Sacred Heart University has a growing D1 athletic program, boosted by a new $75 million hockey stadium and renovated basketball arena. The School sought a disruptive change from legacy fan engagement methods to raise future attendance, build a digital sponsorship sales tool and in-game sales, and start a deep consumer database to mitigate its data disadvantage.
Challenges
Tickets & In-game Sales
Legacy methods of boosting attendance and raising fan expenditure at concessions, team store, etc. do not acquire a customer beyond the single transaction
Sponsor Investment
Selling physical/digital signage without fan data, insights and attribution is limiting, results in depressed rates for premium space.
Data
Developing truly valuable attendee data and a D2C relationship with fans and their families to accelerate all future growth plans are cost prohibitive, low efficacy for re-targeting.
Solution
SHU introduced BIGtoken’s digital wallet at hockey and basketball games, with partner Crumbl Cookie, and offered free cookies to fans as an incentive to start engagements. The initiative successfully addressed key challenges:
Data Collection & Direct Fan Connection
SHU collected zero-party data from attendees and others with insights into attendance frequency, family participation, and future ticketing opportunities it never had before. This data is now an immediate asset for sponsorship sales.
Increased Revenue
The seamless, Web 3-based redemption drove a 60%+ revenue per attendee at concession and swept the audience and virally spread around the arena.
Retargeting Potential
SHU now has a best-in-class sales asset to enhance future game-day promotions, ticket sales, youth sports programs and fan engagement strategies to these fans and their friends and family.
Results
