�ݺ�ߣ

GAME ON
A virtual reality football experience
20LLP125
F031343

CONTENTS
1
2
12
11
10
9
8
7
5
4
3
13
14
Background
Market Demand
Customer Persona
User Scenario
Product
Sales Funnel
Customer Journey Map
Pricing
Promotion
Distribution
USP
Individual & Community Impacts
References
FIGURES
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Sales Funnel
Customer Journey Map
Pricing Structure
POE Model
USP Model

Background
Spectator Sports has been one of the worst hit sectors in the UK during Covid-19. There is
still widespread uncertainty regarding when fans will be allowed back in the stadiums espe-
cially in full capacity. Consumer expenditure on spectator sports attendance is dominated by
football, which accounts for around 60% of all spending (Mintel, 2020)
Football clubs have lost £700 million during the 19/20 season and continue to lose approx-
imately £100 million a month due to the absence of fans. (Mintel, 2020) While fans aren’t
allowed in stadiums right now they demand to attend live matches still stays strong with fans
willing to take rescheduled tickets over refunds. December 2020 saw the return of 2000 fans
across a few selected stadiums across the UK but recent increase in infections has halted that
for the time being with no guarantee on when they will be able to return.
GAME ON
The proposed product here is a platform called Game On. It is a digital platform that will
use VR (Virtual Reality) technology to create an alternative to physically attending live
football matches by simulating the real experience.
While fans showed enthusiasm to return to stadiums for their love of football, they still
remain sceptical with only 12% adults (Mintel, 2020) stating they are ready to return to
stadiums as soon as they open. Amongst these 25% were 16-24 year olds who are com-
paratively less susceptible to the worst effects of the virus. (Mintel, 2020)
1
Image 1

Game On: A virtual reality football experience

USER SCENARIOS
Charlotte, a tech savvy graphic designer, has been
a fan on and off over the past few years, having
attended live matches twice. She got further in-
vested in football during lockdown and actively
started looking for football content on social me-
dia which made her want to attend a live match
soon.
She is at home watching her team’s match while
browsing her phone for upcoming match tickets.
She notices that all tickets are reserved for sea-
son ticket holders for when the stadium reopens,
hence she won’t be able to attend a match anytime
soon. She googles third party retailers to check if
they have any tickets for next season but with no
luck. She spots Game On in the search results and
clicks the link out of curiosity.
The link opens the website where she’s delighted
to find that Game On has football content that she
hasn’t seen on social media. Reading the tagline
piques her interest. She clicks the about page and
FAQs to learn more. Being a technophile, she’s
curious to try the platform and remembers that
her partner owns a VR headset, but is apprehen-
sive due to her previous VR experiences. The free
trial offer pops up on the screen and she decides
to sign up to try the technology out.
Ben is an enthusiastic football fan. He tries to
watch as many football matches as possible but a
busy lifestyle limits him from doing so.
Ben is browsing his emails for the second time to
check if he’s been selected for the lottery of the
next set of fans who can attend live matches, but
he hasn’t been selected.
He wishes that he could have his football content
(news, analysis) and matches consolidated in one
place to make his experience smoother and so he
doesn’t miss out any news. While browsing for
football news he comes across Game On. He nav-
igates to the home page and starts reading about
the platform.
He is excited about the prospect of experiencing
live football but hesitant about using new technol-
ogy. He refers to the virtual assistant (VA) with his
queries. The VA promptly answers them and pro-
vides links to purchase the VR headset. He is also
delighted to see the workout classes feature and
ultimately signs up for the free trial. He also sees
the referral program and decides to email links to
his friends to join.
Jeremy is an ardent football fan who never miss-
es a football match. He has never attended a live
match due to expensive tickets.
He discovers Game On through an ad on Twitch.
He is very eager to give it a shot if it means being
closer to the real experience as he’s always strug-
gled to find tickets due to the complex ticket struc-
ture.
Since he owns a VR headset he immediately signs
up for the free trial and really enjoys the platform,
especially the game features which really excites
him as a gamer . He misses watching matches at
the pub with his friends so after learning about
the engagement features he gets his friends to sign
up for the free trial so they could watch matches
together.
He is very keen to get a membership but is wor-
ried about the price so he asks his friends if they
want to split the group subscription which is more
economical . Upon discussion they all decide to
sign up for the yearly group subscription.
SCENARIO 1 SCENARIO 2 SCENARIO 3
4

PRODUCT
- Camera locations across the stadium to ensure a 360 degree panoramic view (eg: Home &
away bench, left & right goal)
- 8k video streaming (compatible with majority home internet connections)
- Lower processing requirements
- Zoom
- Free position head movement
- 3D object based audio
01
Technical:
- Upon sign up, the user will be able to access the different rooms they can go into in VR mode.
The 2 rooms will be the stadium and the post match analysis room.
- Users will be able to build avatars of themselves which they can use across the platform.
02
Platform:
The app will act as a controller and a keypad while using the platform, for navigation and to
chat with friends and engage with other users.
03
App:
This section will show exclusive content on players, teams and managers. 30% of all fans are
looking to engage through exclusive and behind the scenes content. (IPA, 2020)
The platform will be connected to Game On’s social media accounts and will showcase the ‘fans
of the week’ on the platform.
04
Content:
With other users:
VR can quickly become an isolated experience hence certain features will aim to mitigate this
issue and increase overall engagement in the platform.
A large part of watching football is the community aspect where the sport has proven to be a
kind of collective aspiration. Being a fan is not just a personal obsession, it is a cultural insti-
tution that draws thousands and connects people. (Guardian, 2020) Almost 77% of VR users
stated that they lack the element of social engagement while using the technology. (Forbes, 2018)
- Public chat rooms for users to engage in various topics about the sport, team, players etc
- Users can also create private chat rooms with their friends
- Users will also be able to chat with friends and strangers during the live matches on the chat
box that will appear on the side of the screen as an optional feature.
- Fan zones for each of the Premier League clubs where users can meet other fans of the team
they support, this will also intensify club rivalry which is a very integral part of watching football
- Users can tap on the player, team or manager during the match, to view all stats related to
them.
With other users:
- Weekly Incentivised Quizzes and Polls for users to earn both virtual and real prizes. Eg: Quiz
prizes can include anything from a discount to their next payment or winning their favourite
team’s merchandise.
- Polls will not be incentivised but will be essential in keeping users engaged while gaining valu-
able insights into their behaviour and preferences to keep improving user experience.
- Lucky Draws to win match tickets when stadiums start operating in full capacity.
05
Engagement:
Game On will be available through a website and a mobile app available on IOS and Android. It will initially be available to Sky and NowTv users hence only the Premier League fixtures that Sky Sports broadcasts will be available to
use with the technology. Game On will employ several engagement tactics to gamify the user’s experience by creating new goals and badges (Burke, 2014) they can earn while using the platform and encourage users to engage even when
matches aren’t on.
5

To enforce the social aspect of Game On, virtual fitness classes will be conducted by various
fitness trainers and sports personalities. Classes will be a mix of paid and unpaid. A group of
friends can also book a private class together.
Intrinsic motivation (IM) refers to engagement in behavior that is inherently satisfying or
enjoyable while Extrinsic motivation (EM) refers to performance of behavior that is funda-
mentally contingent upon the attainment of an outcome that is separable from the action
itself. (Legault, 2016) Game on contains features that culminate both of these features.
The Intrinsic features let users interact with their friends and other like minded people and
reinforce the feeling of community and togetherness which is a very vital aspect of football.
The platform aims to provide emotional satisfaction of not just watching the sport in a new
dimension but, the fitness class feature also motivates users to feel accomplished by doing
an activity especially during lockdown and achieve personal goals and hence a sense of sat-
isfaction even if they are doing it alone. The extrinsic features provide instant gratification
in the form of loyalty points, rewards and lucky draws keep users engaged and motivated to
use the platform.
06
Additional Feature:
6
Image 6

PRICING
While Covid-19’s long term effects are still unknown, it is expected to reduce consumer expenditure on
spectator sports attendance by 79% in 2020, due to fans being unable to attend rather than unwilling to
spend (Mintel,2020) A profound understanding of the sources of value for customers helps to avoid one
common error in pricing decisions: pricing truly innovative products far too low. (Hinterhuber, 2004)
Single day ticket Season Pass (one club) Season Pass (all matches)
Single
Group
£12
£20 £380 (yearly) £600 (yearly)
£15 (monthly) £25 (monthly)
£130 (yearly) £210 (yearly)
- Prices above are all limited to one screen per person and up to four screens for group tickets.
- Extras: For £15 a month, an extra screen can be added to the monthly subscription.
Micro- transaction
- Features to customise avatars with paid features, eg: team jersey
- Paid fitness classes with trainers, ex-players (can be booked as individual sessions, or in groups)
- Pub quiz style football and sports quizzes (pay to enter)
Penetration pricing approach will be employed to devise the price ranges. Prices have been conceived consid-
ering stadium ticket prices and broadcaster (Sky, BT) monthly charges. Group prices have been set to provide
a cheaper alternative. Based on the success and market demand of the platform the prices will be revised
accordingly.
There aren’t any direct competitors as the concept is new. The only competing factor would be stadium
tickets. But since most clubs have a complicated ticket structure, a considerable section of consumers are
alienated due to inaccessible stadium tickets.
Promotions & Loyalty Program:
- Special offer with VR headset retailers, offering free one month subscription.
- 15% discount introductory promotional offer if buying for yearly membership
- 10% student discount
- Collect points for every monthly or yearly subscription to get a discount or special prizes (eg: stadium tickets)
Ticke Type
9
Image 7
Figure 3

PARTNERSHIP DISTRIBUTION
- Due to Sky owning the majority of the airing rights, Game On will initially partner
exclusively with Sky (hence only show Premier League fixtures) and will look to expand
this with BT. (Mintel, 2020)
- The UK market is dominated by two sports broadcasters: Sky Sports and BT Sports
with Amazon as an up and coming competitor.
- Sky sports own the majority of the airing rights (4 out of 7 packages) while BT owns
one package and continues to bid for more. (Mintel, 2020)
- 31% sports viewers considers Sky Sports to be the paid sports service that offers the
best value for money. (Mintel, 2020)
Game On is a digital service, physical distribution and shipping costs aren’t required. The service will be
distributed through the following channels. These channels have been determined based on digital habits
of the target consumer. Game On uses both direct and indirect channels for distribution.
Direct
- Official Website
- Social media- 39% of consumers say their main inspiration for purchases comes from
social networks (PWC, 2017)
- Influencers, Gamers, Youtubers (affiliate links) “roughly one in five of Gen Z and mil-
lennial respondents from the US and UK made a purchase inspired by an influencer or
celebrity post on social media” (Droesch ,2020)
Indirect:
- Sky and Now TV: ‘Game On’ will be available to Sky consumers through their Sky or
NowTv subscription devices
- VR headset retailer websites
- Paid articles on blogs and magazines
All the devices that have SKy and Nowtv installed will have Game On available to
download:
Smart TV
IOS and Android app store
Playstation
Roku
11
Image 8

INDIVIDUAL & COMMUNITY IMPACTS
Individual
In the UK, football is more than just a sport. Loyal supporters who
have immense passion for the sport are often limited to watching
them at home. In 2019 the Premier League had an average of 14.5
million (Statista, 2019) spectators who attended live matches through-
out the whole season compared to 70% (46.7 million) of the total
UK population who watched these matches on TV. (Premier League,
2019). Watching football is a highly emotional experience. Loyal fans
are dedicated to watching the sport in whichever way possible. While
Game On’s practical goal is to make stadium football accessible, it is
also about rewarding these fans with an experience of the real stadi-
um which is incomparable to watching at home. The various emo-
tions are subjective but the thrill and excitement of watching in the
stadium are the same for all fans.
The growing GenZ population are seemingly getting alienated by
clubs due to unaffordable tickets. 82% of 18 to 24-year-olds find the
cost of tickets an obstacle to attending matches (Critchlow, 2017)
These fans are turning to football games over watching football.
Game On not only provides an affordable alternative but blends the
aspect of football and games by gamifying this unique experience for
the fans to enjoy either individually or with friends.
Community
Football has a vast social value (Conn, 2018) and is a uniting aspect
for several communities in the UK. Research suggests that supporters
prioritise social and community values over the sport itself. (Conn,
2018) VR technology can be alienating and so can be watching foot-
ball alone. Game On is combating both of these with it’s chat and
community features which will be paramount in reinforcing these val-
ues amongst fans.
Team rivalry in football inculcates both individualistic and group
values. Game On’s club zones will not only re-enforce these feelings
amongst users but also offer a similar experience of watching a match
in a pub.
Upon internationalisation Game On has the potential to make stadi-
um football accessible to fans all over the world irrespective of their
location and strengthen the global community of fans irrespective of
their social and economic backgrounds.
13

REFERENCES
Burke, B., 2014. Gamify: How Gamification motivates people to do extraordinary things. Bibliomotion. Inc., Apr.
Conn, D., 2010. How Can Football Clubs Capture The Social Value Of The Beautiful Game?. [online] the Guardian.
Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/aug/18/football-social-value-report-supporter-owned>
[Accessed 5 January 2021].
Critchlow, D., 2017. 3 Reasons Why So Few Young Adults Attending Football Matches. [online] Daily Cannon. Avail-
able at: <https://dailycannon.com/2017/12/why-are-so-few-young-adults-attending-football-matches/> [Accessed 5
January 2021].
Droesch, B., 2020. Influencers More Likely To Inspire Gen Zer And Millennial Purchases. [online] Insider Intelligence.
Available at: <https://www.emarketer.com/content/influencers-more-likely-to-inspire-gen-zer-and-millennial-purchas-
es> [Accessed 5 January 2021].
Eastin, M.S., Daugherty, T. and Burns, N.M., 2011. Handbook of research on digital media and advertising: User gen-
erated content consumption. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.
Forbes, 2018. VR Needs More Social: 77% Of Virtual Reality Users Want More Social
Engagement. [online] Forbes. Available at: <https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2018/04/30/virtual-reali-
ty-77-of-vr-users-want-more-social-engagement-67-use-weekly-28-use-daily/?sh=3bbc319618fc> [Accessed 5 January
2021].
Guardian, 2020. It’s Not Just The Spectacle We Crave. Sport Also Offers Identity, Pride, Hope | Kenan Malik. [online]
the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/19/its-not-just-the-spectacle-
we-crave-sport-also-offers-identity-pride-hope> [Accessed 5 January 2021].
Hyland, P., 2020. The Psychology Of Football Rivalries. [online] the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardi-
an.com/football/2020/jan/23/the-psychology-of-football-rivalries> [Accessed 5 January 2021].
Hinterhuber, A., 2004. Towards value-based pricing—An integrative framework for decision making. Industrial market-
ing management, 33(8), pp.765-778.
IPA, 2020. Kick Off. Match Day Reports. [online] IPA. Available at: <https://ipa.co.uk/knowledge/publications-re-
ports/match-day-reports-kick-off/> [Accessed 5 January 2021].
Legault, L., 2016. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
Hyland, P., 2020. The Psychology Of Football Rivalries. [online] the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardi-
an.com/football/2020/jan/23/the-psychology-of-football-rivalries> [Accessed 5 January 2021].
Hinterhuber, A., 2004. Towards value-based pricing—An integrative framework for decision making. Industrial mar-
keting management, 33(8), pp.765-778.
IPA, 2020. Kick Off. Match Day Reports. [online] IPA. Available at: <https://ipa.co.uk/knowledge/publications-re-
ports/match-day-reports-kick-off/> [Accessed 5 January 2021].
IPA, 2020. IPA | A Third Of Football Fans Set To Spend More On Beautiful Game Despite Impacts Of COVID-19.
[online] Ipa.co.uk. Available at: <https://ipa.co.uk/news/a-third-of-football-fans-set-to-spend-more-on-beautiful-
game-despite-impacts-of-covid-19> [Accessed 6 January 2021].
Legault, L., 2016. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
Marwick, A.E., 2013. Status update: Celebrity, publicity, and branding in the social media age. Yale University Press.
Mintel, 2020. Spectator Sports: Inc Impact Of COVID-19 - UK - November 2020. Mintel, pp.https://reports-mint-
el-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/display/1051423/?fromSearch=%3Ffreetext%3DSpectator%2520Sports%253A%2520I
nc%2520Impact%2520of%2520COVID-19%2520-%2520UK%2520-%2520November%25202020
Mintel, 2020. Major Sporting Events - UK - January 2020. [online] Mintel. Available at: <https://reports-mint-
el-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/display/987722/?fromSearch=%3Ffreetext%3DMajor%2520Sporting%2520Events%25
20-%2520UK%2520-%2520January%25202020> [Accessed 5 January 2021].
Mintel, 2020. British Lifestyles - UK - November 2020. [online] Mintel. Available at: <https://reports-mintel-com.
arts.idm.oclc.org/display/988568/?highlight> [Accessed 5 January 2021].
Mintel, 2020. Attitudes Towards Video And TV: Inc Impact Of COVID-19 - UK - August 2020. Mintel.
Patterson, L., 2007. Marketing and sales alignment for improved effectiveness. Journal of digital asset management,
3(4), pp.185-189.
PWC, 2017. Total Retail 2017. PWC, p.https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/assets/total-retail-2017.pdf.
Premier League, 2019. Fans Watch Premier League In Record Numbers. [online] Premierleague.com. Available at:
<https://www.premierleague.com/news/1225124> [Accessed 5 January 2021].
Rosenbaum, M.S., Otalora, M.L. and Ramírez, G.C., 2017. How to create a realistic customer journey map. Busi-
ness Horizons, 60(1), pp.143-150.
Rodgers, S. and Wang, Y., 2011. Electronic word of mouth and consumer generated content: From concept to
application. In Handbook of research on digital media and advertising: User generated content consumption (pp.
212-231). IGI Global.
Siegert, G., Rimscha, B. and Grubenmann, S., 2017. Commercial Communication in the Digital Age: Information
Or Disinformation?. De Gruyter Mouton.
Whitler, K.A., 2014. Why word of mouth marketing is the most important social media. Forbes. com. 14

IMAGE REFERENCES
Image 1: HighPressSoccer, 2020. Premier League Best Starting XI For 2019-20 (So Far...). [online] High Press Soc-
cer. Available at: <https://www.highpresssoccer.com/premier-league-best-starting-xi-for-2019-20-so-far/> [Accessed 6
January 2021].
Image 2: Tumblr, 2017. DESIGNDANIEL. [online] Designdaniel.tumblr.com. Available at: <https://designdaniel.
tumblr.com/> [Accessed 6 January 2021].
Image 3: Goldsmith, A., 2018. [online] Annecohenwrites.com. Available at: <https://annecohenwrites.com/how-mil-
lennial-women-are-changing-the-game/> [Accessed 6 January 2021].
Image 4: PSYCHOLOGY BENEFITS SOCIETY, 2018. Why We Need To Act Now To Address The Harmful Effects
Of Unemployment On Black Millennial Men. [online] Psychology Benefits Society. Available at: <https://psychol-
ogybenefits.org/2018/08/23/the-harmful-effects-of-unemployment-on-black-millennial-men/> [Accessed 6 January
2021].
Image 5:youthareawesome.com, n.d. Male-College-Student-Backpack -. [online] Youthareawesome.com. Available at:
<https://www.youthareawesome.com/ease-into-the-school-year/male-college-student-backpack/> [Accessed 6 Janu-
ary 2021].
Image 6: Tumblr, 2017. Football Is My Aesthetic. [online] football is my aesthetic. Available at: <https://football-hqs.
tumblr.com/post/172693592195> [Accessed 6 January 2021].
Image 7: Joyce, P., 2019. Surge Of English Premier League Players Leaves England Manager Gareth Southgate Spoilt
For Choice. [online] Thetimes.co.uk. Available at: <https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/surge-of-english-premier-
league-players-leaves-england-manager-gareth-southgate-spoilt-for-choice-h0rhh2k0z> [Accessed 6 January 2021].
Image 8: Tatum, K., 2020. Sky Sports Axe Three Football Pundits From ‘Soccer Saturday’ Due To Budget Cuts. [on-
line] Salford City News. Available at: <https://www.salfordcitynews.co.uk/news/national-news/uk_today/18678464.
sky-sports-axe-three-football-pundits-soccer-saturday-due-budget-cuts/> [Accessed 6 January 2021].
Image 9: Fermie, E., 2020. PL Unveil £125 Nike Ball For 2020/21 Season After Eight-Year Investigation. [online] The
Sun. Available at: <https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/12257117/premier-league-new-nike-football/> [Ac-
cessed 6 January 2021].
15

�ݺ�ߣ

Game On: A virtual reality football experience

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Game On: A virtual reality football experience (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

Game On: A virtual reality football experience