Virtual reality is improving the fan experience in certain markets, but it is still in its infancy in terms of development and commercialization. A couple of specific examples were discussed in a panel discussion at the ’16 AXS Sports Facilities & Franchises Conference, including MSG partnering with Strivr on a VR experience based on NHL Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist in which fans attempt to stop shots on goal. “We only had one terminal, and fans lined up largely before the game and in between periods,” said MSG Exec VP/Corporate Development & Strategy Andrew Lustgarten. “We tried to manage flow so we didn’t have people lining up out the door.” Asked about specific usage numbers, he said only, “It was good. Depending on the day, it was kind of even flow. ... We had the average experience being three minutes and forty seconds. This year, we may try to make it tighter.” Lustgarten said the estimated wait time for fans to try the VR experience was between 5-10 minutes.
REACHING THE MASSES: Strivr Managing Partner Brian Murphy noted teams are focused on usage, saying, “Teams are asking, ‘How many fans can I get through this experience during the game?’” He noted a program that Strivr has with the Red Sox in which 300-400 fans per game are experiencing the content. “The Red Sox do a great job promoting this, with great TV spots on NESN,” Murphy said. Asked to talk about what teams are looking for during the evaluation process for VR, he said, “How many eyeballs can I get on this? What’s the value add? And what’s the ROI for our organization?” But it could be some time before there is a real ROI components. As Lustgarten said, “People aren’t really willing to pay for it, because they haven’t really experienced great content, and it’s hard to have goggles on for that long. But I do think we will get eventually to where it will be a paid model by consumers.” MLB Giants Senior VP & Chief Information Officer Bill Schlough, who was out front with the club when it comes to in-stadium technology, cautioned that it is still early. “It reminds me of the early days when we had 100 fans using WiFi,” he said. “Now we have 40,000 fans using our WiFi. The [VR] content is awesome. The viewers aren’t there yet.”
