Is in-seat food delivery sports' ticket to premium economy seating?
SEATSERVE is helping to create a new class of seat
Introducing premium economy to sports stadiums with SEATSERVE
SEATSERVE is helping to create a new class of seat
Stadiums aren’t all that different to airplanes. In both cases, customers are willing to pay a premium for the right seat, the right location, and the right experience.It isn’t unusual to step on a flight and see the premium class seats full to capacity, despite there being plenty of empty space in economy. The same applies in stadiums, where suites and VIP areas are often packed out, despite there being plenty of unsold regular seats elsewhere.The National Football League (NFL), for example, saw average attendance during the 2018 regular season fall to its lowest since 2011. The average attendance for each of game was approximately 67,100. In comparison, the average capacity of an NFL stadium is 69,100.Similarly, Major League Baseball saw attendance during the 2019 regular season fall to its lowest since 2003. The average attendance for each of the season’s 2,429 games was approximately 28,200. In comparison, the average capacity of a MLB stadium is 42,600. The numbers are also trending downwards in the National Hockey League (NHL), with average attendance having fallen by 1.3% since the 2013-14 season.Over the course of a season, that equates to a lot of empty seats.While airlines have come up with ways to address the problem and maximise their takings from each flight, sports venues continue to miss a potentially lucrative trick.Bringing premium economy seating to sportsWhen you book a flight, you’re not just picking between first class and economy. Most airlines offer premium economy seating too, which provides a middle ground between the two options.These tickets offer perks such as additional leg room, padded chairs and a variety of food choices, all at a reasonable price. Many times those jetting off on a holiday, or those heading on a long-haul work trip, are more than happy to splash out on these comforts.So why can’t we bring premium economy to sporting events? Not premium tickets, but a premium experience that leaves those willing to spend feeling like they’ve received something a little more than the regular fan.Unlike airlines, stadium operators wouldn’t have to offer additional legroom to provide this premium experience. Instead, they should look to their concession stands.How SEATSERVE is helping stadiums to offer a premium experienceYou only have to look at the stats for the Super Bowl weekend to see that food and drink is an integral part of the game. As Americans get together to celebrate, more than 1.3 billion chicken wings are consumed and 325 million gallons of beer is used to wash it down.However, for those attending an event in person, food and drink isn’t quite so accessible. At a soccer game, fans typically get 15 minutes between the two halves to grab a bite to eat. It takes, on average, 1.5 to 2.5 minutes for a fan to get served and collect their order. This means that each point of sale can serve, at most, 10 fans during the break. That leaves fans with a dilemma: miss part of the game or go hungry.It’s no wonder that fans are opting for a 4K screen, cold beer and pizza delivered to their door. Technology has helped to turn fans away from live events, but SEATSERVE’s in-seat delivery technology can help to bring them back.With SEATSERVE, a fan can order food, drinks and merchandise through a smartphone app. Their order is sent to the relevant vendor, a runner picks it up and then delivers it to the fan’s seat. This sort of service is commonplace in premium seating areas, but rarely seen elsewhere in the stadium.By offering an additional service to those in economy areas, SEATSERVE is helping to create a new class of premium economy seating. Through SEATSERVE’s software, each stadium operator is able to customize how and where in the venue the app can be used, deciding which fans can make use of its delivery features right down to individual seats.This allowed Liverpool Football Club to lock and unlock particular seats at Anfield, providing additional service to select parts of the stadium without disturbing the viewing experience of other fans. The club now offers in-seat delivery through SEATSERVE to the first five seats from each side of the aisle. This means that fans in those seats are provided with an additional perk that isn’t available to those in seat six and beyond.
There is an obvious opportunity here for clubs to monetize these now serviced areas. By creating premium economy seats and using technology to their advantage, venues can attract a new generation of fans — the kind that are more likely to order food from their favorite app and stream the game online at present.Fans are calling out for a new, improved experience – one that offers access to premium services at an affordable cost, and merges the electric atmosphere of standard seating areas with the level of service on offer in VIP sections… SEATSERVE has a way to offer it.Image by Jan Hammershaug (CC BY 2.0)
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