With so many choices available to sports fans for where and how they watch events, sports organizations are looking for ways to create unique experiences for their fans, driving loyalty and engagement. In 2010, the Tampa Bay Lightning came under new ownership who challenged team executives to build a unique program to jumpstart season ticket sales. The Lightning, which uses our Quest venue management solution to manage their retail, suite, concessions and restaurant operations, reached out to our team to help come up with a forward-thinking, innovative new marketing program.
The result is a revolutionary new hockey jersey concept for season ticket holders which enables them to receive discounts on food, beverages and retail items when wearing the jerseys to home games. The Quest team worked with the Lightning to roll out the program, which required installation of 10,000 radio frequency (RF) chips into the jerseys and the integration of approximately 250 RF readers into the Quest terminals throughout the arena. RF is a mode of communication for wireless technologies of all kinds, including radar, GPS and television broadcasts. For these fans, the discounts are delivered when the RF chip, embedded into the sleeve of the jersey, is scanned with the RF reader at checkout at a concession stand or in the retail store. All season ticket holders for the 2011-2012 season have been rewarded with the special exclusive jersey as part of their season ticket package. Since implementing the program the Lightning have seen a significant increase in demand for full season tickets and a sea of blue jerseys in the stands at home games.
Tags: Quest, RF, Sports, Tampa Bay Lightening
