What we learned from the webinar “How to build a league-wide digital content ecosystem”

We recently hosted a webinar featuring Deltatre’s very own Erin Gripp (Senior Strategic Account Manager), Jonathan Schecter (VP, Product & Sports Experiences), and Benjamin Causse (SVP, Business Development & Account Management).

Below you can find some of the key learnings from the session

Fans’ demands and expectations are evolving – what are the biggest changes likely to be in the next three to five years?

Benjamin outlined three major trends that he predicted in the world of fan expectations and experiences.

“I would say first of all, more personalization and recommendation. Fans will require more and more content […] that means basically making sure that the content showing on your digital platform is relevant to what’s happening in the sports world.”

“Speed will also be important. Information needs to be available as soon as possible […] we’re always looking for the fastest routes to get this information out. Access for fans is also definitely important.”

“I’d say intuitive platforms as well. Engaging and beautiful experiences – you don’t want to spend five minutes looking for your team schedule. Everything needs to be very intuitive.”

These trends all revolve around core infrastructure, and the ability of leagues and sports brands to deliver an enhanced experience to their fans. These properties will need to ensure that they have the frameworks and technology in place in order to meet these growing demands.

What really makes for a successful direct-to-consumer offering?

A strong content offering is key. Leagues and federations require a huge breadth of compelling and engaging pieces of content, and this content also needs to be accessible in different formats – from text, to video, to stories.

Jonathan noted the importance of recognizing consumption patterns and audience insights: “Research has shown that Gen Z, for example, is much more interested in the players themselves, and their lifestyles, than the games. They have more loyalty and affinity to the players than they do to the teams and the leagues. Being able to capitalize on that is extremely important.”

Different audience segments may require different objectives and KPIs, as they’ll engage with content in numerous different ways. Identifying these unique opportunities is key to maintaining a successful direct-to-consumer offering.

Multi-tenancy models offer a range of benefits and advantages

Multi-tenancy models open up a world of opportunities for sports entities, and a structure that allows for agile content creation and efficient distribution.

Jonathan outlined the basic premise of FORGE Multiply, the Deltatre solution to help build and enhance multi-tenancy models:

“FORGE Multiply is one of our solutions for leagues, federations, and governing bodies. To put it simply, there is one master instance of the platform, and several ‘shuttles’ controlled by the master. Think of templates, layouts, modules, integrations, and so on. […] Multi-tenancy solutions today are becoming integral to digital success.”

Why? Check out our case study from the MLB - who have leveraged FORGE Multiply to drive cost savings and a must faster publishing cycle - for over 300+ sites.

The flexibility and agility of FORGE Multiply is a key strength for leagues and federations

The FORGE Multiply infrastructure provides sports leagues and federations with a range of advantages. Flexibility and creative control are key for these entities when running a multifaceted content strategy.

Benjamin: “It’s what we call freedom within a framework. You can have a very comprehensive series of owned and operated platforms, covering all the different features that you need as a league or association. At the same time, every single member of the system can enjoy the flexibility that they need […] the flexibility is a very interesting point.”

Jonathan noted that a collaborative and open approach to building a large-scale digital ecosystem is key: “Our core product approach is to be as agnostic as possible. […] We want to allow clients to bring their ideas, and their best-of-breed.”

Bespoke solutions are vital to constructing successful content ecosystems, and it’s important to avoid a “walled garden” that might prevent leagues and federations from integrating their existing partners or third parties.

For more insight on building digital content ecosystems, check out the full webinar here.