DOHA: The technology and consulting giant, IBM, has launched a new Sports, Entertainment and Fan Experience consulting practice which will operate on the global level as well as support Qatar’s booming sports industry.
The company has also announced a Sports and Entertainment Global Consortium created to design, build and deliver the ultimate fan experience.
As sports enterprises and venues look to digital capabilities to create deeper levels of engagement with fans and convert that engagement into sources of revenue, they must be able to deliver high-bandwidth connectivity with services and content increasingly customised to individual preferences. The new Sports, Entertainment and Fan Experience consulting practice formalises the experience that IBM Interactive Experience—the industry’s largest hybrid digital agency and consultancy—has delivered for events such as The Masters and tennis Grand Slam events.
Qatar is one of the key regional markets where the new consulting practice can help bolster national development plans for the sport industry.
In recent years Qatar has enjoyed unprecedented global recognition in sports and continues to advance through targeted efforts aimed at creating a safer and healthier society. Hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in particular will accelerate the development of the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030.
“Sports enterprises and venues need to look at innovative ways to get to know their loyal fans as individuals, and convert that loyalty into a legacy of sustainable industry development - not just on game days but 365 days a year,” said Nadim Nakkash, Branch Leader at IBM Qatar. “It’s an ongoing experience that starts when a fan purchases tickets, travels to the venue, attends an event; and it continues well after the event is over.” According to a consulting firm, A T Kearney, sports annually generate nearly $700bn around the world.
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