NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – FANZO, the tech platform that links brands, rights holders and broadcasters with fans who aren’t watching games in arenas or stadiums, announced that it will begin partnerships in North America after test-runs and scaling in Europe and the Pacific Rim. The new tech effort will support the millions of fans following the FIFA World Cup, being staged in North America this summer.
The successful proof of concept came after multiple executions in the United Kingdom, continental Europe and Australasia and is backed by a $30 million investment in their product which attempts to solve the age-old issue of sports rights fragmentation and audience measurement in out-of-home premises. The FANZO platform enables digital activation with fans at a national scale, wherever they are watching sports in or out of home.
Trusted by 47,000 partner venues worldwide, and used by six million sports fans last year outside North America, FANZO counts properties ranging from TNT Sports to World Rugby as partners.
“Until now, reliably engaging the massive out-of-home audience has been impossible and has proved a hindrance to the commercial growth of sports as rights continue to fragment across different channels and platforms. FANZO has worked with global partners to solve this critical issue – simplifying broadcast for venues and helping fans watch games socially – opening up new possibilities for commercial growth in North America”, said FANZO co-founder Leo MacLehose.
“Our mission is simple. We believe that sports experienced alone is meaningless. So we’ve built a digital platform that brings fans together to create unforgettable sporting memories in the world’s best physical locations. Once there, our tech enables brands, rights holders and broadcasters to elevate the experience of watching sports in the most authentic local community spaces – restaurants and bars,” he said.
“Maximising the profitability our commercial subscribers see from sport is central to what we do. But we recognise the challenges that operators face when managing every aspect of their venues – not least pouring pints and delivering great hospitality experiences to guests”, said Alasdair Collis, Vice President, TNT Sports Business. “Since partnering with FANZO to create a new suite of automated digital marketing tools, we’re proud to offer TNT Sports Social venues compelling ways to grow their visibility online, drive loyalty and incremental footfall for live sports without adding to their daily to-do list.”
How FANZO Problem Solves For Every Side Of The Sports Market
Fans use FANZO to find great out-of-home venues nearby that are definitely showing their game on TV. In a sports market so convoluted that senators are calling in antitrust reviews, FANZO’s market-leading tech solves a major pain point for fans who just want to watch their team.
Commercial venues use FANZO’s B2B SaaS toolkit to market live sports online, generate new business from fans looking to watch sports socially nearby, whilst saving hours per week on digital promotion.
From quickly reviewing and updating schedules across multiple broadcasters to automating promotion with bespoke sports assets across social media.
Broadcasters include FANZO as part of their commercial package to venues to win new business, promising increased footfall and best-in-class marketing automation.
These tools reduce subscription churn by ensuring venues make the most of their sports content, increasing revenue per customer by upselling additional features and premium listings, whilst leveraging unique fixture data and insights to ensure long-term success over local rivals.
Brands use FANZO to impact behaviour throughout the out-of-home sports fan journey. Multiple digital touchpoints build awareness and consideration by ensuring fans choose to watch games in venues where certain products are sold.
From there, digital gamification rewards fans with real-world offers and prizes they can claim in-venue via FANZO’s mobile vouchering, helping brands sample new products, understand rate of sale and measure the impact of longer-term community-building efforts.