In fashion, what’s once deemed to be a thing of the past becomes contemporary.
In sports, modernization tends to transpire at a much slower curve than other industries.
The 2014 Ryder Cup, one of golf’s esteemed competitions as a biennial event between American and European teams, represents a meeting of these two realities.
For the first time in the event’s history, fans attending Gleneagles, Scotland are receiving Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) wristbands to go along with their tickets for entry. These wearables aim to serve as the prism in which users can partake in the strategically deployed activities across the golf course, encouraging to share their experiences to social media at the very moment.
RFID technology, though, isn’t a novel innovation; the application of it within a sports context is. This product functions as smart label tags that detect and communicate with a networked system for tracking purposes. The information collected from the items wearing it then get transmitted to the manufacturer. Most of its circuit corresponds to location-based intel, which grasps a cycle of movement. The NFL, notably, has partnered with Zebra Technologies to pave the way for domestic pro sports deployment of RFID at the start of this season.
In the case of the Ryder Cup, they want to assist as the conduit for fan-generated content and photo sharing, considering the volume that took place in the World Cup or U.S. Open. The experience isn’t confined to the mere moment, but the memories that live on long after. The RFID at the Ryder Cup, thus, doesn’t interconnect to external devices; information is housed in the event’s own database. They enlisted Intellitix, a global RFID and cashless payment systems provider, to make this possible. Each of their chips possesses a unique ID that can personalize the wristband through a user’s e-mail or social mediums.
“It’s important for sports to facilitate this in order to grow their audiences, fan demographic, solidify the link they have with their fans, and provide the fully immersive event that people now have come to expect,” Serge Grimaux, Intellitix’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, tells SportTechie.
Having previously conducted events the likes of Coachella and the UEFA Champions League Final, Intellitix’s track record with RFID, over six million tags comprised activations, and unique security of its cashless system, awarded the Common Criteria EAL3+ rating, has proven notable reasons for the Ryder Cup to partner with them. In fact, during the former soccer match results achieved included 13,000 registered RFID cards, 40,000 e-mails sent, and 85,000 total RFID interactions on site. The latter’s security blanket still works in spite of potential network malfunctions due to its closed loop operation, technically on par with Apple, Microsoft, and IBM IT products.
These components solidify the pillars from the RFID wristbands that fans are wearing throughout the venue. While every brand has its own ethos and points to cover, Intellitix designed these amplifications how they want it. Each checkpoint contains a small RFID reader, likened to those stores that take cashless debit card payments. These readers are installed into walls, frames, and signage, with branding and a clear call-to-action to “tap here”. Fans touch these markers with their wearable in order to proceed as part of the gamification.
The first couple of places the activation occurs for the BMW Car Display and the Ryder Cup Experience with Standard Life Investments, which is inside the Ryder Cup Spectator Village. Users play and compete in demo-style, team competitions that’s highlighted in live scoreboards everywhere. This visibility intends to prompt participation for those in attendance.
Moving outer in the course, at its core, the Walk the Course endeavor has all the fans checking in at different spots to win prizes. They had spokespeople, like Johnnie Walker, greeting them in certain holes as well to add to the experience.
What’s more, these wristbands have the capability for fans to show support of their respective team interactively, with a virtual “high five”. Simply pressing on the device at the various locations creates the visual tally to light up through the scoreboards as a byproduct of it. Such initiatives further enforces the proposed engagement around a communal effect. In between the activities, though, the Ryder Cup hopes that fans use the wristbands for purchases, since it’s a cashless form of payment–without being too overt in the process.
Conversely, Intellitix believes that the RFID chips attached to the wristbands does, indeed, stand as the most convenient way for fans to adopt wearables, at least for the time being. They concede that wearables is at a nascent stage and primarily specialist-driven, fitness enthusiasts for one, right now.
“Until wearable tech becomes the norm–like smartphones have–RFID in wristbands present the ideal way for organizers to do this. This will inevitably change at some point, perhaps to other means of NFC, including bluetooth 4.0; and these may well be embedded into wearable tech of some kind,” says Grimaux.
In the meantime, however, RFID uses the low-end of the electromagnetic spectrum, in terms of safety concerns. There are no health risks, bearing in mind that the waves from the readers are no more precarious than the waves derived from one’s car radio.
Grimaux acknowledges, though, that big data is one of the key benefits from what RFID technology can help gather fans’ likes and dislikes. It’s quite a powerful tool for the future, especially to predetermine curation or experiences that are tailored to a user’s preference. Intellitix assures that the Ryder Cup and themselves have been upfront about what it’s being used for and a clear opportunity for fans to opt out, if they so choose. Privacy doesn’t filter beyond preliminary objectives from the parties involved. It’s a simple, mutual exchange that emboldens the event and user experience.
The 2014 Ryder Cup’s Operations Director, Antonia Beggs, shared similar sentiments to SportTechie on why the timing is right to introduce RFID-linked wearables to fans: “Ryder Cup Europe wanted to lift the event this year beyond the standards set previously. As social media, smartphones, and mobile internet have become a part of everyday life, the RFID technology seemed a natural choice.”
Team Europe’s victory led by Rory McIlroy notwithstanding, the Ryder Cup’s implementation of RFID engulfs a belated technological trend transpiring in the golf world.