Our 2013 NFL Tech Series follows all 32 NFL teams up until kickoff on Week 1. Each feature includes the latest from each organization, spanning stadium WiFi upgrades, mobile technology, fan engagement, and the tech used by players and coaches to gain an edge. Front office personnel and technology staff throughout the league provided an inside look at how each team plans on improving their franchise through hi-tech advancements. In this new age of technology in sports we are uncovering the many new innovations and strategies being used by teams and where the present and future of NFL technology lies. Today, we look at the Indianapolis Colts and how their installation of a comprehensive wifi system at Lucas Oil Stadium opened the gates for many new fan engagement and player improvement opportunities.
This year will mark the Colts’ 30th season in Indianapolis. Their future looks bright with new fan engagement strategies and an influx of fresh young talent on the team led by second-year quarterback Andrew Luck.
To kick off this season and start the next 30 years in Indianapolis the Colts began a ’30 Days Celebrating 30 Seasons’ fan appreciation campaign on August 9th. The campaign consists of numerous family-friendly activities such as a 5K fun run, Kickoff Concert, and a Colts museum day. On top of all this the Colts social media department will host 30 days of contests and promotions through the team’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google Plus pages. Daily prizes, such as game tickets and autographed memorabilia will be given to contest winners.
Overall, the Colts seem to truly value informing and interacting with their fans through many the various social media platforms. Their Director of Digital Media, Dan Plumlee, knows that it takes a team effort to manage the interactions of a fan base that is not solely located in Indianapolis, but spread out around the country:
“Our mantra and subsequent social media strategy is to simply serve all of our fans regardless of age, location, or viewing preference. With 70% of our web traffic coming from outside of Indiana, we have a lot of displaced fans. Our club wishes to provide fans detailed and in many cases 100% unique/exclusive content catered to each social media outlet…all in a timely fashion. We strive to constantly listen to the pulse of each of our social media outlets, and to provide those outlets with new and creative content. We achieve this through a collaborative effort with every department within the club to create things like exclusive photo and video content, bringing the fans along throughout the season and telling a story with game day and behind-the-scenes photos/videos…as well as continuing to serve them Colts news, and be the definitive source for Colts news. All of these things ensure we show the fans that we appreciate their support, and that no matter where you are, you are part of the horseshoe. In some cases I would imagine this could create the desire to attend a game, and be a part of the game day experience, and that is certainly a welcomed perk to all we do.”
Clearly the Indianapolis organization is doing a lot to lead up to the season and celebrate 30 years in Indy by rewarding the fans for their loyalty. But it is during the season that the Colts have really started to utilize technology and improve the fan experience at Lucas Oil Stadium. Earlier this year the Colts partnered with CDW, a provider of technology products and services for business, government and education, to install an advanced wireless communications infrastructure.
The Colts were in desperate need of an improved wireless system at Lucas Oil Stadium. Before upgrading with CDW the Colts had just a couple of consumer grade wireless access points which covered only a fraction of the facilities. “We had a hodge-podge of access points,” recalls Ryan Fannin, the Colts’ director of football information systems, in an interview with BizTech Magazine. “If a person needed wireless, we’d throw up an access point.”
The Colts are amongst many NFL teams who are strengthening wifi networks at their stadiums. With tens of thousands of devices being used by fans, media, coaches, and players, a strong wifi network has become an absolute must have for every NFL franchise.
In addition to meeting the fan’s needs, one reason the Colts in particular need a strong wifi connection at Lucas Oil stadium is to fuel 120 very important tablets. Last season head coach Chuck Pagano made the decision to make the switch from paper playbooks to iPad playbooks. The tablets are not only more eco-friendly and less cumbersome, but they provide many new features. The most important of these features is the ability to quickly share information amongst players and coaches and seamlessly sift through hours of video footage. Video of practices and games can be streamed outside the facilities making it easier for players to study their digital playbooks. Also, the tablet playbooks are more secure than traditional paper ones because they are password protected and contain a remote data wiping option if any playbooks end up being misplaced.
“Pagano feels it’s a competitive advantage to give players all the information at their fingertips and for them to learn in a way they have grown accustomed to. “It’s not about pen and paper anymore. We are able to tie a video with a diagram of a play. It helps players learn, and it’s a huge benefit for the team,” says Fannin.
Another reason the Colts heavily rely on the new upgraded wireless network is for supporting their interactive fan app. The Colts mobile app is one of the most engaging in the NFL and provides great opportunity for additional interactions for fans at the games. It lets fans who are attending games at Lucas Oil Stadium view instant replays on their smartphones five seconds after plays happen on the field. Fans also have access to parking information, real-time stats, news, multimedia and more. The app also keeps fans socially connected to the Colts’ Facebook and Twitter accounts with the ability to tweet or post with just one tap.
“It’s a mandate from the NFL to make sure that fans do not miss anything by being at the game,” explains Fannin. “We want fans to know that the best place to see a Colts game is at a Colts game, and that they will not miss out on anything.”
With more and more NFL fans choosing to stay at home to watch games on Sunday one of the biggest upgrades any team can do for their franchise is to simply ramp up the wifi network at their stadium. Whether it’s new ways to interact with fans during games, players and coaches using iPads for a competitive edge, or a new team app that lets fans see replays right after a play happens, wifi networks are one of the best investments an NFL team can make. The Colts have certainly positioned themselves to evolve with their fans and the rest of the league as demand for tech-friendly stadiums increases.