of safety and cleanliness. It will make both the staff and the guest feel more hygienic. Also, equip staff with gloves to provide to guests upon request or make them available at guest services.
Disinfecting Wipes: Individual (when you eat out at bbq restaurants) or in large buckets (think Trader Joe’s outside the entrance), allow fans to take one to wipe down their seating area, restroom doors, etc. This empowers the guest to clean their space individually, alleviating their anxiety. Plan to have enough for all fans for several games. After that point, you’ll be able to evaluate the take rate and re-order accordingly.
Update your processes to prepare for the new guest expectations.
Know what Works: Check out the CDC List of Disinfectants that effectively combat COVID-19. Order products that work, your fans will be well-versed in what to use by the point of return. Promote that your products meet these criteria to reinforce guest comfort.
Produce signage to communicate your cleaning efforts:
Create large “This bathroom last cleaned <DAY TIME>” signs to display at the entrance to each restroom to allow fans to visually see the frequency of cleaning during events.
Do the same for water fountains, locker rooms, staff changing and dining areas, and hospitality rooms. This brings assurance to the fans that you are transparent in your cleanliness efforts.
Create content to educate & inform your fans at the events.
Create PSA about elbow bumping/bashing vs. High 5/fist bump
Sneeze in your Sleeve PSA and other messaging from CDC/WHO
3. Optimize your sponsorship assets and inventory. Review and categorize existing sponsor inventory, open spaces, type and what is sold for in-game assets. We hear a lot that games are overrun by sold sponsor obligations and don’t leave enough time to prioritize the fan entertainment. During this down time, set meetings with sponsorship departments to understand their objectives and share yours. In general, we recommend the guidelines below to allow enough flexibility to call a show that gives your team the home advantage and keep entertainment quality high. Focusing on helping get the team a win can make it a collaborative conversation instead of combative.
Leave the final 1-2 media timeouts free of programming. This gives the game director flexibility throughout the game to respond to game action and not worry about floating and flexing elements.
Mix up the Content. Historically, season-long features were sold and the same content ran each event. Today, fans lose interest and notice the repeats. For games, shuffles, contests, features and cams, mix up the content and limit having any one particular feature to 25-50% of your games (depending on total-if you’re in College Football, 50% is 4 games, that works. Baseball, 40 games is going to burn out your fans).
Avoid playing commercials as they would play on TV. Work with partners to co-brand elements or use game-action pieces as sponsored assets. If fans wanted to see commercials, they would watch from home. Give them an entertainment experience they cannot get anywhere else to keep them coming to your events.
Maximize value of key elements. Review your summary reports from your Evolved Experience Solutions program to identify the top performing elements. These are things your fans love, pay attention to and look forward to, and therefore offer great value to sponsors. Game action moments, talent, interactive elements are often overlooked. Work with sponsorship to create tiered valuation that can enhance revenue and minimize in-game clutter by selling these items as premium in-game features.
Minimize PA reads. Sponsors love having a read, often a long one, with their spot but for fans, less is more. Minimizing the “noise” during timeouts make all content more notable. Reads should be limited to no more than 30 words (~0:10-0:12 seconds).
Optimize your concourse flow and programming-The concourse sets the stage for the quality and attention to detail the many fans will expect in the game presentation. The organization, flow, design elements and interactive features make a huge role. With COVID-19, the need for social distancing, space and organized transit becomes vital. Take this time to review what is in your concourse and minimize elements that congest and do not elevate the experience. This is a great time to minimize oversold sponsor activations and find alternate placements before it is a requirement once events resume.
Avoid over programming a break. Factor in the time it takes for the intro, return to play and transitions. While it may seem like two 0:30 second videos will fit without issue in a 0:90 second break, if the officials delay the start or you need to get energy high at the end, be prepared to float a video or give yourself ample padding to start to avoid it running over into play action.
For Timeouts at least 2- minutes in length:
Limit each timeout to a maximum of three (3) elements with no more than two (2) sponsored elements + one (1) unsponsored elements.
Keep reads under 0:10 seconds & recognitions under 0:30. It may seem like there is so much to say, but the fans will stop listening to even the best scripted reads past this time mark.
For Timeouts between 0:30-under 2-minutes in length:
Limit each timeout to a maximum of two (2) elements.
Limit live reads or hits to one per timeout.
Evolved has templates and formats to help with this. Reach out to your experience analyst who can help you tackle this effort.
4. Start planning your Welcome Home Party. It may seem far away, but starting to plan for that first game back, even if 60 days from now, will set you up to succeed. As community business owners wrestle with the implications of what the quarantine will mean, teams have the amazing opportunity to provide hope and optimism to smaller businesses and organizations in the community. Make your first games back a party centered around uniting and celebrating your community. Reaching out to organizations now and inviting them to help collaborate in planning what that entertainment will look like when fans can return gives you, and then, something to work together on, forging bonds and supporting each other in a time of need.
Order your promotional giveaway Items: Think hand sanitizer or other “cleanliness” products are a great giveaway? You’re right, but you’re not the only one. If you go onto most sites now, there is a 30-60 backorder. Decide what you would like to have on hand and order it this week to have it in time for when games resume. Use local businesses as much as possible for these orders. The impact you’ll have by investing with them will be tremendous in this time of need and will be a lasting legacy for your brand.
Book the talent. Engage local groups who are likely not able to perform right now and invite them to be a part of the party. Nothing brings hope faster than opportunity. Be a pillar in your community by inviting groups to be a part of your Welcome Home Party and, while the date is not known, confirm they will be part of it when they do. Halftime, concourse, quarter breaks, outside by parking lots, program the spaces and highlight your home-grown talent of all levels to make it a true welcome home party. Dance, aerial silks, drum line, rock band, spoken word-find a talent that reflects your brand and market and engage them during this tough time to plan ahead.
Invite your guests. Give your fans something to look forward to by talking about the Welcome Home party. Tell them what community groups will be involved and provide some optimism for what lies ahead. Position your brand as already thinking through to the end and appreciating the fans during this difficult time. This gives you leeway if games resume without fans, or require limited audiences, while still focusing on something to lift the community spirits.
Celebrate and support your Community through the event. Every community will have amazing rock stars who fight, overcome or are affected by COVID-19. Make the first game back entirely about them, and having them fully integrated in the game and share their stories. Reaching out to them now to provide opportunities gives the groups something to look forward to, which is a very powerful gift during a crisis.
Small Business: Uplift small businesses that may need that additional exposure, regardless of sponsorship. Allow them to table the concourse or collectively hold the Flag while wearing their brands to show unity across the community.
Non-Profit Groups: Provide a platform for non-profits who are fighting to support underserved populations. Invite their leaders and members to be a part of the game.
Youth & Schools: If you are in a low-income area, invite those who helped keep the kids fed and educated during break.
All- Community Presence: Showcase the community in full with a diverse representation of age, gender and race showcased as special guests. We overcame this together, there’s no better way than to promote unity than celebrating it at the event.
Local Heroes: Fire, Police, EMT and public safety officials sacrificed to keep the community safe. Celebrate these individuals for their work. An entirely separate medical professional event can also be done to support and thank these individuals and tie into existing sponsorship platforms.
Medical Staff: Recognize the individuals who put themselves on the front line to heal and protect our communities.
5. Program the 360-event experience. An often-overlooked area, this is the first impression your fans have of your venue when they arrive. Have you personally ever approached the venue on an event day and entered as a guest? The answer is likely no as you’re probably busy with run-throughs and activations. Visualize the approach your guest has and moments along that path where you could make small but highly impactful changes. For your guest, the experience begins when they pull up (if not sooner), yet our programming and entertainment often waits until they are in the concourse or even their seat before it kicks in. Now is a great time to invest mental energy in designing a 360-entertainment experience to delight your guests without having to increase resources. In particular:
Enhance your audio reach- Is music audible? Are announcements on shortest entry lines present? Is there energy or silence as fans walk from the parking lot and wait in line? If you don’t have built in speakers, consider investing in a few Block Rockers ($159 each on Amazon https://smile.amazon.com/ION-Audio-Block-Rocker-Plus/dp/B07C32XSH1/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=block+rocker&qid=1584642755&sr=8-1) or other rechargeable speakers to position near traffic crossings, along paths where guests walk or outside of your doors. They come with a microphone so you can have your emcee, an usher or other staff engage directly with your fans.
Revitalize your greeting-Are staff positioned to greet and engage guests at any point along the route? Do signs in parking lots explicitly indicate how to get to the venue if you can’t see the venue from the parking lot? Do any of your spirit teams or talent visit fans outside of the venue? Adding 1-2 bodies to key areas can make a tremendous difference, especially if their entire focus is on being a “Memory Maker” for fans. Challenge these staff to come up with trivia, dance contests or other interactive elements that reflect your brand. Work with local sign shops during this time to give the local economy business and also get prepared for returning to event action.
Optimize your concourse flow and programming-The concourse sets the stage for the quality and attention to detail the many fans will expect in the game presentation. The organization, flow, design elements and interactive features make a huge role. With COVID-19, the need for social distancing, space and organized transit becomes vital. Take this time to review what is in your concourse and minimize elements that congest and do not elevate the experience. This is a great time to minimize oversold sponsor activations and find alternate placements before it is a requirement once events resume.
Create hands-free photo opportunities- More than half of fans under 25 indicate the ability to interact, take photos and share their experience is a critical aspect of their game day, this is especially important for student attendance. Create interactive opportunities around and outside the venue to give guests the opportunity to document their game day. The options below can all be put in place for under $1000** and we are happy to point you to vendors we know who deliver good quality work.
Giant letters spelling your city or team name that they can pose with.
Photo backdrops with foam board props (and disinfecting wipes to clean).
Mascot or live-animal mascot station-set fixed times pre-game for fans to meet and interact with your team’s most beloved icon.
Wing-span/height graphics on walls of your players.
Pictures of iconic moments in team history on the walls with spot for fan to pose as if they were a part of it.
Archway with the scoreboard/scenery in the background. Don’t underestimate a “STAND HERE” sign that perfectly aligns fans for the stadium view.
Make accommodations feel intentional-Are there shuttles to transport guests with mobility issues? Is there a place for parents to park strollers? Room for those with mobility issues to easily maneuver into the building? Invest in signage to help fans identify these areas and make entry seamless, not just designed for the fully mobile or kid-free fan.
* These tactics are largely to help them feel at ease and wanting to come back to your venue, they are not intended to be medical recommendations to prevent transmission.
**Price estimate per item, prices may vary depending on size and scope, but in general, most teams find they can implement a high quality activation within this price range.