Digital fan engagement: How sportswear is evolving

Jeremy Bauer, global commercial director, Embelex at Avery Dennison, takes a look at how sportswear is evolving to digitally engage fans.

Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, estimates that five billion people around the world will watch the 2022 World Cup.

Many of these viewers will be tuning in via digital devices. In fact, according to a 2022 report by Nielson , more than 40% of global sports fans choose to watch sports online. It’s clear that the way fans engage with content and the teams they love is changing with the advent of new technologies.

With over six billion smart phones users worldwide, the opportunity for brands to engage with consumers is greater than ever. Sports teams can further capitalise on this landscape by providing personalised experiences which allow people to interact with their teams on a deeper level. 2018 research by Episilon suggests that consumers are 80% more likely to purchase a product or service if a brand offers personalised experiences. A glaring opportunity has presented itself here, and I firmly believe this trend will grow.

At Avery Dennison, we’ve already started to make the most of this digital phenomenon in the sporting world. Our external embellishments division, Embelex, is the first-ever partner of the Premier League that enables experiences such as exclusive content, competitions and more via digital triggers on sports shirts. By using digitally enabled physical embellishments – such as heat transfer-applied shirt numbers – and cutting-edge software, fans can access tailored digital experiences.

In an increasingly digital world, I think digital fan engagement will continue to evolve in coming years, changing how sports teams and other groups interact with consumers. This will provide a doorway into a new world of sports marketing where fans are fully immersed in the action.

New digital opportunities

Many different digital triggers are now widely available, and organisations are using these to engage with consumers through new channels. For example, QR codes and Near Field Communication are becoming an increasingly common sight across many industries. A report by Insider intelligence predicts that the number of smart phone users in the US who scan a QR code at least once a year will rise from 83.4 million in 2022 to 99.5 million in 2025.

Connected jerseys are offering yet another avenue for people to enter the digital space and interact with sports teams. Fans can use their smart phones to scan different digital triggers, including numbers on players’ jerseys, a QR code on the neck label or an NFC hem label. By incorporating innovative technologies into products through customisation, brands can create emotional connections with users. This further enhances people’s experiences while creating a space where companies can find innovative ways to tailor experiences and target specific consumers.

Evolving fan interactions

We have recently seen a rise in the use of social media to connect sports fans with their teams and one another. According to research by Nielson, the sports category on Twitch has seen a 155% growth in the last year. Social media platforms are a playground for fan interactions, and 71% of consumers at least somewhat trust influencer advertisements and opinions about products and brands.

While social media is still an effective tool, technologies like digital triggers are providing a new way to present tailored messages. These provide an opportunity for brands to reward consumers and sports fans with a more intimate level of engagement. Digital triggers are also a means to promote products and target consumers with incentivised rewards and offers.

The digital world is evolving rapidly, and it’s imperative that brands stay up to speed with the ways in which consumers are engaging with competition. New technologies like digital triggers in sports jerseys are helping to facilitate this transition into a new dawn of digital fan engagement by providing brands and manufacturers with the latest technology.

Rediscovering sportswear as an interactive creative canvas has propelled the sporting industry into a new metaverse. Digital embellishments are an innovative way teams can create positive consumer experience through new communication channels, allowing fans to be closer than ever to the stars in their eyes.