In a reflection of the growing role that mobile engagements play on game day, sports fans can soon engage with interactive screens in venues for more than 80 major league sports teams using their mobile phones to access exclusive content, promotions and giveaways.

Attendees will be able to upload content from Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to the screens as well as interact with the display using NFC, QR codes, SMS and geofencing. The in-stadium mobile engagements are being enabled through a partnership between Access Sports Media, which operates more than 20,000 in-venue digital displays in sports venues for MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL teams and mobile marketing platform Blue Bite.

?Allowing attendees a way to interact within in-stadium screens via mobile benefits both the sports teams and their fans,? said Michele Paolella, vice president of marketing at Blue Bite, New York. ?Sports teams and their brands are able to interact and engage directly with fans, creating a buzz and conversation both in and out of the stadiums.

?This interaction provides solicit feedback, an increased loyalty following, and creates year-round engagement with their target audience,? she said.

Social media content
The social media to screens capability will be deployed first to almost all Access Sports Media venues. Fans will see a call-to-action on the digital displays prompting them to use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to contribute their own messages and content.

After users submit their content, it is approved by an administrator in real-time and displayed on the overhead screens at the respective sports venue.

The social media engagement will be followed by a gradual rollout of Blue Bite?s mTAGs in NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB venues over the next few months as the respective sports seasons start.

With mTAGs, users will have the ability to tap, scan and text through our physical tags in order to receive exclusive mobile content directly to their mobile phones. Blue Bite?s technology is similarly used in shopping malls, movie theaters and taxi cabs.

Personalized interactions
Teams and sponsors will benefit from these platforms by being able to personalize content for users and provide targeted information to enhance the in-venue experience. Fans will take advantage of the additional content to have a deeper conversation with their favorite teams, athletes, sponsors and fellow fans.

?Mobile marketing is a powerful communication tool that plays an extremely important role within in-stadium experiences,? Ms. Paolella said. ?Through the use of mobile experiences, brands are able to communicate with consumers on a more personal level, delivering instant value to them and tailoring specific information to each mobile user.

?Consumers are also able to communicate with one another through the use of social media platforms, which help to amplify brands and their marketing communications as well as connecting sports fans to their favorite teams on a more personal level,? she said.

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York