How to Maximise the Value of Your Mobile App

The fact that you are reading this article means that a mobile app and modern sports club coexist and are inseparable in today’s world; it is a must-have. Enhancing it and making it engaging is the key, as according to Google, 61% of users are unlikely to return to a mobile site they didn’t like or had trouble accessing.

What you definitely need to know is that the mobile app is an essential part of your digital fan engagement strategy and a critical factor in driving your revenue. However, let’s look deeper into this topic and learn how to maximise the value of your Mobile App!

Read our article and learn about:

• Levelling up your mobile app in four steps,
• Improving the user experience of your mobile app,
• Upgrading data collection in your mobile app,
• Increasing sales and finding new opportunities via your mobile app,
• Real-life case studies of sports club mobile apps.

MAXIMISING YOUR MOBILE APP STEP BY STEP

1. Improving User Experience

When fans search for your club, they will most likely encounter your website first. However, accessing web pages via various web browsers is not as convenient as using a dedicated fan-orientated mobile app. Giving fans this commodity, unique content, and functionality is rewarding your fans’ loyalty!

Your mobile app can include numerous content, such as live match updates, the latest news or the fixtures. Nonetheless, this data and info can be found elsewhere. Let’s show your fans something that others can’t see! Behind the scenes of a training session, or maybe an exclusive video interview with one of the players? Surprise, engage, and create a connection with your fan via your mobile app!

On the other hand, your app also must have the functions your fan needs in an instant. Have you ever spent too much time at the turnstile looking for that PDF of your match ticket? If you want your fans to avoid this bummer, make sure to integrate online ticketing with your mobile app. In-app tickets, food and beverage orders, wayfinding etc., are all going to improve the fan experience and, when done right, your return on investment.

2. Improving data collection

Knowing your fans is essential in the sports business, and there’s no other way to do that than to enhance the method of data collection. Your app will help you understand your fans’ habits, preferences, location, etc., and you can then tailor their experience accordingly, bringing them the right content, in the right place, at the right time.

To maximise your mobile app, one could apply the SSO (Single Sign-on) system. This infrastructure allows users to log in to websites or applications simultaneously with one set of data. This way, you remove additional barriers but also maximise data collection.

3. Increasing sales of existing products

All of the above enhancements lead to an increase in online traffic on your mobile app. Now that more customers visit your app, you can aim to increase your club’s sales. First, you can increase the sale of existing products. Again, revenue can be generated by integrating ticketing and retail in your mobile app or creating a dedicated area where app users could find exclusive promotions on merchandise.

4. Increasing new revenue opportunities

Taking a step further, your mobile app can open new ways of generating revenue for your club. Remember reading about exclusive, engaging content earlier on? This is precisely where you can level up. The use of OTT (Over-the-top media service) or VOD (Video on demand) has only increased throughout the years. The opportunity to monetise from this idea is out there, and implementing such platforms in your mobile app is widely available.

Also, you open up a whole new realm of opportunities for sponsored elements within the app. This isn’t about having a new place to splash banner ads. This is somewhere to present key content in association with a partner considerately and to integrate advertising that is timely and relevant cleverly.

DID YOU KNOW?

The most used sports club mobile app in the United States is the Las Vegas Raiders app with 51,068 daily active users. Meanwhile, Manchester United lead in the UK with 76,216 daily active users.

FEATURES OF A GOOD SPORTS CLUB MOBILE APP

So let’s summarise what we have established so fa. An outstanding mobile app should:

• Be functional and integrate aspects such as ticketing and sale of merchandise
• Be engaging by providing exciting content for the fans
• Gather necessary data to establish the fan base needs and interests
• Increase already existing revenue, but also open new methods of generating revenue for the club.

So far, we’ve only spoken about the theory, so let’s move on to more practical real-life examples of maximising the value of your mobile app!

HOW HAVE OTHERS DONE IT?

Olympique Lyon

Olympique Lyon has brought matchday experience to a whole new level in recent years. With the construction of the new fully connected stadium (Parc Olympique Lyonnaise) in 2016, the club was the first French club to offer a complete fan experience to its supporters with their mobile app OLPLAY.

Before even entering the stadium, fans can use the mobile app to navigate the stadium from any location. The app shows the quickest route in any means of transport. When arriving at the stadium, fans are directed to their gate and scan their online ticket at the turnstile.

Once inside the entry gates and past the scanners – fans can test the robust WIFI network of the stadium by trying out more features of the mobile app. For those who like to snack, fans can order food and beverages delivered right to your seat during the match – and all of it is done cashless!

On top of that, the mobile app allows users to watch four different video streams broadcasting content such as highlights from the game, analysis, interviews and more all at their fingertips.

Most essential is that the mobile app has been downloaded more than 100,000 times since its launch, and more features are being developed.

Legia Warsaw

In the 2019/2020 season, Legia Warsaw developed a brand new website and mobile app as part of its digital transformation plan. One of its ways of boosting fan engagement and experience is the use of the match center. There, fans can find all vital information and facts about the upcoming matches of their team – live updates, statistics, player profiles, expert opinions and live commentary. Fans are able to share their opinion and interact with the content by upvoting the materials they enjoy.

Legia Warsaw’s app and web page have integrated ticketing and sale of merchandise through their fan store. Each fan can personalise their calendar in the app so they do not miss any match or any other important club event.

The mobile app also enables sharing engaging content with fans. On the main screen of the mobile app, fans will find a daily portion of carefully selected information and news related to the club.

Although the cases and solutions of the two clubs differ, the goal remains the same – redirecting all traffic to one place – a mobile app for easier management and communication with the fan community.

UMPIRE

One of the tools dedicated to the maximisation of sports clubs mobile apps is TISA’s UMPIRE. This integrated CMS (content management system) helps sports organisations enhance their communication across all digital platforms, boost fan engagement, and build community. But why choose UMPIRE?

• When building your mobile app or web page, you must consider customisation to your own needs. UMPIRE’s flexible system of grids and modules designed for various types of content with different hierarchies offers just that.
• Because today sports clubs compete against other entertainment giants, your content must be engaging and released instantly. UMPIRE’s Match Center allows you to publish exclusive materials as the action unfolds on the pitch. Comments, updates, graphs, photos, videos or polls, all can be displayed within seconds.
• In between matches, your fans will search for stats and player profiles that can be easily created via UMPIRE.
• For those craving more engaging audio-visual content, UMPIRE supports various video formats of the highest quality, and superior optimisation allows viewing content over different mobile devices. Moreover, this includes live-streaming of friendly matches or other club activities such as increasingly popular Esports tournaments in FIFA 22.
• Considering how much time a modern fan spends on their mobile phone, UMPIRE optimisation enables fans to receive information and content in a flash.
• UMPIRE leaves space for advertising so that apart from expanding your online fan reach, you could also increase revenue by placing advertisements of your contracted sponsors.

If you would like to learn more about UMPIRE, make sure to check out our previous blog post – 5 Ways UMPIRE Helps to Boost Fan Engagement.

Conclusion

Maximising your mobile app is one of the keys to the digital maturity of your sports clubs. Mobile apps serve as an essential link between your club and your fans, thus creating opportunities for online expansion and new forms of revenue. UMPIRE can enhance your mobile app step by step and take the marketing of your sports club to a higher level.

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Are you looking for more information about digital transformation in the sports industry? Visit our website to learn more about dedicated products and innovations designed for sports. To find out more about how TISA can help your organisation thrive in the digital world, contact us directly – we will be happy to talk about your case. And if you’d like to join our team and help us create the best digital solutions for the world of sports, check out our current career opportunities.