How sports clubs are using the Metaverse for success

The metaverse is set to change the way we experience the digital world and it’s shaking things up across industries—professional sports is no exception.

In this bold new digital chapter, sport lovers can access a wealth of fully-immersive fan experiences across channels.

Whether you’re a sports brand or club, embracing the metaverse is likely to boost fan engagement in a big way—pushing you ahead of the competition in the process.

To put you on the path to enlightenment, here we look at the rising role of the metaverse in sports marketing and three inspiring examples of clubs using it to their full advantage.

Let’s dive in.

The role of the metaverse in sports marketing

Inspirational sports marketing is largely driven by content and how you use it to connect with your audience.

In the age of the metaverse, sports clubs will have the power to add a whole new depth to their marketing content and experiences, as Brighton Shi, senior product marketing manager at Agora, explains:

“Fans would be able to create their own sports avatar, purchase sports equipment, socialize, co-watch, party, train, work and participate in gaming in this virtual sports arena. It would enable an even more immersive and creative watching experience.”

With virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology becoming increasingly accessible, sports clubs can tap into a whole new space that bridges the gap between the physical and digital world.

Through the metaverse, sports brands and clubs can invite fans to virtual tours and meet & greets, offer a chance to get up close with exclusive content or products, and essentially make them feel like a genuine part of the action.

Here are some quick-fire sports-based metaverse trends for your inspiration:

• An increase in ‘fan collectible’ NFT goods and services

• The emergence of fully-immerse virtual worlds (like Nikeland) where fans can explore, interact, and get under the skin of the brand or club.

• Gamification and eSports will rise in popularity, offering a whole new dimension of fan interaction

3 inspiring examples of sports clubs using the metaverse

Now that you’re up to speed with the metaverse and its potential sports marketing power, let’s look at three inspiring examples of sports clubs using the metaverse to their brand-boosting advantage.

FC Barcelona

Grabbing the metaverse by the virtual horns, the mighty FC Barcelona is entering the metaverse to improve its online sport gaming and online video content offerings.

Not only is the club developing a cohesive mix of highly interactive online gaming experiences, but it’s also creating more in-house content for its online TV channel, complete with immersive opportunities and features.

The club is also looking to add fan NFTs to the mix—a move that could create a lucrative self-sustaining ecosystem that attracts more fans while increasing loyalty.

Birmingham City

Alongside an innovative eSports partner, UK-based Birmingham City has launched a stunning virtual recreation of its home ground, Saint Andrew’s Stadium.

This impressive virtual stadium houses a nostalgic digital museum, a branded games arcade, exclusive membership content, and even a coding camp complete with tutorials and challenges.

The club will also offer its very own set of collectible NFTs and tokens, with some of the proceeds going towards local charities. It’s too early to say exactly how successful this initiative is, but one thing’s for sure: Birmingham City is leading the way in metaverse marketing innovation.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)

The power of multimedia content is almost limitless in the age of the metaverse—and Paris Saint-Germain is a testament to that very idea.

The Parisian powerhouse is going all out to make its mark in the metaverse, covering every possible angle imaginable, including:

• Club branded NFTs and collectible media
• Fan crypto currency wallets
• Virtual fashion, clothing, and electronics
• Exclusive virtual tours and fan events
• Immersive game highlights and footage

This entire virtual sporting empire is available via an easy to navigate portal or app, offering its fans untapped access to the club regardless of where they are in the world. A development that will further propel the club’s international popularity.

Final thoughts…

While on face value, each of these clubs’ metaverse offerings seem similar, each has its own spin and a unique feel.

The big takeaway here is that the metaverse offers sports clubs more scope than ever for getting under the skin of their fans and offering direct value in a way that blurs the lines between the real and virtual sporting realm. And, that’s a powerful thing.

For more futuristic sports marketing insights, read 5 hot cryptocurrency & NFT trends in eSport.