From the tactics board to the boardroom, the never-ending quest for marginal gains in sport goes on.  

And as it does, the industry is constantly looking to adopt new technologies and new practices to help it get the upper hand. One such technology that is beginning to see adoption is immersive technology. 

From immersive training simulations to, R&R rooms, data visualisation suites, and marketing and brand activation, immersive technology can provide tangible benefits both on and off the pitch (or track). 

And, as sport moves forward and brings younger generations in, it is only going to become more prevelant, with one CNN article quoting that:

• 76% of US Gen X, 63% of Millennials and 65% of Gen Z agree that sports commentary is more engaging when virtual studios are used
  
• 59% of Gen Z and 65% of Millennial sports fans said they would pay to watch a sporting event in VR from the seat of their choice at a venue
  
• 62% of Gen Z and 66% of Millennial sports fans said they would pay to watch a sporting event in real-time from an athlete’s point of view in VR.

So, if you're interested in all the ways that immersive technology can contribute to the world of elite sports, and how Igloo can help make a difference, we've compiled example use cases for both on field and off field success.

 

On field 

Immersive technology can positively contribute to on-pitch success across sports, both in sport-specific and cross-industry use cases. 

One use case we often see across industries is using immersive rooms as 360 viewing galleries, allowing teams to monitor multiple feeds and data sets across locations. This can be extrapolated into the sporting world, having coaching staff view multiple training feeds at once from one location, and review multiple data sets at the same time, for faster and more accurate decision-making.

It also aids with one of the major issues facing managers or coaches of elite athletes and teams: information overload. With ever-increasing data quantities, player load, and tactical documentation, ensuring athletes are knowledgeable without being mentally overloaded can be a difficult balance to strike. 

Immersive technology helps as it increases athlete engagement and understanding of tactical concepts by activating the senses and providing clearer, immersive visual elements to build self-involvement. This can also be used in 3D environments to build spatial awareness and biomechanical movement training, similar to the real world. 

These 3D environments can, in turn, be designed to aid with mental preparation. For example, an athlete who has not experienced the pressure of a final or the atmosphere of a certain away ground may well perform differently without prior exposure. Immersive technology can give them that experience ahead of time in a way no other technology can. 

With many ownership organisations and groups moving towards a multi-club model, and with learning and knowledge-sharing barriers lowering in modern sport, immersive rooms offer the chance to bring disparate teams together into one environment for coordinated exercises and knowledge sharing. 

There are myriad other uses across sport. One emerging use of Igloo immersive rooms we have seen is as an R&R or meditation room, due to allowing multiple different environments, sounds, and stimuli to be projected into the space. 

Immersive technology can contribute to sporting success, with uses such as environmental preparation.

 

Off field 

Immersive technology is a multi-faceted and multi-purpose tool that should not be pigeon-holed into one particular use case. Whilst there are many advantages to using immersive technology for on-field success, it can also be used to deliver business advantages for the wider organisation. 

For example, you could use the immersive space as a stakeholder engagement suite for immersive presentations. This could be at the board level, or it could involve bringing in external stakeholders, such as fan groups, to walk them through immersive presentations of upcoming projects or roadmaps. 

If these presentations involve reviewing 3D models or sites, such as proposed changes to stadiums, training grounds, or commercial offices, key stakeholders can be brought in to conduct 360 evaluations and design reviews of models and sites. You can even conduct health and safety training and onboarding from within an immersive space to avoid costly site closures and further disruption for both the sporting side and the public. 

When embarking on redevelopment projects such as these, the immersive space can then become a project management control room, where various teams and project managers can analyse data sets, project timelines, and live feeds, all from one location at one time. Other departments and teams could also use the space as an advanced data visualisation suite, including finance, sports science, and coaching and management. 

An immersive space is also a highly effective brand activation and marketing tool. It could be used for a variety of fan engagement experiences, such as stadium tours and historical deep dives, as well as sponsorship activations with engaging, immersive product launches and events, strengthening brand-consumer relationships through emotional engagement. 

 

It can also be used for wider business functions, like stadium tours and brand activation.

 

The Igloo opinion 

With the litany of immersive content and use cases now available, it is clear that the technology can positively impact the world of elite sports. 

However, when thinking about the ways in which you could implement immersive technology at your organisation, it is important to recognise an immersive system as one capable of adding tangible value to both sporting and business success, rather than one or the other; that way, you can see maximal return on investment. 

And to do that, you need a system that can handle all of the content you want to use. Whether that’s Webviews, 3D models, Microsoft 365, AI-generated, or user-created content, you want utmost confidence that your system can deliver. 

Which is why we created Igloo Core Engine, our software platform for immersive spaces. It’s been built to work with the digital tools you already use, elevating them to new immersive heights, and it’s built with accessibility and usability in mind, so you can get cross-departmental buy-in and usage. 

Speak to one of our immersive experts today, and find out how Igloo can contribute to your sporting and wider business goals. Just click the button below.

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