Immersion beyond the stadium?
How can sports clubs connect with fans outside the stadium? This question sparked a lively discussion at a recent CDG-Booster meetup in Lahti (FIN), where people explored how immersive technologies might transform the future of sports events and fan engagement.
Sami Jahnukainen, Márton Jelinkó and Ross Uljee from Donkey Hotel showed how 3D video and virtual reality can make sports experiences more engaging and memorable. During live demos, participants representing Päijät-Häme business developers and sports organisations, such as FC Lahti, Pelicans (ice hockey), and Lahden Ahkera (track & field), saw how these technologies can fool our senses and make us feel as if we were really there, even when watching from afar.
The discussion quickly expanded beyond technology itself. Participants noted that many sports clubs still think primarily in terms of their local community. Yet digital technologies are removing geographical barriers. A dedicated fan may move hundreds of kilometres away from their hometown, but their connection to a favourite club often remains strong. Immersive technologies offer new ways to maintain and strengthen that relationship.
There are many possible uses, like virtual front-row seats, interactive match broadcasts, behind-the-scenes tours, training sessions, and sponsor events. Imagine watching a football match with a VR headset, choosing your own camera angle, or seeing the game from a player's perspective. Clubs could also offer premium digital memberships, creating new revenue streams that are not limited by stadium size or location.
The meetup presented significant opportunities for creative industries to collaborate with sports organisations that have passionate fans and great content. In contrast, creative tech companies know how to build immersive experiences, tell stories, use game technology, and engage audiences. By teaming up, they can make new products, services, and business ideas that take sports beyond the usual event experience.
The event showed that immersive technologies are not just ideas for the future. They are real tools that can help organisations rethink how they create, share, and monetise experiences. As technology continues to evolve, the real question is not whether sports clubs should reach remote fans, but how creatively they can do so.
