Project Pitch in short
The SAP Garden digital ecosystem enhances the fan experience across sports and events. A unified app landscape enables personalized interaction, real-time updates, and seamless in-venue services—bridging physical and digital touchpoints in a multifunctional sports arena.
Users and Challenge
Users include sports fans attending basketball, ice hockey, and other events at SAP Garden. They seek intuitive digital tools for ticketing, orientation, live content, and engagement. The challenge was to unify fragmented experiences into one cohesive system that adapts to various needs and devices.
Context and User Journey
SAP Garden is a new multifunctional arena hosting sports and public events. The user journey spans pre-visit planning, seamless entry, in-venue navigation, live interaction, and post-event engagement. The ecosystem supports fans before, during, and after the event—digitally and on-site.
User-Centric Research, Design, and Process
The process included user interviews, prototype testing, analytics, and stakeholder workshops. Design sprints and co-creation sessions with fans, clubs, and venue operators guided iterative development. A modular design system ensured brand alignment while enabling cross-platform consistency.
Research Informing the Solution
Research insights revealed fans' desire for frictionless entry, tailored content, and integrated services. These findings informed the creation of features like single sign-on, AI-curated highlights, and mobile ordering. Feedback loops ensured the solution met expectations across touchpoints.
Purpose, Solution Approach, and User Benefits
The solution was designed to enhance live event experiences in a modern, multi-sport arena. It addresses fragmented digital interactions by offering a unified, accessible platform. Users benefit from seamless services, stronger engagement, and improved convenience at every stage of their journey.
Innovation
The solution combines a tokenized design system, AI-driven content personalization, and real-time data integration. Users benefit from a seamless, multi-sport experience with a single account across clubs and services. The platform's scalability also allows other teams to join the ecosystem.
Outcome and Business Value
The platform supports increased fan engagement and in-arena revenue. It targets professional sports organizations operating multifunctional venues. Value is created through extended digital touchpoints, service monetization, and data insights, helping clubs strengthen loyalty and operational efficiency.
Competition and USP
Most sports apps are team-specific and siloed. SAP Garden offers an integrated, brand-agnostic platform across clubs and event types. Its modular, scalable architecture and cross-brand design system differentiate it from single-purpose solutions, making it unique in the sports tech landscape.
Accessibility, Responsibility, and Trust
The solution follows accessibility standards in navigation, contrast, and readability. Data privacy is ensured via GDPR-compliant authentication and consent flows. Security protocols protect ticketing and payment features. A focus on usability ensures trust across a diverse user base.
Social and Planetary Values
The platform promotes digital ticketing, reducing paper waste. Location-based services support efficient crowd management. By improving the digital journey, the solution encourages public transport use. Its scalable structure minimizes redundant development, saving resources across clubs.
Additional Information
The results speak for themselves: over 60,000 downloads, session times of 4+ minutes, over 12% of food & beverage revenue generated via the mobile app, and 50% of attendees entering the arena through in-app digital tickets (these KPIs even only for FC Bayern Basketball).
