As teams try to make the in-stadium experience as good or better than the at-home experience, the Eagles are trying to make the on-ticket experience as good or better than the at-home experience.
The Eagles have announced the implementation of something called “augmented reality” in their tickets. After installing an app on their smart phones, fans will be able to pass the device over the ticket and unlock video messages from various players.
“We are always trying to provide new features and experiences for our fans,” Eagles president Don Smolenski said in a release. “We think there’s a real wow factor when season ticket holders hold their smartphones over these tickets and watch them come to life, launching videos that showcase some of our fans’ favorite players.”
That’s fine, and it can’t hurt. But if teams think that fans will be more inclined to buy tickets so that they can show their friends what happens when the phone is positioned in the right spot in relation to the face of the ticket, teams really don’t understand what motivates people to attend NFL games.
Quit worrying about making the experience better and start worrying about making the experience cheaper. That’s the best way to keep the stadiums full.