The Los Angeles Rams NFL team has entered into a partnership with customer experience marketing software firm LAVA to power real-time fan engagement for fans around the world and at SoFi Stadium.
The Rams will integrate LAVA into its fan engagement through sponsorship activations, event operations and premium services. The two parties will seek to leverage SoFi Stadium’s Wi-Fi 6 network, with the agreement including LAVA’s Realtime Data Experience platform.
The initial phase of the deployment occurred over the last three home games of the season, with real-time data having been integrated into the LAVA platform. The Rams will use LAVA to create a seamless experience for fans attending events year-round, including games at SoFi Stadium.
Elsewhere in the NFL, Wallaroo.AI has been named the official artificial intelligence and machine learning partner of the Detroit Lions.
The Lions will work with Wallaroo to scale the use of AI across many different business objectives, with the first phase of the partnership to see the technology integrated into the newly established Trace3 Analytics War Room at Ford Field.
The partnership is designed to improve the fan experience across various elements such as ticketing, parking, concessions, retail and fan sentiment.
Allianz Parque, home of Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A football club Palmeiras, is to be fitted with facial recognition technology to speed up entry into the stadium on match days.
Palmeiras will begin implementing the technology during the Campeonato Paulista, with the initiative tested on Tuesday during a friendly match against Monte Azul.
Read our story from earlier in the week for full details.
Evolv Technology, an AI-based weapons detection security screening company, has partnered with Bridgestone Arena, home of the NHL’s Nashville Predators.
The company’s Evolv Express screening solution will be used to keep fans safe while attending events at the arena. Fourteen Evolv Express systems have been fitted at the venue.
Evolv also has a partnership with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans franchise, which plays at the nearby Nissan Stadium. By enabling Evolv Express, the Titans caught 254 prohibited items in a three-game period and doubled fan satisfaction scores.
The International Cricket Council has teamed up with Nium, its official fintech infrastructure partner, to launch Next In, a global hackathon that invites tech-savvy fans to create solutions that improve the digital cricket fan experience.
The initiative is in line with the ICC’s global growth strategy to bring fans closer to the game. Registrations to be part of the hackathon opened this week, with the first stage asking entrants to describe their concept.
A shortlist of teams will then be invited to build and present their concepts and creations to a panel of judges including Hackathon ambassador and Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik. This will be held at an exclusive event in Bangalore in March, with the winners to receive $10,000 (£8,200/€9,300).
Hockey India has launched a metaverse experience as it prepares to host the Men’s World Cup this month.
The experience features a replica of the newly-built Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, as well as a trophy room and team room for fans to interact with virtual representations of India players.
The Men’s Hockey World Cup will take place in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela from January 13-29.
