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The NFL has launched a partnership with app developer Experience "that lets fans upgrade seats and obtain closer access to the team," according to Daniel Kaplan of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Experience "sold the targeted service to three NFL teams last season and has a full client roster of roughly 90 pro and college teams." The NFL is "putting its stamp of approval on the technology, although the relationship brings no official designation." NFL Senior VP/Club Business Development Brian Lafemina said that Experience expects "a notable increase in its NFL team users next year based on the company’s discussions with clubs." He added, “They believe up to half the league will be deployed for the 2014 season." Kaplan notes teams "would pay a fee to use the technology, but the cost per club would decline as more franchises use it." Experience’s service "works as a link within a team app." Teams could "generate revenue with the product by charging for the upgrades and experiences purchased." The Falcons were "one of the clubs to use the technology last season, offering it to 3,000 of their season-ticket-holder accounts." The team "branded the experiences 'memories' and averaged about 800 sold per game." Falcons CMO Jim Smith said, "Anything from pregame on-field, to a birthday message, to cheerleader visits, to mascot visits, to the fly-by pass, which is a dedicated lane where you don’t wait to get into the stadium. All the experiential things sold out within the first four hours they were made available." The club plans to "expand the program to all 16,000 season-ticket-holder accounts." Extra seat inventory "is low in the NFL," which sold out 98% of its seats in '13, so seat upgrades "may not even be possible in certain venues" (
SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/24 issue).
