Stadium 2.0: Framework to Improve Sports Fans’ Experience in Stadium Through IoT Technology

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter presents a new framework for the use of Internet of Things technologies to improve supporters’ experience in sports events. Currently, there is a bigger distance between sports fans and their club’s stadium due to the existence of alternative ways to watch a game, for example, television broadcasts or streaming, that are more economic and with better comfort. The sports stadiums must innovate and improve the sports fans’ experience towards a more competitive use of technology. The proposed framework is based on a five-level classification that allows the improvement of the sports fans’ experience. With the purpose to assess which experiences are more important in a sports event, a questionnaire was sent to 205 sports fans. The result of the assessment was the base of the creation of a model that allows the evaluation of a certain sports stadium based on existing IoT implementations. In addition, each level contains a set of benefits to the sports fans’ experience and a set of technological recommendations to be implemented for a certain venue to level up and be called as Stadium 2.0. To assess the importance and applicability of this reference in real context, a set of interviews was carried out with two groups: spectators of sports events and sports events management staff (sports clubs, sports federations).KeywordsInternet of ThingsInformation technologyInformation systemssportsSports eventsSmart stadiumSport fansFrameworkSmart sportsAthletes’ health safetyAdvanced analyticsSensorsInjuriesExperience in stadiumSpectators