AUSTIN, Texas, March 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Last year was
rough on stadium goers, some (21%) even cried over missing their
favorite sports and concerts, according to a new Oracle Food and
Beverage survey of 1,000 consumers in the
United States. Moreover, they can't wait to go back.
Thirty-two percent of people plan to return to stadiums immediately
and 54% within the first four months after stadiums reopen.
But this enthusiasm comes with caveats. Fifty-six percent of
respondents said social distancing measures should remain in place
with stadiums operating at a reduced capacity. Many also want
operators to rethink concessions, such as offering in-seat delivery
to reduce crowded lines, and are willing to pay more for that
option.
"From season ticket holders to casual fans, consumers are
looking forward to the return of in-person events, but like so many
industries, sports and entertainment won't return to the status quo
for some time, if ever," said Simon de
Montfort Walker, senior vice president and general
manager, Oracle Food and Beverage. "Operators have worked hard
during the shutdown to create better, safer experiences that
customers not only want but have come to expect. Technology will
play a key role in the evolution of the 360-degree fan
experience."
The survey, conducted by Untold Insights in January 2021, polled 3,000 consumers in the US,
United Kingdom and Australia on their sentiment towards returning
to stadiums this year. Access the complete Back in the
Arena: Consumer trends in AU, UK and
US report here.
Fans really missed their sports and concerts (not to mention
hot dogs)
Almost everyone (83%) missed attending live events, but some took
their absence harder than others:
- 35% of males and 24% of females noted they were "devastated"
about missing live sports
- 23% of males (19% of females) admitted to "shedding a few
tears" over it
- 37% of respondents missed the buzz or atmosphere of the live
event, while 22% missed the sense of community with other fans
- Consumers also missed the food! Hot food (hamburgers, hot dogs)
topped the list at 33%, followed by cold beverages (16%), and local
fare unique to the stadium (17%)
Mobile ordering in lieu of lines
Ninety-three percent of consumers surveyed said they were nostalgic
about stadium food – but many want operators to rethink current
models. On average, consumers don't want to wait more than nine
minutes for food and beverage, both for safety reasons and because
they don't want to miss the event.
Nearly half of consumers want to skip the line altogether:
- 48% of consumers would feel safer if their food were delivered
to their seat
- 51% said they would pay more for in-seat delivery options
- 47% of consumers said they'd pay more to cut the line for
food
Many consumers would prefer to place their order before they
arrive at the stadium:
- 67% of people would buy more if they could pre-order and avoid
the line, and 56% would like to schedule their order so it will be
ready at a set time
- 57% would love a 'fast pass' system to gain priority access to
food, shops and facilities; this was most popular with families
with 62% rating this option as 'awesome'
- 51% would like to plan their itinerary in advance so they can
visit concessions and stores at set times to avoid the lines
Extending the fan experience beyond the arena
The 360-degree fan experience will extend outside the arena as
consumers are increasingly interested in "making a day of it." In
fact, 59% of consumers said that personalized offers and promotions
for nearby restaurants/bars would impact their likelihood to go out
before or after the event.
"The 360-degree fan experience starts before fans arrive and
extends well beyond the park," said Joe
Rembold, Technical Innovation at Delaware North Companies.
"Building partnerships and introducing ways to leverage technology
to engage all our fans will simultaneously improve their experience
and create new revenue streams."
More than 30 major pro sports franchises rely on Delaware North
to provide their fans with dining and concessions at their home
venue. Hear Rembold talk more about the 360-degree fan experience
at the SportsTechie 'State of the Industry' event on
March 24.
In addition, although many people are eager to experience events
in person again, not everyone plans to rejoin the crowds
immediately. The survey found that 25% of event goers have no plans
to return in 2021. This holds particularly true for Baby Boomers,
43% of whom plan to stay away this year.
Extending the fan experience to connect and engage fans
everywhere requires new engagement models:
- 50% of respondents said they were excited about the possibility
of pre-ordering game day food and drink delivery packages
- 39% said that getting these deliveries via drone would be
"awesome"
- 38% felt that being able to interact live with others via chat
communities would enhance their enjoyment of the event
Download the full Back in the Arena: AU, UK and US consumer
trends report.
About Oracle Food & Beverage
Oracle Food and Beverage, formerly MICROS, brings 40 years of
experience in providing software and hardware solutions to
restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs, coffee shops, cafes, stadiums, and
theme parks. Thousands of operators, both large and small, around
the world are using Oracle technology to deliver exceptional guest
experiences, maximize sales, and reduce running costs.
About Oracle
Oracle offers suites of integrated applications plus
secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For
more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us
at oracle.com.
Trademarks
Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle
Corporation.
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SOURCE Oracle