Hospitality in Sports Events – All about experiences

Why is so important the hospitality experience in the events sports industry. “Is the experience, stupid*”

*by Sebastian Sorondo

Messi did it, Argentina won, he is the GOAT, greatest ever, or not? That is the discussion that 2023 started everywhere, the world has seen it. The most seen event in the history of the world. According to FIFA, World Cup final achieved a global reach close to 1.5 billion viewers, with the opening match capturing over 550 million. Almost six billion engagements on social media, with 262 billion cumulative reached across all platforms. Almost, one fourth of the world’s population saw that final match. So, what is so special about it? The answer: passion.

Sports have passion and that is what makes them so special but, is how we treat passion in a hospitality way that drives unforgettable experiences to the customers what is still on the table to discuss. Normally we associate “hospitality” in events as a synonymous of champagne and snacks in a VIP lounge but, is it that way?

Marketing departments is where companies relay the responsibility of taking care of the customer before and after the event happens so as to generate engagement and promote it and treat hospitality in a way that is some specific part of the event. We believe hospitality has to do with the customer journey that delivers the experience.

This journey starts way before the event stars, when we realize is coming and we want to generate engagement. The pillars for working with the customer engagement are:

1. Ticketing
2. Broadcasting
3. Location

Around these pillars we have to think the customer journey. Pasion drives the people in sports but a good experience in all the faces will make them come back and boost the event edition over edition.

The ticketing will provide the heart of the event experience, is where people will feel the most out of it. This experience will be tied not only what we can do with the spectacle itself but also with the crowds and sponsors. The atmosphere is one of the most important subjects in the game for feeling the experience we want to share. Sponsors can help with ways to deliver the experience but ideas must be owned and in line with our plan.

We believe experiences must be somewhere between digital and physical and for that we have to improve connectivity in stadiums and natural areas in the case the event happens outside ej: tour de France. Broadcasting not only at home but also in the same place of the event is a great idea for getting the “figital” experience and not missing any detail. Infrastructure, connectivity and working with platforms and social media, is essential for this matter and must have a script and structure in advance with a strategy behind.

Once we think the overall strategy of a customer journey is done, we need to think not only on the stages of the on-site spectators but also on the digital ones. We don’t have to mention that the broadcast of the event is essential for going worldwide and for the experience of it. With this we mean people watching the spectacle live from the stadium, outside it and form all over the world. The experience we can get out of it must reflex the passion that drives us to the event and curate the information we are giving out. Also, technology already allows delivering different content depending where the customers are. For example, we can have a different broadcast image for inside a stadium for the ones that aren’t there or different follow-up of athletes on a trail race depending on their nationalities to broadcast at home. We must start personalizing more and more, understanding the passion of our audience. Tech is already there for doing it.

Working with the local citizens (fans or not) and local governments is one of the most important things for the success of the event over time. Adding local flavor to the event and getting local people to feel the event of their own is a great asset that we have to try to achieve. Locals must be proud of their event, is part of their culture and town. As examples we can name Sierre -Zinal a trail running race that this year is celebrating its 50^th edition in the Swiss Alps, or Patagonia Run an ultra-trail race in Argentinian Patagonia that started 14 years ago with one-day event in low season and now is a hole week event involving all the local community and filling up hotels and Airbnbs.

The difference between a trail race, rugby or football match, or a bike or car race and a an Sports Event, relies on hospitality and how we create the atmosphere that propels forward the passion that drives the competence. Sports Hospitality is essential for living a true passionate event and showing it to the world because the passion not only relies on the athletes but on those how cheer up and are waiting for it with that mixture of anxiety and happiness: FANS.

At the end we believe is all about the experience.

_{*original phrase “it’s the economy, stupid” coined by James Carville in 1992 who was a strategist of Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign regarding as one of the messages for them to focus.}

*Sebastian Sorondo is a Hospitality professional focused on Sports Hospitality with more than 15 years’ experience in developing customer journey and sports marketing. With a background in economics and communications & marketing, Sebastian studied for a Master’s degree in Hospitality Strategy & Digital Transformation at Les Roches, Switzerland. Sebastian is a competitive cyclist and trail runner and outdoor sportsman.