Played help sports clubs and organisations take bookings for their activities through an easy-to-use online platform that can be added to existing websites and social media channels.
We caught up with Played CEO, Tom Marley, to find out more about the benefits of the sector embracing technology, and what attendees at Fit for the Future can expect to learn at the event.
You can book tickets for our Fit for the Future Convention 2022 – which will be held on 6 April in Birmingham – here.
How is technology changing the sport and recreation landscape?
We still believe a lot of change is still in front of us, which is very exciting for the industry. We have seen a recent shift in how organisations are thinking about technology and how it can be used to elevate the experiences they are delivering.
Whether it’s professional sports organisations leveraging technologies to deliver better fan experiences, or community organisations using technology to scale their impact. There is a huge opportunity to improve the way that the world engages with sport and recreation by embracing technology and creating a positive environment for innovation.
What are the benefits of sport and recreation organisations adopting certain technologies?
The key focus should always be on improving the participation experience. By looking at all the touch points across the journey, it becomes clear there are lots of opportunities for organisations to use technology to improve the experience and incentivise more people to participate.
Technologies should be used to remove friction against barriers to participation. Removing this friction will unlock a wealth of benefits for organisations looking to attract and retain participants. As time has gone on, technology has become more affordable and accessible, meaning all sports organisations now have the opportunity to digitise and deliver better experiences.
What are you working on at the moment, and which Alliance members are you currently working with?
We launched our online storefront for sports providers in mid-2021, which has been very well received and is being used by Alliance members such as England Golf, Badminton England and the R&A.
The platform is simple – add courses, sessions or facilities, customise your storefront and then add to your existing website and social channels. This makes it easy for people to find, book and pay for courses, facilities or sessions. It makes running programmes and other activities seamless as it takes care of payments, data collection and marketing. We are currently rolling out a new and improved version which we are excited about sharing soon.
On top of that, the newest version of our market-leading Activity Finder has just launched and is helping Alliance members including London Sport, Active Essex and Together Active. This tool helps make local activities searchable and bookable in one place.
What will attendees learn from visiting you at Fit for the Future?
They will be able to come over and find out how we are helping organisations just like theirs deliver great digital experiences. We will be showcasing the brand-new version of our platform and we can set up a free custom branded storefront for anyone in a couple of minutes, which will show how it works and how easy it is to use.
What are your hopes for the event?
We are looking to connect with organisations who are curious about our platform and how it could work for them. We are very much looking forward to catching up with our customers face-to-face and meeting as many new people as possible. We want to soak up as much as we can and get a glimpse into what the future might hold for the industry.
Here is an end-of-week wrap on some key workstreams we’re undertaking for you, our members, that we want to bring to your attention. It covers a number of important pieces of information for consideration or action.
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Read the statement from Sport and Recreation Alliance CEO, Lisa Wainwright MBE.
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International Women’s Day serves as a reminder of the importance of gender equality, not just in society at large, but in all sectors, including sport and recreation. While progress has been made in many areas, there remains a glaring need for greater representation of women in leadership roles, particularly on boards and as chairs of sports organisations.
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Joining the Sport and Recreation Alliance is pretty simple, but worthwhile!
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