Industry News

NFL’s Lions app to boost fan experience at Ford Field

NFL American football team the Detroit Lions has added a way-finding feature to its official mobile application in a move designed to enhance the experience of fans visiting its Ford Field home stadium.

Developed in partnership with YinzCam, the feature will allow fans to navigate their way around the venue and experience all new amenities that have been added to the facility. The Lions became the first NFL team to implement Apple Indoor Positioning into its iOS app.

Fans can access way-finding functions by accepting an app request for location services, with this then allowing them to see their location on an interactive map and find their way around the stadium.

A filtering system will enable fans to select from a number of new clubs, bars and popular Detroit restaurants that now feature in the stadium after a major $100m (€84.5m/£75.1m) upgrade project at the venue.

In addition, the way-finding feature will recognise when supporters move from one level of the stadium to another, changing the view to display their location at all times. Amenities such as restrooms, merchandise or concession stands will be highlighted on all levels of the venue.

Todd Marcy, the director of digital operations at the Lions, said: “Before we had our map, we had a lot of fans who would ask simple questions, like ‘Where is the elevator?’ or ‘Where is the restroom?’ But this map has everything layered into it.

“YinzCam’s custom development also provides us with a lot of flexibility, so that we can quickly go in and modify the locations within the map, adding a new concession stand or menu, depending on what type of event is taking place on a particular day.”

Priya Narasimhan, chief executive and founder of YinzCam, which launched the Lions original app in 2012, added: “We are proud of our relationship with the Detroit Lions and are continually impressed with the innovative ideas that they come up with for their mobile app.”