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Off-Field Data Reference Architecture

Make the case for an off-field data reference architecture.

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  • A constant influx of new data solutions combined with closed or siloed source transactional applications create complexity and challenges when trying to integrate it together to create insights you can act on to improve fan experience, engagement, revenue, and sponsorship relations.
  • You are struggling to get buy-in from your business executives for investing in off-field data applications.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • An effective off-field data architecture can create data-driven digital opportunities and new insights. Equipped with the right data strategy, any sports entertainment organization can create a sustainable sports business, improve fan engagement and sponsorship relations, and achieve business goals.

Impact and Result

  • Establish a working group of key stakeholders from the organization to work on this endeavor together and determine what the risks and considerations may be.
  • Determine the state of your current data architecture and what data-driven digital opportunities can arise from Info-Tech's off-field reference architecture.
  • Build a business case for why an off-field data architecture is important to get buy-in from your business executives.
  • Once buy-in is secured, input this off-field architecture into your next data strategy to achieve your business goals.

Off-Field Data Reference Architecture Research & Tools

1. Off-Field Data Reference Architecture Guide – Discover the value in an off-field data architecture.

This blueprint is comprised of tools, templates, and a validated view of an off-field data reference architecture that can improve your business, identify what the challenges and opportunities may be, and help you get buy-in from business executives.

2. Business Case Presentation Template – A template that can be used alongside the guide to present the value to your business executives.

Use this template alongside Info-Tech’s Off-Field Data Reference Architecture Guide, then leverage that information to create an executive presentation about how it impacts the organization.

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Off-Field Data Reference Architecture Guide

Make the case for an off-field data reference architecture.

Table of Contents

4 Analyst Perspective 36 Step 2.1: Off-Field Data Reference Architecture
5 Executive Summary 53 Phase 3: Build your Case for an Off-Field Data Architecture
17 Phase 1: Define a Working Group and the Current State 55 Step 3.1: Construct the Business Case
18 Step 1.1: Build an Accurate Depiction of the Business 64 Step 3.2: Determine the Impact to the Organization
27 Step 1.2: Information Assessment 72 Summary of Accomplishment
35 Phase 2: Discover Data-Driven Digital Opportunities 76 Bibliography

Off-Field Data Reference Architecture Guide

Make the case for an off-field data reference architecture.

EXECUTIVE BRIEF

Analyst Perspective

Centralize your fan data with the right off-field data architecture.

Sports entertainment organizations are struggling to simplify their siloed data to create the 360-degree view of the fan and effectively use it to improve their business. Thirty percent of sports organizations report that only one person has the appropriate knowledge of data and 25% say that no one has any expertise in the area (Fan Engagement Consultancy, 2021).

Sports entertainment organizations are new to collecting fan data to meet business goals, where 61% of all sports entertainment organizations do not use data for their overall strategy. Additionally, only 51% of teams collect data in a centralized place, meaning that many teams still work with separate data sources, which limits their marketing abilities to understand fans (Fan Engagement Consultancy, 2021).

Through the right off-field data, architecture teams can enable their business strategies, where they can discover data-driven digital opportunities and relieve the pains of monetizing their fan data while maximizing revenues, sponsorships, enhancing fan engagement, and guiding fan behaviors.

Photo of Elizabeth Silva, Research Specialist, Sports Entertainment Industry, Info-Tech Research Group.

Elizabeth Silva
Research Specialist, Sports Entertainment Industry
Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Your Challenge
  • A constant influx of new data solutions combined with closed or siloed source transactional applications create complexity and challenges when trying to integrate it together to create insights you can act on to improve fan experience, engagement, revenue, and sponsorship relations.
  • You are struggling to get buy-in from your business executives for investing in off-field data applications.
Common Obstacles
  • Your IT team is not aware of the data-driven digital opportunities an off-field data architecture can provide to your organization, seeing no value in the initiative.
  • Your sports organization is solely focused on team performance to generate revenue; they do not see the value in shifting the focus to monetizing fan data.
  • Developing a convincing and impressive business case to get buy-in from your business executives is challenging.
Info-Tech’s Approach
  • Establish a working group of key stakeholders from the organization to work on this endeavor together and determine what the risks and considerations may be.
  • Determine the state of your current data architecture and what data-driven digital opportunities can arise from Info-Tech's off-field data reference architecture.
  • Build a business case for why an off-field data architecture is important to get buy-in from your business executives.
  • Once buy-in is secured, input this off-field architecture into your next data strategy to achieve your business goals.

Info-Tech Overarching Insight

An effective off-field data architecture can create data-driven digital opportunities and new insights. Equipped with the right data strategy, any sports entertainment organization can create a sustainable sports business and improve fan engagement and sponsorship relations, all while achieving business goals.

The meaning of off-field vs. on-field

Off-Field vs. On-Field Analytics

Off-Field Analytics

Deals with the business side of sports. Off-field analytics focus on helping a sports organization surface patterns and insight through data that would help increase ticket and merchandise sales, improve the fan experience, increase engagement, and more.

Off-field analytics is what creates an off-field data architecture and makes for a fan-driven data strategy.

On-Field Analytics

Deals with improving the on-field performance of teams and players by collecting player statistics and patterns.

On-field analytics is what makes for a player development or team development strategy.

“Off-field data and analytics is the ability to transform data into capabilities that transform the experience for fans.” (Rajiv Maheswaran, CEO, Second Spectrum)

An off-field data architecture and fan-driven data strategy is important

An off-field data architecture should be the core of any fan-driven data strategy. This type of strategy should be a vehicle for ensuring data is poised to support your organization’s strategic objectives and opportunities.
  • Having proper fan data and integration is vital to the success of other strategies, such as a digital fan engagement strategy, as they are reliant on accurate, maintained, useable, and integrated data to make effective decisions, and to understand the fan better to create practical initiatives.
  • The bottom line is that data is valuable to everyone when used right. Data empowers your organization to make better decisions, where an effective off-field data architecture and fan-driven data strategy will ensure you have the right data to make better decisions when it comes to marketing, hyper-personalization, sponsorships, and many more in the interests of your fans.
  • Making better decisions in the perspective of the fan allows you to reduce the friction within the fan journey while meeting fan needs and predicting what they want next to create retention and loyalty.

“Data-driven organizations are not only 23 times more likely to acquire customers, but they're also 6 times more likely to retain customers and 19 times more likely to be profitable." (McKinsey Global Institute via Tappit, n.d)

Other benefits that were found from using data are:
  • 8% increased profit
  • 10% reduced cost
  • 69% improved strategic decision making
  • 54% better control of operational processes
  • 52% improved understanding of their customers
      – BARC Research via Tappit, n.d.

“Data itself isn’t valuable, it’s the ability to use data to create content that fans want." (Rajiv Maheswaran, CEO, Second Spectrum)

Use fan data to differentiate and remain competitive in today’s digital economy

Off-field data in sports can create many benefits for organizations, such as sustainable revenue streams, robust fan intelligence to improve fan experience and engagement, and improved sponsorship relations. Having effective off-field data to understand fans better has so many more benefits than it may seem, as being different and remaining competitive in today's sports market is difficult to do without it.

Revenue Reliant on Team Performance Is Not Sustainable

Data and analytics have been used for improving team performance, although relying on team performance is not a sustainable choice as revenue is linked to performance. If a team is performing well, it generates revenue. If a team performs poorly, sources of revenue such as ticket and merchandise sales will drop.

Sports teams must create new revenue streams to be sustainable. By collecting data through multiple different sources, the 360-degree view of the fan will give sports teams a deeper understanding of their fans, to help them generate revenues and sustain relationships beyond team performance.

Understanding fans better is good for the long-term health of the business, as it allows for prediction of fan engagement behaviors and actions.

(Source: CIO, 2017)

Fan Intelligence Benefits

Understanding fans and their fan engagement behaviors is a key aspect of fan engagement, which every sports organization is looking to achieve.

Having the right data allows sports organizations to target and personalize offerings to maximize the potential of monetizing their assets.

Fan-driven data decision making is crucial when it comes to understanding your fan base, as understanding the data to further engage fans in order to refine and improve future activations is important.

(Source: Sportcal, 2020)

Sponsorship Benefits

Data and measurability can provide wins for sports team, fans, and sponsors. With data and analytics, it’s now possible for sports organizations to measure the impacts of the sponsorship opportunities placed within their venues in aggregated ways.

The three wins:

  • For the team/venue it allows for the ability to command higher rates by providing transparency and measurability to their sponsorship efforts.
  • It develops better fan relationships and more intimate discussions with brands.
  • For sponsors/brands it allows for better market targeting and understanding of the impact of the dollars they are spending.
If done right, all three parties should win.

(Source: Sportcal, 2020)

An off-field data architecture needs strategic drivers

Your fan-driven data strategy needs to align with your organizational strategy, such as a digital business strategy.

Privacy, Risk & Compliance

As a sports organization, you are more than likely operating as a privately held organization that is owned by a larger organization/holding company and mandated to meet certain regulatory requirements from the league your team belongs to and the area you are located in.

Risk mitigation is also another driver for formalizing or optimizing your current data architecture. Your current practices and environment may be outdated, leading to potential exposure to risk.

Table center-piece with icons corresponding to surrounding strategic drivers. Fan Engagement/Service Excellence

As a sports organization, your current focus is on improving fan/customer experience, engagement, and striving for service excellence, whether by offering highly tailored products or services, upselling, cross-selling, sending targeted communication, or building fan/customer loyalty.

Stakeholders within the sports industry are fans, internal customers, sport spectators, sponsors/partners, media participants, leagues/clubs, host community, and governing bodies.

Operational Excellence

As a sports organization, you’re focused on optimizing your operational excellence and efficiency to ensure you are delivering high-quality products or services in the most cost-effective manner.

This may mean your focus is on optimizing your ordering, production, and fulfillment processes for the venue. Or you may be working on the efficiency of your operations, making them leaner, reducing waste, and optimizing resource utilization, all of which can contribute to lower costs and higher profit margins.

Product & Service Innovations

To maintain or establish your competitive edge, your sports organization is looking to become innovative in the product(s) and service(s) that you offer.

As an organization, you’re seeking to differentiate through product or service innovation.

You’re inventing and adapting to keep pace and/or get ahead of changing fan and stakeholder preferences by understanding purchasing habits, consumption, behaviors, more varied and larger data sets, IoT, and other disruptive forces.

Consider a comprehensive fan-driven data strategy to unlock value

  • Off-field data should be at the foundation of your organization's evolution where transformational insights that executives are looking for can be unlocked with the right data strategy.
  • A data strategy should be high quality, well integrated, trustworthy, and have relevant data, to create a clear form of the 360-degree view of the fan, where it is readily available to the organization when needed.
  • Your organization should be able to gain a better understanding of the business, fans, and predict what fans are looking for, whether it is at home or in venue, resulting in better experiences, which results in higher engagement and revenues, through a comprehensive fan-driven data strategy.
  • However, you cannot have an effective fan-driven data strategy, without a comprehensive off-field data architecture first.

"Data can be considered to be one of the most valuable commodities in today’s world - more so than gold, oil and bitcoin. It underpins most business and performance operations; and the organizations that are able to maximize its use are the most successful.” (David Ingham, Client Partner of Media, Entertainment & Sport at Cognizant via Techradar, 2021)

"The awareness, collection and usage of data needs to be seeded and cultivated from the top of the organization as a priority for it to take root within sports entities so they can pave the way for inclusion as a source of insight in decision making that will future-proof the organization's operating model." (Global Sports Innovation Center, Powered by Microsoft, 2020)

In the major leagues, 75-85% of single game buyers don’t come back every single year, where teams need to be investing in effective tools to better understand fans through practical insights. (StellarAlgo, 2021)

"After the first lockdown, there was a short pause in CDP-projects within the sports industry. However, the need for a digital transformation became globally evident to most sports organizations, resulting in tremendous growth in CDP-projects. The CDP is finally perceived as a backbone to digital transformation & fan engagement.“ (Peter Kekesi, Data Talks, 2021 interview)

Many opportunities are revealed for sports entertainment organizations once they start using data

The opportunities data can help your sports entertainment organization leverage:

Icon of a hand giving a package.

HIGHER QUALITY SERVICES

The strategic use of data can enable sports entertainment organizations to provide higher quality services.

Icon of a head with brain circuits.

FAN INTELLIGENCE

The strategic use of data can provide sports entertainment organizations with a wealth of knowledge on fans and you will be able to not just know the fan behaviors but also guide and predict what they may be to enhance marketing, fan engagement, and revenues.

Icon of a magnifying glass over a heart monitor.

FAN-DRIVEN DATA DECISIONS

The insights that can be found through the strategic use of data can provide intuitive information around fans and sponsorships so fan-driven data decisions can be made.

Icon of people on an upward trend line.

IMPROVE SPONSORSHIP RELATIONS

Make better evidence-informed decisions and improve understanding around the impact of sponsorships and fan engagement, so funds and sponsorship can be directed where they are most likely to deliver the best results.

Icon of coins.

DATA MONETIZATION

Create actionable decisions around your fan data so you will be able to monetize it.

Icon of a thumbs-up in a speech bubble.

BECOME A PROVEN BUSINESS PARTNER

If you have any business strategy, such as a digital business strategy, in place where data and integration is highly important, you will be able to effectively align with the business and be a proven business partner rather than just a business enabler.

Align and enable your organizations goals cascade with an off-field data architecture

An off-field data architecture is what makes an organization’s goals actionable. Ensuring that your off-field data architecture will have the right components to support organizational goals will allow for better buy-in from business executives.

Example:

Example organization goals cascade. The first column on the left side is 'Organization Goals' listing four business goals, some of which are color-coded similarly. The second column on left side is 'Organization Initiatives' with three initiatives, each color-coded to match the business goal(s) they help to achieve. The third column on the left side is 'Organization Capabilities' with capabilities grouped by a category such as 'Fan Scoring', each of which are color-coded to business goals and the business initiatives that create or improve them. On the right side there is similarly 'IT Goals' with two goals listed, they each are achieved through many 'IT Initiatives' which are created or improved by 'IT Capabilities', of which 'Data Architecture' is highlighted.. The capabilities of either side support each other.

Info-Tech’s methodology for an off-field data architecture

1. Define a Working Group and the Current State 2. Discover Data-Driven Digital Opportunities 3. Build Your Case for an Off-Field Data Architecture
Phase Steps

1.1 Build an Accurate Depiction of the Business

1.2 Information Assessment

2.1 Off-Field Data Reference Architecture

3.1 Construct the Business Case

3.2 Determine the Business Case Impact to the Organization

Phase Outcomes Establish a working group to provide direction and clarity on an off-field data architecture, such as the associated risks with this initiative, and comprehend the current data management maturity. Understand what an off-field data architecture is and discover what data-driven digital opportunities exist for value creation.
Read through conceptual and logical data model examples for value creation.
Develop vision and mission statements and guiding principles. Identify business drivers and high-value use cases to then prioritize for making the case to business executives. Determine the impact of this initiative by enhancing the organization’s existing goals cascade/business strategy, calculating metrics, and designing a business case profile.

Blueprint Deliverable

Each step of this blueprint is accompanied by supporting deliverables to help you accomplish your goals:

Key deliverable:

Off-Field Data Reference Architecture Business Case Presentation Template
Input the activities and outputs of this blueprint into the Presentation Template to easily present your business case to executives.

Sample of the key deliverable 'Off-Field Data Reference Architecture Business Case Presentation Template'.

Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

DIY Toolkit

Guided Implementation

Workshop

Consulting

"Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful." "Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track." "We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place." "Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

Guided Implementation

A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

A typical GI is 8 to 12 calls over the course of 4 to 6 months.

What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Call #1: Develop working group; discuss and assess current data maturity. Call #2: Walk through the off-field data reference architecture, and exemplar data models for value creation. Call #4: Create vision and mission statements.

Call #5: Determine guiding principles.

Call #6: Build high-value use cases.

Call #7: Conduct a MoSCoW analysis.

Call #8: Map the data architecture components to the goals cascade.

Call #9: Determine metrics for measuring success.

Call #10: Build business case profile.

Off-Field Data Reference Architecture Guide

Phase 1

Define a Working Group and the Current State

Phase 1

1.1 Build an Accurate Depiction of the Business

1.2 Document Your Current Data Management Maturity

1.3 Assess How Well Information Supports Business Capabilities

Phase 2

2.1 Off-Field Data Reference Architecture

Phase 3

3.1 Construct the Business Case

3.2 Determine the Business Case Impact to the Organization

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

  • Identify and assemble key stakeholders
  • Document your current data management maturity
  • Assess how well information supports business capabilities

This phase involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • CEO
  • CFO
  • CMO
  • CDO
  • Other stakeholders as appropriate

Step 1.1

Build an Accurate Depiction of the Business

Activities
  • 1.1.1 Identify and Assemble Key Stakeholders

This step will walk you through the following activities:

  • Identify and assemble key stakeholders

This step involves the following participants:

  • CIO
  • CEO
  • CFO
  • CMO
  • CDO
  • Other stakeholders as appropriate

Outcomes of this step

  • Establish a working group to provide direction and clarity on creating a business case for an off-field data architecture
  • Understand the risks associated with this initiative
Define a Working Group and the Current State
Step 1.1 Step 1.2

The challenges associated with fan data

  • The level of data maturity in the sports industry is surprisingly low; however, sports organizations have realized that they need to collect data and use it effectively to succeed. Many sports organizations have invested in using their fan data to personalize fan experiences, but many basic processes are still lacking.
  • Major pieces of information are missing from the game day experience, where sports teams understand who bought tickets, but not who attends the games. There are big gaps around what fans buy, when they buy it, brand preferences, and habits.
  • It’s not only important to collect fan data but also to have a 360-degree view of the fan and their truth, which means connecting all data source partners too.
  • “The US sports sponsorship market alone predicted to be worth $20 billion dollars in 2022, it is incredible that organizations do not understand their fans and how to maximize this revenue through data. Yet fan behavior in-stadium is still a huge data black hole." (Statista, 2021, via Tappit, n.d.)
  • “Many organizations still work with a lot of separate data sources which limits marketing as well as a general understanding of the fan, where only 51% of organizations collect it in a centralized place.” (Geoff Wilson, Data Maturity Model, via Tappit, n.d.)

“Big data is exploding. But many companies are still struggling to simplify how to make their data actionable.” (CPA Canada, 2019)

Signals of Concern

37%
of sports organizations have a one-year data strategy.

32%
of sports organizations never review their data objectives.

10%
of sports organizations have communicated their data objectives across their entire organization, with 25% communicating it only to senior staff.

29%
of sports organizations do not use any form of segmentation within email campaigns.

(Source: Tappit, n.d.)

Leverage your working group

Your working group should:

Icon of justice scales.
Govern

Be the accountable group that oversees the initiative and actively makes decisions concerning it.

Icon of an 'i'.
Inform

Identify best practices and make suggestions around what will or will not be successful as the initiative moves forward.

Icon of a compass.
Direct

Make recommendations on how the property should move forward with the initiative and highlight potential obstacles.
A working group should be comprised of:
  • CEO
  • CDO
  • CFO
  • CMO
  • CIO
  • And the appropriate directors reporting to the chiefs.

Info-Tech Insight

Your head of marketing should be a key stakeholder within your working group as the marketing team are those who will execute any of the insights found through data and analytics with their creative marketing abilities.

Off-Field Data Reference Architecture preview picture

About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

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Guided Implementation 1: Define a Working Group and the Current State
  • Call 1: Develop working group; discuss and assess current data maturity.

Guided Implementation 2: Discover Data-Driven Digital Opportunities
  • Call 1: Walk through the off-field data reference architecture, and exemplar data models for value creation.

Guided Implementation 3: Build Your Case for an Off-Field Data Architecture
  • Call 1: Create vision and mission statements.
  • Call 2: Determine guiding principles.
  • Call 3: Build high-value use cases.
  • Call 4: Conduct a MoSCoW analysis.
  • Call 5: Map the data architecture components to the goals cascade.
  • Call 6: Determine metrics for measuring success.
  • Call 7: Build business case profile.

Author

Elizabeth Silva

Contributors

  • Ian Greenwood, Account Executive, SAS
  • Dan Axman, Business Development for Sports Teams, SAS
  • Adam Bernatt, VP of Business Development, Environics Analytics
  • Tania O’Brien, Chief Marketing Officer, Environics Analytics
  • Jordan Rutner, Research Marketing Manager, KORE Software
  • Peter Kekesi, Product Manager for Sports, Data Talks
  • Sharon Foltz, Managing Partner, Info-Tech Research Group
  • Igor Ikonnikov, Research Advisor, Info-Tech Research Group
  • Andy Neill, Associate Vice President, Research, Info-Tech Research Group
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