Six months on from The 2022 Sport Technology Awards we are revisiting our winners to gage their thoughts on the latest market dynamics.
The latest to feature in our ‘Post-Podium Stories’ is OnePlan, winners of the Best Technology for Venues and Operations for its Venue Twin solution that brings sports venues into the metaverse.
Venue Twin allows Marketing teams, and their stakeholders, to access their venue 24/7 to plan operations as well as sell hospitality, advertising and tickets – unlocking new operational and commercial opportunities for venues worldwide. Here, Paul Foster, OnePlan CEO, gives us his update six months after collecting this coveted award.
What has changed for your business in the last six months?
For us, the biggest change has been unprecedented growth. In the past 6 months, we’ve had a 24% increase in staff. We’ve also hit the milestone of over 15,000 events planned in OnePlan – soon to be 20,000.
What are the biggest changes happening in your part of the sports sector?
The most significant change is the adoption of technology in every aspect of sports – the ‘digital first’ approach which includes ticketing, betting, point of sale, and fan engagement have all gone through a major transformation in a short space of time. The next major change we’ll see soon is the transition from web2 to web3. This is still in the early stages as companies and brands figure out what works for their fanbase.
What the best piece of advice you’ve been given about working in sports / sports technology (personal or professional)?
Things move fast in technology, but what’s most important to focus on is genuine use cases and where the technology creates a real benefit to the end users. The best way to achieve this benefit is by actually speaking to potential users to understand their needs better.
What the best piece of advice you’d pass on to a client or start-up in your world?
The best advice I’d pass on is understanding your market and customers. While building technology is a huge hurdle, adoption of that technology solution is even more important and an even bigger accomplishment.
To join OnePlan as a Sports Technology Awards winner, make sure you enter the 2023 edition of the leading international celebration of tech-led innovation in sport. With over 50 industry experts, 22 categories and an independent judging system, an entry can see your brand one step closer to recognition as one of the best in world sport. Be sure to enter before the December 15 deadline, find out more here: https://bit.ly/2jhH142
