Revolutionizing the Cricket Viewing Experience: Team Fanisko Emerges Victorious at the ICC and NIUM Global Hackathon

As the sun began to rise in Ranchi, India, a group of boys gathered on the local cricket ground, dreaming of one day playing on the same stage as their cricket idols. Little did they know that technology would soon revolutionize the way they experience cricket.

One Touch Go! by Fanisko

Thanks to Fanisko’s ONE TOUCH GO, watching a cricket match is no longer limited to a TV screen or radio broadcast. Fanisko’s talented team made it a reality by winning the Global Next-In Hackathon, impressing the esteemed jury members, including cricketing legend Dinesh Karthik and professional Finn Bradshaw. Winning this award showcases the team’s prowess in the field of sports technology.

The Global Next-In Hackathon

The “Next In” Hackathon kicked off in January and saw 12,500 individuals form over 9550 teams from 113 countries, including over 1000 registrants from the USA, a strategic priority market for both the ICC and Nium. Ideas were submitted across four key areas; Web3 & Metaverse, Fintech, In-stadia experience, and Augmented or Virtual Reality (AR/VR).

Winning the Global Next-In Hackathon

On March 15, 2023, Team Fanisko emerged victorious at the ICC and NIUM Global Hackathon, despite being located in different geographical conditions and time zones. They created a revolutionary solution that eliminates the need to switch between multiple apps for live matches, scores, stats, scoring zones, and wagon wheels. The event attracted numerous teams from different parts of the world, with the esteemed jury panel wooed by the innovative product prototype solution presented by Team Fanisko.

Team Fanisko’s winning pitch showcased a prototype of an immersive Augmented Reality (AR) experience that enhances the cricket viewing experience. The AR technology provides real-time data, personalized insights, and more, taking cricket watching to the next level.

Working with ICC to Bring Innovation to Life

As winners of the Global Next-In Hackathon, Team Fanisko has the opportunity to work with ICC to bring their innovative AR prototype to life and implement it on a larger scale. This is a significant opportunity for the team to showcase their skills and collaborate with industry leaders to make a real impact in the world of cricket.

Transforming the Sports Industry

Team Fanisko’s success showcases its ability to transform the sports industry by driving innovation and growth in the sports tech space. They have established themselves as leaders in the sports tech space, inspiring other sports tech companies to invest in emerging technologies that meet the evolving needs of sports fans worldwide.

Adapting to a Virtual Environment

What’s impressive about Team Fanisko’s victory is their digital transformation capabilities, collaborating effectively in a virtual environment. Their success is a testament to their adaptability and resilience, essential qualities for any team in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing business environment.

Meeting for the First Time on the Eve of the Finals

It is worth mentioning that the team members of Team Fanisko had never met each other in person until the eve of the Global Next-In Hackathon finals. Despite being located in different parts of the world and working remotely, they were able to collaborate effectively and present a winning pitch that impressed the judges.

ICC’s Perspective

ICC Head of Digital, Finn Bradshaw said: “The Next In Hackathon has been an incredible exercise in unearthing some of the most innovative solutions from the global tech community. As we went through this journey for the first time with NIUM, what was really exciting was seeing fans from over 100 countries engage with our sport. Today we are proud to have crowned Fanisko as the winner and believe their prototype has the potential to become a favorite product for cricket fans.”

Fanisko’s Perspective

Sathish Chittibabu CEO, Fanisko said: “What an incredible week it was! Team Fanisko won the Global Next-In hackathon hosted by International Cricket Council in partnership with Nium and Hack2skill which saw over 12,500 participants from 113 countries. Our winning pitch showcased a prototype of an immersive Augmented Reality (AR) experience to enhance the cricket viewing experience. We walk away with an opportunity to work with ICC to bring the prototype to life and implement it”

As an emerging leader in the sports tech space, this is a huge recognition for all the innovation we do in fan engagement to help sports organizations across the world to engage their next generation of fans!

Very proud of my team who worked remotely and met for the first time at the grand finale in Bengaluru a true testament to digital transformation!“

Fanisko Tech Mahindra Partnership Announcement

We are delighted to announce our new partnership with Tech Mahindra, a global leader of digital transformation, consulting and business reengineering services. Tech Mahindra, through their Sportstech vertical, is bringing their wealth of expertise to help sports teams and leagues address their digital transformation needs.

Sathish Chittibabu, Co-founder & CEO 

We are delighted to announce our new partnership with Tech Mahindra, a global leader of  digital transformation, consulting and business reengineering services. Tech Mahindra, through their Sportstech vertical, is bringing their wealth of expertise to help sports teams and leagues address their digital transformation needs. 

This partnership will make Fanisko and Tech Mahindra leverage each other’s strengths to enhance fan engagement and revolutionize the live viewing experience for fans and extend it beyond the live event to build a tribe of loyal fans for the sports teams and leagues. In addition, it will help create interesting use cases and present innovative business models of monetization for sports organizations across the world. 

Fanisko is an emerging leader in the digital fan engagement space helping sports organizations increase and enhance their digital assets and devise strategies to add new revenue channels through sponsor activations and commerce. Engaging fans goes beyond the live sporting event.  We have helped professional sports teams to create their own digital fan engagement platform and reduce dependency on rented platforms (Social Media) to create meaningful fan experiences. 

Fanisko offers high end fan experiences through Gamification, Augmented Reality (AR), personalization, loyalty rewards to help sports organizations engage and retain fans on their own platform. Our platform also enables these sports organizations with Social AR capabilities to provide immersive experiences to fans on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tiktok so fans can create their own personalized experiences and connect with them. In fact, Fanisko has engaged tens of thousands of fans for more than 7M engagements and 17,000+ hours. Fanisko’s expertise has increased engagement times by 40% and organic new follower growth by 20%.

Sports organizations and their associated sponsor brands have a big challenge in engaging fans digitally due to fan-less stadiums. This will be a challenge even when fans are allowed back into the stadiums since nobody knows what the new normal is going to be. These organizations will have to be smart and start strategizing on how to identify high value fans and convert them into consumers. Fan Engagement needs to be executed as a holistic 365 days strategy to make revenue through digital sponsor activations a viable channel.

Fans are demanding personalized interactive experiences from sports organizations and to drive engagement and loyalty, sports properties will have to think digital as one of their top priorities. Brands are also demanding measurable ROI and relying on traditional methods of sponsorships such as billboard displays and logo slapping in jerseys have become things of the past.

Together with Tech Mahindra, we will be able to go to the market faster and develop joint IP around some of the cool front end activations that the fans can experience. Tech Mahindra’s association with several leading global sports properties and brands will also help us to power these organizations with our cutting edge technology. This partnership will enable both the companies to reach the sports organizations, sponsor brands and fans faster and show a rapid increase in revenues and growth.

Manish Upadhyay, Head – Global Business Development, Sports Vertical, Tech Mahindra, said, “We are currently working with Fanisko to build a sports ecosystem through various use cases, which can help us to identify, engage and monetise from a wider fan base. This involves co-creating various digital assets based on our core strength in 5G, analytics and digital. Our vision is to provide hyper personalised and augmented experience to global sports fans and drive brand activations, that can help sports properties to transform into digital properties and monetise on new revenue streams.”

For more information, visit us at https://fanisko.com or email us at info@fanisko.com


Reference: https://www.techmahindra.com/en-in/techmahindra-and-fanisko-partner-to-revolutionize-match-viewing-experience-for-sports-fan/

GenZ and Millennial Sports Fans Are Changing the Game of Sports

Millennials and GenZ’ers are already the majority of the population and only by addressing their needs and viewing preferences will the sports industry be able to maximize its profits and fan retention capabilities. Times, they are changing.

 

Time does seem to pass faster now that we are in the digital age, doesn’t it? It’s still a bit hard to come to grips with the fact that the 90’s started almost 30 years ago. Yet, those born in 2000 are turning eighteen this year. These ‘kids’ are the so-called Generation Z (born between 1995 and 2015) and are taking the world of sports by storm.  

This change was already in the making of the millennial generation, but unlike their successors, millennials are more of a transition breed, born and raised predominantly in the pre-internet era. Nevertheless, statistics show that by 2020, 40% of consumers and a third of all US citizens will be, in fact, part of GenZ. That’s less than two years away.

And for the great amount of influence this generation will have in the immediate future, many marketers don’t seem to give it too much consideration. This is probably because they’re still trying to figure out millennials to even consider taking on the younger generation.

The Change Is Already Happening

Kids or not, many are already active members of society, either going to college or being part of the workforce. Jonah Stillman, an 18-year-old keynote speaker, author, and generation expert at GenZGuru, is for all intents and purposes the voice of his peers. In September 2017, he was hired by the Minnesota Vikings to conduct research and predict trends based on the viewing habits of his fellow GenZ’ers.

In an interview with the New York Post, Stillman said that “we may not be your core consumers right now, but five or 10 or 15 years down the line, we are going to be your avid spenders, your avid fans, and the time to get on our radar is now.” He also went on to say that “A GenZ’er will watch on the TV for 10 seconds, look at their phone for the next two minutes, then back at their laptop screen, then the next 20 minutes they’re back on the TV screen.”

In other words, sports content will be highly fragmented and will appear on a multitude of digital channels, other than TV. In fact, the more of these viewing options there are, the more TV will lose its central focus, tying everything together. This trend is already beginning to happen and will only accelerate as time goes on.

Such a development presents ample opportunities for sports teams and leagues to engage with their fans in more meaningful ways. Yet, this diversity in terms of both content and viewing channels can quickly become too complex, being hard to follow, predict, and monetize.

Certain platforms such as Fanisko Engage can offer the benefits of both content diversity and the convenience of having that content on the same app. Fans will be able to watch all trending topics about their team without having to change between TV, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook to get it. Highlights, behind-the-scenes moments, games, VR/AR simulations, and other such customizable content will be easily accessible on a single platform.

Millennials and GenZ’ers are already the majority of the population and only by addressing their needs and viewing preferences will the sports industry be able to maximize its profits and fan retention capabilities. Times, they are changing.

Fan Engagement 101: The Best Platform for Diehard Sports Fans

Sports marketing and fan engagement have changed a lot over the past years. It wasn’t so long ago when broadcast TV held a monopoly over sports content and fan engagement, but things are now starting to change. Today’s sports fans are increasingly turning to social media and other forms of digital innovation for their daily dose of sports entertainment.

Sports marketing and fan engagement have changed a lot over the past years. It wasn’t so long ago when broadcast TV held a monopoly over sports content and fan engagement, but things are now starting to change. Today’s sports fans are increasingly turning to social media and other forms of digital innovation for their daily dose of sports entertainment.

The multichannel world, offers a great deal in terms of opportunity and diversity. Yet, for all they have to offer, social platforms can become convoluted and somewhat hard to manage. Each of them specialize in only a few types of content, be it short clips, highlights, behind-the-scenes moments, and other such bite-size content.

Knowing how and when to post, what the fans are interested in, or what content should a team be focusing on is hard and needs a great deal of trial and -error before coming close to a good ROI.

Pleasing a fan in this day and age isn’t hard. Because of the almost overwhelming amount of content on the internet, they are very likely to be satisfied with whatever they discover on various social platforms. Some sports teams have developed their own apps in an attempt at funneling in their fanbase. But even if fans keep themselves up-to-date on their team’s progress and upcoming events, they do it almost anywhere else than on the team’s own app.

With the goal of helping advertisers target and engage the right audience, Fanisko’s developers have designed a one-stop fan engagement platform designed to increase mobile fan retention and digital engagement, as well as drive revenue opportunities. Being a mobile-oriented platform, Fanisko Engage is aimed at targeting millennials by combining several marketing strategies into one.

Experience Management

In order for the platform to be an appealing option for fans, it has to deliver on three key components: convenience, diversity, and versatility. Fanisko Engage does this by allowing itself to be personalized by both the team and the user. Fans have the option to filter, save, and favorite content based on their own preference.

Interactive content such as predictive gaming, motion sensor gaming, and Augmented Reality (AR) Gaming are just a few examples that are sure to keep fans entertained. The platform can also be personalized from the team’s perspective, showcasing its colors, logo, and font.

Content Management

Content is also easy to manage, allowing you to customize visibility based on geography for a targeted reach. The platform is also able to choose and present all trending content found on the internet. Polls and surveys can also be used so as to drive engagement and get the answers you were looking for.

Analytics

Equally as important is to understand the fan’s wants and needs, when they’re most active, what their interests are and what trends may be presenting themselves in the near future. All of these can be seen and analyzed with Fanisko’s analytic capabilities. Metrics will be provided to measure subscriptions, clicks, page views, activities, and performance. The advanced features can offer an insight into what works and why; allowing the user to generate the right kind of content.

Conclusion

Fanisko Engage offers some of the best-personalized content on the market. Logged in users provide targeted reach which will enable you to offer personalized advertising based on age, gender, likes, geography, and interests, and much more. Many sports teams have a tough time interacting and engaging their fans over the many social platforms, but with Fansiko everything happens under the same ‘roof’ and under your watchful eye.

Millennial Fan Engagement, Smartphones, and Social Media: What They Mean for Sports Content

The way people are interacting with sports leagues and teams has changed drastically over the past 25 years. If we look back at the 1990’s, most sports content were centered on broadcast TV, with people gathering around the living room or going to the game itself. Radio and newspapers also played a marginal role in fan engagement.

The way people are interacting with sports leagues and teams has changed drastically over the past 25 years. If we look back at the 1990’s, most sports content were centered on broadcast TV, with people gathering around the living room or going to the game itself. Radio and newspapers also played a marginal role in fan engagement.

Fast forward to the present day, sports content is now spread over several digital outlets. Fans can now watch full games on demand or opt for smaller, bite-size content. Twitter, for instance is broadcasting college sports around the clock, Amazon is streaming Thursday Night Football, and as of last year, the NFL, the MLS, UEFA, the World Surf League (WSL), CrossFit, and MLB have all signed a contract with Facebook, featuring all sorts of highlights, game recaps, and other similar content.

A Major Shift in Sponsorship Trends

This change from TV to digital is not negligible either. As traditional media platforms are seeing a steady decrease in revenue growth, sports sponsorship is at an all-time high. As compared to 2017, this year has seen a 4.3% increase in global sponsorship revenue, adding up to a total of $65.8 billion; $24.2 billion of which being in the US. Sports sponsorship accounts for a whopping 70%.

One other interesting development here is the increased sponsor desire for an early exit from at least one of their sponsorships. Over 58% of sponsors find themselves in this category. One explanation may be the rightsholders’ unwillingness or inability to change with the times. When asked about their priorities, sponsors placed the presence on social and mobile media, as their second most important criterion after category exclusivity. By comparison to only last year, social and mobile jumped from the sixth to the second place in sponsor-desired priority order.

The Pros and Cons

For the most tech-savvy fans, namely millennials, this steady transition from TV to digital is more than welcome. Instead of queuing behind hundreds of other fans in the hopes of getting an autograph, they now prefer to go on Twitter and engage with their favorite players digitally. With a single push of a button, teams and players can now go live from the locker room, gym, or from home and interact with their fans.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Other trends such as VR and AR technologies can ‘place’ any fan right in the middle of the stadium, or allow them to watch the game from multiple angles while having access to on-demand instant replays. Convenience, versatility, and diversity are what millennials, smartphones, and social media bring to sports content.

For the sports teams themselves, this trend can be seen as a double-edged sword. On one hand, this diversity and room for experimentation will allow teams to be more on par with their competition and reach out to their fans in more meaningful and engaging ways. But on the other hand, however, the tangled web of social platforms, apps, and other technologies may be too much to handle.

Platforms such as Fanisko Engage can help sports teams by bringing all this bite-size content into a more easily manageable form. Instead of posting on all the different social apps in the hopes of engaging with as many fans as possible, teams can now use this one-size-fits-all platform and deliver to their fans the convenience and content diversity they so much desire.

Like all meaningful changes, sports content and fan engagement are now going through a transition period where those who catch on quickly will have the most to gain.

About Fanisko:

Fanisko (www.fanisko.com) offers a one-stop fan engagement platform, Fanisko|Engage, that helps sports and entertainment brands increase mobile fan retention, digital engagement and revenue opportunities. Today’s fans want more from their leagues and teams. We help leagues and teams embrace today’s “SmartFan” demand while maximizing fan potential for sponsors. Our mobile first, one-stop platform targeting millennials with a combination of unique content strategy, product offering including gaming, predictive and behavioral analytics and AR/VR technologies will target and engage the right audience.

So, if you are any sports association, league or a club planning to deliver an amazing mobile based fan engagement platform to build your fanbase, we would like to hear from you.