The Indians in '13 performed an eye-tracking study on fans that is "believed to be the first of its kind" in MLB in which participants' eye movements were "measured and recorded digitally," according to Kevin Kleps of CRAIN'S CLEVELAND BUSINESS. The Indians and P&G "developed a relationship a few years ago in which they routinely share best practices," and during one of the Indians' "information-gathering trips, P&G employees discussed how they used eye-tracking to improve shelving, packaging layouts and other elements at stores." The Indians for the study recruited 47 fans who agreed to wear an eye-tracking "over a three day period last June." The study "was about an 18-month process that wasn't concluded until March." The Indians by then had "finished the majority of the 2014 sales cycle for their in-park advertising, which means not all of the Tribe's advertising partners have received the eye-tracking results." Indians Senior Dir of Corporate Partnerships Ted Baugh said that the 47 fans had something "very much in common -- their focus on the scoreboard." Baugh: "The amount of times somebody looks at our scoreboard during a game exceeded my expectations. It's a lot." A section of the Indians' official website dedicated to potential partners says that "100% of the fans noticed the scoreboard, and of the time spent viewing ballpark signage, 78% of it was spent on scoreboard ads." Baugh said that digital signs "got more attention than standard, or static, signs." But "all of the ads were noticed." The team's website says that all of the ads on average that were "part of the eye-tracking study were noticed at least once per eight minutes." The study's results will "help to determine the future of Progressive Field," which is expected to undergo $60-70M in infrastructure improvements (CRAIN'S CLEVELAND BUSINESS, 5/26 issue).
