The secret to unlocking real-time fan data on event day

Personalisation drives revenue, and sports and entertainment brands are increasingly aware of it — but most of that personalisation happens either side of the live event itself, in the run-up to ticket purchase or in post-event follow-up. The event day experience, when fan sentiment is at its peak, is often the one place personalisation drops away entirely.

Why this gap exists

Historically, event organisers simply haven't had the tools to interact meaningfully with thousands of people at once. Even in venues with plenty of digital touchpoints, data typically takes days or weeks to turn into anything actionable.

"These data reports might not be available for days or even weeks, which means you can only be reactive," says Brett Yorgey, EngageRM Founder and Chief Innovation Officer. "But when you have that data in real time, you can be proactive, which can make a huge difference."

Some operators are already getting creative — simple gestures like greeting returning fans by name at the gate go some way to closing the gap — but the bigger shift is technological: giving operators the ability to understand who's in the building the moment they arrive, not days later.