Welsh Pro12 rugby union team Cardiff Blues has partnered with iBeacon technology manufacturer GCell in a bid to enhance its in-stadium experience for supporters on match days.
GCell’s iBeacon technology will be used to detect when fans that own the Blues' smartphone application enter the stadium.
GCell has installed a number of iBeacon devices around Cardiff Arms Park. These devices emit a Bluetooth signal, which is picked up by owners of the app, who will then receive a push notification depending on the time and their whereabouts within the stadium.
The notifications will initially include welcome messages, discount coupons and reminders to vote for their man of the match.
GCell trialled the technology at the stadium in April and the service will be fully operational in time for the start of the new Pro12 season next month.
GCell’s Barry Jenkins said: “The installation of iBeacon technology has become standard at Major League Baseball (93%) and NFL (75%) stadiums. Teams that have deployed iBeacon and proximity technologies have seen a return on investment as big as 40x from incremental merchant revenues alone within one season.”
Rhys Williams, the Blues’ commercial director, added: “Like any business we're interested in better understanding our fans on metrics such as how frequently a fan attends a game. iBeacon and the Cardiff Blues match-day app is the perfect vehicle to measure and reward fans with loyalty.”
The Cardiff Blues app is available to download for free from the App Store and Google Play.
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