Augmented Reality in Sport Marketing
Uses and Directions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18060/24227Keywords:
augmented reality, sport marketing, innovation, technologyAbstract
The augmented reality (AR) market is expected to grow to $60.55 billion by 2023 and there are currently an estimated 4.2 billion AR-capable devices in the hands of consumers. Experts believe that sport is a high-value market for AR as it is uniquely positioned to utilize AR in multiple marketing contexts (Haber, 2019). The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the rate at which sport organizations are utilizing AR as they attempt to reach fans and consumers that are limited or restricted from attending events in person. This article introduces augmented reality to sport managers and practitioners and defines AR, detailing how it can be used by citing examples of how it has been used in sport marketing to this point. Specifically, the paper discusses the three most common classifications of AR for marketing and their role in sport: advertising/promotion, product management, and customer service. The types of AR delivery systems (e.g., HMD, projector-based, smartphone, broadcast AR) are also discussed to clarify that AR is a grouping of technologies and not just one hardware platform. Sport and non-sport examples of AR implementations of the different classifications and delivery systems are provided in this text. Three recommendations are provided for AR development and implementation, namely that sport AR activations should be a complement to the sport product, focus on visual appeal, and strive for immersion. These recommendations are grounded in academic research and intended to assist practitioners planning to implement AR as part of their marketing strategy.
References
References
Bell, K. (2018, January 18). StubHub is using augmented reality to help you buy Super Bowl tickets. Retrieved from https://mashable.com/2018/01/18/stubhub-augmented-reality-app-super-bowl/
Berryman, D. (2012). Augmented Reality: A review. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 31, 212-218.
Billinghurst, M., Clark, A., & Lee, G. (2015) A survey of augmented reality. Foundations and Trends in Human– Computer Interaction, 8, 73–272.
Bimber, O. (2004). Combining Optical holograms with interactive computer graphics. IEEE Computer, 37, 85-91.
Bishop, T., & Soper, T. (2018, October 19). Future of sports viewing? Steve Ballmer and L.A. Clippers debut new augmented reality NBA experience. Retrieved from https://www.geekwire.com/2018/future-sports-viewing-steve-ballmers-l-clippers-debut-new-augmented-reality-nba-experience/
Blum, A. (2018, October 23). ARCore vs. ARKit: Which Is Better for Building Augmented Reality Apps? Retrieved from https://www.iflexion.com/blog/arcore-vs-arkit-better-building-augmented-reality-apps/
Boland, M. (2017, October 11). ARCore ARkit = Half a Billion Devices by Year-End (new report). Retrieved from http://www.thevrara.com/blog2/2017/10/11/arcore-arkit-425b-devices-by-2020-new-report
Booton, J. (2017, October 02). Cleveland Cavaliers Go 'All-In' On Mixed Reality After Embracing Hololens. Retrieved from https://www.sporttechie.com/cavaliers-use-hololens-sell-quicken-loans-arena-renovations/
Bradshaw, T. (2017, March 28). Apple and Facebook join 'augmented reality' race. Financial Times, p. 14.
Chung, N., Han, H., & Joun, Y. (2015). Tourists’ intention to visit a destination: The role of augmented reality (AR) application for a heritage site. Computers in Human Behavior, 50, 588-599.
Cipresso, P., Chicchi Giglioli, I. A., Alcaniz Raya, M., & Riva, G. (2018). The past, present, and future of virtual and augmented reality research: A network and cluster analysis of the literature. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 1-20.
College Football Playoff Teams Up with Nike for Augmented Reality Experience at 2020 National Championship Game. (2020, January 10). Retrieved June 28, 2020, from https://collegefootballplayoff.com/news/2020/1/10/cfp-nike-ar-activation.aspx
Diaz, J. (2019, November 04). From Apple Glasses to Hololens 2: AR glasses you can buy now (and soon). Retrieved from https://www.tomsguide.com/reference/ar-glasses
Draper, L. (2019, September 12). Fans Excited to "Pose With The Pros". Retrieved from https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/fans-excited-to-pose-with-the-pros
Faust, F., Roepke, G., Catecati, T., Araujo, F., Ferreira, M. G. G., & Albertazzi, D. (2012). Use of augmented reality in the usability evaluation of products. Work, 41, 1164-1167.
Fink, C. (2017, November 16). The Inevitability of Augmented Reality HMDs. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/charliefink/2017/11/13/the-inevitability-of-augmented-reality-hmds/
Goebert, C., & Greenhalgh, G. P. (2020). A new reality: Fan perceptions of augmented reality readiness in sport marketing. Computers in Human Behavior, 106, 106231.
Haber, M. (2019, November 08). 5G Is Already Transforming Sports, but Its Future Is Straight Out of Science Fiction. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/matt-haber/5g-transforming-sports-augmented-reality-nfl.html
Haller, M., Billinghurst, M., & Thomas, B. H. (2007). Emerging technologies of augmented reality: Interfaces and design. London: Idea Group Inc (IGI)
Hilken, T., de Ruyter, K., Chylinski, M., Mahr, D., & Keeling, D. I. (2017). Augmenting the eye of the beholder: exploring the strategic potential of augmented reality to enhance online service experiences. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 45, 884-905.
Howat, G., Absher, J., Crilley, G., & Milne, I. (1996). Measuring customer service quality in sports and leisure centres. Managing leisure, 1, 77-89.
Iquii. (2018, January 04). From Augmented Reality to Mobile Reality: It's the smartphone that drives augmented reality. Retrieved from https://medium.com/iquii/from-augmented-reality-to-mobile-reality-its-the-smartphone-that-drives-augmented-reality-31ae65b44958
Jang, S.-W., Ko, J., Lee, H. J., & Kim, Y. S. (2018). A Study on Tracking and Augmentation in Mobile AR for e-Leisure. Mobile Information Systems, 18, 1-11.
Javornik, A. (2014). [Poster] classifications of augmented reality uses in marketing. In 2014 IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality-Media, Art, Social Science, Humanities and Design (ISMAR-MASH'D) (pp. 67-68). IEEE.
Ko, Y. J., and Pastore, D.L. (2004), Current issues and conceptualizations of service quality in the recreational sport industry, Sport Marketing Quarterly, 13, 159-67.
Lee, K. M. (2004). Presence, explicated. Communication Theory, 14, 27-50.
Lee, S. O., Ahn, S. C., Hwang, J. I., & Kim, H. G. (2011, July). A vision-based mobile augmented reality system for baseball games. In International Conference on Virtual and Mixed Reality (pp. 61-68). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
Liu, F., Xiao, B., Lim, E. T., & Tan, C. W. (2017). The art of appeal in electronic commerce: understanding the impact of product and website quality on online purchases. Internet Research, 27(4), 752-771.
Markets and Markets, (2018). Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) Market worth 60.55 Billion USD and 34.08 Billion USD by 2023 [WWW Document].URL 〈 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/augmented-reality-virtual-reality.asp 〉 (accessed 05.21.18).
Montoya, R. (2018, October 18). Immersive tech gets sports fans into their favorite game ... literally. Retrieved from https://venturebeat.com/2018/10/17/immersive-tech-gets-sports-fans-into-their-favorite-game-literally/
Moore, G. (2017, March 06). Sports Execs Trade VR for Augmented Reality at MIT Sloan Conference. Retrieved from https://xconomy.com/national/2017/03/06/sports-execs-trade-vr-for-augmented-reality-at-mit-sloan-conference/
Neil, S. (2018, November 18). 2nd Annual Immersive Tech in Sports & Entertainment Summit. Retrieved from https://medium.com/@neil_singh01/2018-annual-immersive-tech-in-sports-entertainment-summit-58bf47d508a1
Ogus, S. (2019, May 26). Augmented Reality Options By Second Spectrum Added To ESPN App For NBA Playoffs. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonogus/2019/05/26/augmented-reality-options-by-second-spectrum-added-to-espn-app-for-nba-playoffs/#189978e43db4
Oh, H., Fiore, A. M., & Jeoung, M. (2007). Measuring experience economy concepts: Tourism applications. Journal of Travel Research, 46, 119-132.
Rauschnabel, P. A., Felix, R., & Hinsch, C. (2019). Augmented reality marketing: How mobile AR-apps can improve brands through inspiration. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 49, 43-53.
Rogers, R., Strudler, K., Decker, A., & Grazulis, A. (2017). Can Augmented-Reality Technology Augment the Fan Experience?: A Model of Enjoyment for Sports Spectators. Journal of Sports Media, 12, 25-44.
Rogers, S. (2019, September 30). Immersive Technology Will Augment How We Watch Sports. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/solrogers/2019/09/19/immersive-technology-will-augment-how-we-watch-sports/
Santana, D. (2019, December 10). Augmented Reality Has Its Limits, But Is Here To Stay In Sports -. Retrieved from https://frntofficesport.com/augmented-reality-growth-in-sports/
Schmalstieg, D., & Hollerer, T. (2016). Augmented reality: Principles and practice.
Scholz, J., & Smith, A. N. (2016). Augmented reality: Designing immersive experiences that maximize consumer engagement. Business Horizons, 59, 149-161.
Sharma, A. (2019, May 15). ESPN President Courts a New Generation of Sports Fans. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/espn-president-courts-a-new-generation-of-sports-fans-11557942300.
Sousa, L., Alves, R., & Rodrigues, J. M. F. (2016). Augmented reality system to assist inexperienced pool players. Computational Visual Media, 2, 183-193.
Szymczyk, M. (2018, July 23). Fanatics & MLB Debut 3 Virtual Dressing Room Kiosks At 2018 All-Star Game. Retrieved from http://zugara.com/fanatics-mlb-debut-3-virtual-dressing-room-kiosks-at-2018-all-star-game
Theodorakis, N., Kambitsis, C., Laios, A., & Koustelios, A. (2001), “Relationship between measures of service quality and satisfaction of spectators in professional sport”, Managing Service Quality, 11, pp. 431-438
Wyshynski, G. (2019, January 29). Inside the arrival of NHL player tracking, from microchips to megabets. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/25872085/inside-arrival-nhl-player-tracking-microchips-megabets
Yaoyuneyong, G., Foster, J., Johnson, E., & Johnson, D. (2016). Augmented reality marketing: Consumer preferences and attitudes toward hypermedia print ads. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 16, 16-30.
Yim, M. Y. C., Chu, S. C., & Sauer, P. L. (2017). Is augmented reality technology an effective tool for e-commerce? An interactivity and vividness perspective. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 39, 89-103.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 Chad Goebert
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright to articles published in Sport Innovation Journal is retained by the author(s).
