Unleashing Fan Passion: Crafting an Unforgettable Immersive Experience for Real Salt Lake Supporters
Elevating Design Experiences: Unleashing the Power of Augmented Reality
Problem:
How can we create an immersive experience for Real Salt Lake fans that combines both print and digital elements? Our objective is to discover and design memorable experiences that resonate with fans.
Introduction:
When we think of technological advancements, sports teams are not usually the first thing that comes to mind. While there are some technological innovations in sports, such as goal-line technology or video assistant referees, the immersive experiences provided by technology are often limited or non-existent in the world of sports. Our team saw an opportunity to break the mold and explore how we could enhance the fan experience.
Real Salt Lake, a local soccer team in Utah and part of Major League Soccer, holds a special place in my heart as a passionate fan. Alongside my teammate, Maddie Ricks, who shares my love for soccer (though I claim to be the bigger fan), we embarked on this project with a clear vision. We recognized that every fan has a unique experience when attending a soccer game. From the moment they receive their ticket at the stadium to navigating the corridors in search of their seating, emotions run high. The experience reaches its peak at kick-off and continues at full throttle for 90 minutes of pure adrenaline. Regardless of the game’s outcome, that euphoria lingers for hours afterward.
These unforgettable experiences repeat themselves at sporting events across the world. Maddie and I made the crucial connection that these experiences should not end at the stadium. They should have a lasting impact long after the final whistle. This is where technology enters the picture.
Approach
Augmented reality (AR) is a rapidly advancing technology, albeit at a slower pace compared to virtual reality. However, there is still tremendous potential for growth. Recognizing this, Maddie and I understood that to elevate the fan experience for Real Salt Lake supporters, we needed to combine both print and digital elements in a mixed reality (MX) format. By blending the tangible aspects of print with the interactive capabilities of digital media, we believed we could achieve the heightened experience we envisioned.
Now, where would we begin?
Print Experiences
Goal:
Design print experiences for Real Salt Lake fans that create lasting memories. We identified three key areas to focus on: Game Day, Store, and Home. With endless possibilities for print content in the world of soccer, we aimed to create something unique and extraordinary by incorporating augmented reality (AR) elements. After brainstorming and sketching out our ideas, we narrowed down our concepts to the following:
Jersey Box: As part of the Store experience, we envisioned a special box to hold the purchased jersey. What sets this apart is the integration of AR elements. By scanning the box with a smartphone, fans would unlock an interactive video featuring an introduction of the player whose name is on the back of the jersey. This AR-enhanced jersey box adds an extra layer of excitement and connection to the fan’s purchase.
Booklet: To enhance the Game Day experience, we aimed to replace the traditional gameday booklets that often go unnoticed or discarded. Our booklet would be packed with interactive features enabled through AR. Fans could use their phones to activate various elements, such as learning chants or exploring information about sponsors. This interactive booklet not only engages fans during the game but also serves as a keepsake with meaning and value.
Poster: The poster serves as our secret weapon to make the booklet even more appealing to fans. Hidden on the back of each booklet, fans would discover a unique poster featuring a different player for each game. These limited edition posters, available exclusively at home games, create a sense of connection to the players. With AR elements seamlessly integrated, these large-sized trading cards come to life, adding an extra dimension of excitement to the fan experience.
Trading Cards: Simple yet enjoyable, our trading cards showcase action pictures of the players. These classic trading cards would be a fan-favorite collectible item. While we initially planned to incorporate AR elements into the cards, unforeseen issues limited our ability to fulfill these plans. Nonetheless, the trading cards serve as a representation of the Home and Store experiences, capturing the essence of fan appreciation and connection.
Though we had a wide range of planned items, time and circumstances compelled us to adapt to the situation at hand. Despite the challenges, we strived to create memorable print experiences that fans would cherish.
Digital Design
Digital designs played a crucial role in enhancing both the gameday and home experiences for Real Salt Lake fans. Our focus was on creating unique and special experiences in the digital realm, with particular emphasis on Augmented Reality (AR). Let’s dive into the digital designs we developed:
- Kiosk: To enhance the gameday experience, we designed a kiosk that would be exclusively available at the stadium. Our goal was to offer fans an interactive platform where they could engage in various activities. The kiosk allowed fans to vote for their match predictions, access player stats, and even make purchases from the team store. By integrating these features, we aimed to alleviate congestion in the physical store and provide a seamless experience for fans. Each game brought new interactive elements and content to keep fans engaged and excited.
Check out the Kiosk interaction in action here: [YouTube link: https://youtu.be/SatrWZBNtbA]
- AR Elements: The heart of our project lies in the AR elements, as they bring an unparalleled level of immersion and interactivity. These elements truly differentiate our design from a conventional one. One standout AR feature is the Live Simulated AR Experience, an idea inspired by watching soccer highlights. This experimental concept allowed users to scan a live event on their TV screens and access real-time information about the game, players, and in-game statistics. While still in its early stages, this concept opens up exciting possibilities for engaging with live sports events.
Creating these AR elements involved using Apple’s ARKit, which utilizes SwiftUI in Xcode. It’s worth noting that this was no easy task, especially for designers with limited coding experience. Many AR platforms rely on QR code scanning, but ARKit stands out by enabling activation through image recognition, eliminating the need for QR codes. The downside, however, is that these elements must be housed within an app. Nevertheless, I’m hopeful that future iOS devices will offer native AR activation without the need for dedicated apps.
By utilizing ARKit, we avoided the inconvenience of QR codes in our design. This journey required us to learn SwiftUI and delve into coding using Xcode. As designers, this learning curve presented significant challenges. Nonetheless, we triumphed over these obstacles and acquired the basic skills needed to create AR experiences using Apple’s ARKit.
AR elements served as the cornerstone of our project, elevating the overall design to a new level. These immersive experiences allowed us, as UX designers, to consider how every design element interacts with the participants, enhancing their connection with the Real Salt Lake fan community.
Witness the AR elements in action below:
Unleashing the Potential of AR in Design
Throughout this project, I’ve gained a profound understanding of the immense potential that Augmented Reality (AR) holds in revolutionizing the way we interact with both printed and digital designs. AR has opened up new dimensions, allowing participants to engage with products on an entirely different level. As UX designers, this realization compels us to thoroughly research how our participants will interact with these elements, ensuring the creation of extraordinary experiences.
The fusion of digital and print design, when executed correctly, yields remarkable results. It serves as a stepping stone toward exploring the future of holograms and their integration into our everyday lives. I envision a time, not too far off, when scanning a product through AR will provide us with comprehensive information, enabling easy comparisons with other products. This progression signifies the evolution of our design field and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead.
In conclusion, this project has been an eye-opening journey, revealing the transformative power of AR and its potential impact on the way we experience design. It encourages us, as UX designers, to push boundaries and create immersive experiences that captivate and engage participants like never before. The future holds endless opportunities, and with AR as our ally, we are poised to shape the way we interact with the world around us.
