As fitness trackers and other wearables become more reliable and cheaper, this is opening up opportunities to leverage the devices on a broader scale. Swimming is one such sport where waterproof and water resistant tech has improved dramatically. Apps like Moov Now and the Fitbit Flex 2 enable the collection of a rich array of data.
Elearning platforms can deliver coach education, skills development, nutritional information, etc at scale and ensure sufficient teachers, community leaders and volunteers are prepared to deliver participation programmes. While aimed at elite athletes, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) “Athlete Learning Gateway” is a very good reference point for any government looking to develop an elearning platform.
Improving the ease with which the public can find and book sports facilities sounds basic but can go a long way to increasing participation. The Mylocalpitch app allows members of the public to book facilities across an array of sports and is currently available in London, Manchester and Dublin.
A centralised customer relationship management (CRM) system can help to capture all interactions between those delivering participation sport and those engaging with it. This can help governments to record and register those taking part in sport and constantly improve the offering to participants and other stakeholders. A CRM system can also crucially help to optimise communication between sports facilities and the participants using them.
Technology can help to improve communication by keeping participants informed on events, festivals or fun days organised by local and national government. Governments can also communicate important information such as the availability of grassroots grants, opening and closing times for local facilities etc. Communication can take the form of personalised email and messages via SMS or messaging apps.
We are keen to hear from anyone who has good examples of government focusing on sport participation. In addition, we would love to hear your thoughts on how technology can leverage tech to increase participation whether by reducing pain points or enhancing the experience.
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David [top] is a Chartered Marketer with more than 15 years’ experience in international sports marketing roles. You can follow David on twitter (@davidgfowler) or connect on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/davidgfowler).
Geoff [bottom] runs his own Sports Consultancy, working with clients such as FIFA, UEFA and FIBA across the world. He is also on the board of Tourism Northern Ireland. You can follow Geoff on twitter @geoffwnjwilson or connect on Linkedin at linkedin.com/in/geoffwnjwilson
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