Team apps, but are they really needed?

A fan’s smartphone is a mosaic of icons that tell a passion story. There are sports news apps, social networks for commenting on games in real time, messaging platforms for groups with friends and, increasingly, the’official appof one’s favorite club. The latter promises to be a centralized hub, a single point of access to a world of exclusive services. But, marketing promises aside, how much of this digital ecosystemdoes it really prove useful in a supporter&#8217s daily life?

The promise of a centralized ecosystem

On paper, the’idea is impeccable. Soccer clubs, and sports clubs in general, have invested significant resources to create applications that serve as a one-stop shop for fans. The’goal is clear: build user loyalty, create a direct communication channel and, of course, monetize passion through services and merchandising.

The features offered are almost always the same and cover a wide range of needs:

• Ticketing and stadium access:The ability to buy tickets and season tickets, save them in the phone’s digital wallet and use a simple QR code to get through the turnstiles.
• Membership and loyalty programs: Management of one’s membership, access to exclusive content, discounts and presales reserved for members.
• Matchday Notifications: Real-time updates on formations, goals, substitutions and final result.
• Exclusive content: Interviews “behind-the-scenes”, training videos, tactical insights not available elsewhere.
• Gamification: Mini-games, quizzes and predictions to engage the’user and keep them active away from game day.
• Official Store: A direct link to buy jerseys, scarves and all kinds of gadgets.

In an ideal world, this concentration of servicesshould simplify the life of the fan, eliminating the need to navigate the website or use third-party apps.

The weight of reality: bloatware and redundant features

Reality, however, has several frictions. The first and most obvious is the weight, not only in terms of megabytes occupied on the phone’s memory, but also in system resources. Many of these apps tend to be bloatware, greedy for battery and data, especially if push notifications are aggressively activated.

Another critical point is the redundant functions. Often, sections such as news or the store are nothing more than a “webview” that is, a window showing the club’s website within the app. The’user experience offers no advantage over opening a browser; in fact, it is sometimes slower and more cumbersome. The same goes for video content, which often simply links back to the official YouTube channel.

The fragmentationis an additional obstacle. A fan who follows more than one team would find himself having to install and manage dozens of different applications, each with its own interface. A far-from-optimal user experience.

When the’app becomes indispensable: the winning use cases

Despite the critical issues, there are scenarios in which the’officialclub app is not only useful, but almost indispensable. The real “killer feature” that justifies the’installation is undoubtedly the management of ticketing. For those who attend the stadium on a regular basis, having your season ticket or single ticket dematerialized on your smartphone is an invaluable convenience. It eliminates risk, speeds up admission and simplifies operations such as name changes.

Similarly, real-timenotifications during the game are a valuable service for those who cannot follow the event live. An instant alert for a goal is exactly the kind of essential information a fan expects. Access to exclusive member presales can also make a difference.

A particularly successful case in point is the Connect Me Too app, launched by Como to help visually impaired fans with a self-description system.

Beyond the official app: the fan&#8217s digital universe

The’club appis just one planet in a much larger galaxy. The modern fan&#8217s time and attention are contested by a myriad of other platforms. The Fanta football, games “predictor” and online communities represent the real beating heart of cheering, where interaction is not mediated by official communication. Outside the official app, the ecosystem with which fans interact is vast and varied, including numerous digital entertainment platforms. For those trying to navigate this landscape, understanding the’offerings of operators and payment methods can be complex; for this purpose, there are comparative guides available on IMCO, which allow one to inform oneself in a clear and up-to-date manner.

Final verdict: a’tailor-made utility

Back to the initial question: are team apps really useful? The answer is not unambiguous, but strictly depends on the profile of the fan.

For the’subscriber, the a frequent stadium attendee and the member of a fan club, the’app is a powerful tool, especially for features related to’access and ticketing. For the most casual fan, who follows the team from home, the’app risks becoming a duplicate of features already accessible elsewhere.

The future of these platforms lies in a more streamlined approach: fewer ancillary functions and more focus on real value-added services, those that concretely simplify the fan’s experience.