Pokémon Go: encouraging people to get-up and go

Never being one to miss out on a hot topic, I thought I’d write about the Pokémon Go craze that has swept the globe.

I’ll start with the basics, Pokémon (which is short for pocket monster) are, according to a parent’s guide at Pokemon.com,  “creatures of all shapes and sizes who live in the wild or alongside humans.”

So now you know.

Back in the 90s children and teenagers (myself included) could be found playing with Pokémon on our Game Boys or trading cards in the playground. It’s now back with a bang, in the form of an app which utilises the latest technology to get us walking and exploring to catch new Pokémon.

Could our pursuit of Pokémon actually help more people to be physically active and what lessons can the sport and recreation sector take, if any, from this global game that uses the GPS linked to our mobile phones?

Firstly, let’s look at the actual physical effort involved in playing Pokémon Go.

In order to be able to catch Pokémon, users of the app have to explore the world around them and track Pokémon using the map. It’s already led to a number of mishaps from over-eager Pokémon trainers, with a group of teenagers having to be rescued after becoming stuck in a cave in Wiltshire. Mishaps aside, the game encourages people to get active outdoors in order to make further progress and with childhood obesity on the rise, anything that might help engage young people (yes, older people can play it too) with physical activity has to be broadly welcomed.

So what can the sport and recreation sector learn from this?

Well, we already know that the gamification of sport and recreation has been trialled by some organisations previously. Our Future Trends report looked at how, with the rise of technology, participants who previously felt like the mainstream sport was not for them, found a new way to engage in physical activity where gaming-based incentives are presented to them. The report also looked at how sport and recreation is not just about improving physical health but that the social benefits are also vital when encouraging people to take part.

It’s already been reported that Virgin Active are going to launch a Pokémon Go workout, whereby participants can take part in a 5k run, with interval training included, while also looking for Pokémon. This kind of session combines the key ingredients of any successful sport or activity; incorporating a fun element in to the physical activity.

Even where the use of technology is not suitable to encourage participation , creating shorter, different formats for sport and recreation can have the same effect. This week it was announced that the Lawn Tennis Association has partnered with a leisure centre to roll out touchtennis to a wider audience. Touchtennis is a simplified version of tennis using smaller racquets,  courts and softer balls, which has been designed to lower the barriers to participation.

England Hockey developed Rush Hockey under a similar premise and it’s one that more sports could look to adopt. Being creative with a concept that encourages people to engage and take part in sport and physical activity, with less of an emphasis on the competitive nature, is going to broaden a sport’s appeal to those who may find competitive situations daunting and who will benefit from a more leisurely approach to physical activity

There is a key role for technology to play in encouraging physical activity and equally technology can play a role in how sports organisations evidence the impact that they have. We looked at this issue in depth during our Sports Summit and as well as during our Technology and Insight month.

It is something the sector will have to become comfortable in utilising or there is a risk it will lose out on a huge market of young, tech-savy and easily motivated individuals. Here at the Alliance, we’ll be looking out for ways we can help lead on this work and ensure that our members can capitalise on developments like Pokémon Go.

Do you think "gamification" like Pokémon Go can help encourage new audiences to become physically active?

— Sport & Rec Alliance (@sportrectweets) July 22, 2016

Or, if 140 characters is not enough for you, please leave a comment with your thoughts on the role of technology and how it will shape the future of sport and physical activity.

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