German football club 1. FC Köln – commonly known as FC Cologne to the English-speaking world – fans went to the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne, Germany, and saw their team face off against Italian champions AC Milan in a preseason friendly in July. Fans of the Bundesliga team who purchased a special ticket were given a team scarf with an embedded NFC tag (News - Alert) to customize their stadium experience.
Identiv collaborated with collectID to deliver the NFC-enabled immersive fan experience for 1. FC Köln fans during the “Innovation Game.” A digitized scarf with an embedded NFC tag takes the place of a conventional or mobile ticket, provides stadium entry and lets users access exclusive real-time digital content during a match and receive offers and rewards.
Identiv-selected NFC tags are seamlessly integrated into wearables and are ideal for anti-counterfeiting and verifying proof of ownership. Each tag provides a personalized experience within each interaction.
"We're taking the interactive sporting event experience to the next level of entertainment through digitization, security and a sustainable approach with less reliance on printed tickets," said Amir Khoshniyati, vice president and general manager, Transponders, Identiv.
The scarfs provided in the game between the Billy Goats and the Rossoneri allowed fans to receive communication from their home club during the game to include them in the real-time action on the pitch.
“The feedback received from supporters of 1. FC Köln was so positive that there will be similar activations in the future,” said David Geisser, co-founder of collectID. “We look forward to being involved in developing more fan engagement with 1. FC Köln."