Background
The SPFL and Right Now Digital are both my clients. It felt right to introduce the CEO of the SPFL to the Owner of Right Now Digital (RND) a “Start Up” based at The Kia Oval. The SPFL were launching a new website and new digital assets for the start of the 2018-19 season. The SPFL were also looking at applications that were both innovative and easy to manage and not cost prohibitive. RND had emerged at the 2017 Sports Technology Awards and were looking to challenge the market.
The rights owners applications were mainly delivering content via the club’s official digital platforms and were not providing rich content from rival publishers that fans enjoyed and were part of their regular digital consumption on their club.
The Process
The RND apps are able to curate (scape) relevant content in “real time” to deliver relevant content to the end user, including posts and video from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This means that the RND app acts as a “one stop shop” to the fans in terms of their thirst for content.
Over several months, the SPFL and RND discussed a commercial partnership whereby RND delivers the content to the app and worked with the SPFL team to encourage downloads through promotional links. RND were able to convince the SPFL Board that whilst the majority content was externally sourced that the installed technology would ensure that all content was relevant to the end user. An editorial and commercial plan was developed and the design and functionality both reflected the SPFL’s commercial programme and the look and style of the RND suite of apps.
The Result
The app was “soft-launched” at the 2 Betfred Cup Semi Finals in October before being promoted at the Betfred Final on December 2nd 2018. A mix of LED and match programme advertising delivered sufficient numbers to warrant investment from 2 additional companies within the app – Etoro and Octopus Energy. The app is now part of the portfolio of SPFL digital assets which has enabled the SPFL to ensure that they are represented in this valuable space. RND are now pursuing additional partnerships with both rights owners and brands.
The next step is to roll out the RND apps to the clubs within the Ladbrokes Premiership and Ladbrokes Championship based on the success of the SPFL app.
