Beyond the Jumbotron: Using Immersive Technology to Transform the Fan Experience

A simple guidebook for navigating the new world of sports marketing and brand management

The modern consumer, today’s fan, is no longer passive. Over three quarters of millennials say they prefer experiences over traditional advertising. Old approaches won’t work. Yard barkers handing out free towels. A stadium plastered with billboards. Maybe a new Jumbotron. Today’s fan is looking for something more engaging, more interactive, and more immersive.

Industry pioneer, James Giglio, the founder of MVP Interactive, takes us through his fascinating decade-long journey, starting out with a vision for immersive experiences, well before anyone had ever heard of virtual reality. Over that time, he has had the opportunity to work with many leading sports teams, professional leagues, advertising agencies, and consumer brands, to completely redefine the fan experience and now he shares those lessons with us.

James also takes us through his own personal story of building a startup, from growing up as a daydreaming kid in Ocean County, New Jersey, to working with an advertising agency in New York and recognizing that three themes were emerging: the iPhone app explosion, the increased use of digital signage or so-called “street furniture,” and the emergence of “pop up events” by leading brands. He began to wonder how these three trends could be brought together. What if the immersive technology on our iPhone could be brought to the streetscape? What if those digital displays could become interactive? And what if brands could attract consumers to them rather them just hawking them promotions and free stuff? The result was MVP Interactive. But like any startup, there were bumps along the way and James’ story is a heartfelt, honest tale of making many... let’s just say, learning a lot of lessons along the way.

The timing could not be better. Post Covid, events are back and back big. During the pandemic, we all went fully remote and realized it was just way too much screentime. But we are also not going back to the way it was. Beyond the Jumbotron lies a new, hybrid world where human interaction and technology combine. James takes us through not only the why — the dramatic changes in consumer attitudes and behavior that are driving the adoption of immersive technology, but more importantly the how — how to bring these projects to life and lead to real, measurable result after case study and shows the possibilities of new technology are not only endless, but also just the beginning. lts for sports properties and brands. James and his team at MVP Interactive have completed over 200 immersive technology projects and the book is filled with case study after case study and shows the possibilities of new technology are not only endless, but also just the beginning.