Get Close to the Action
GWS’s primary task in Project VISTA is to assist in determining and demonstrating consumer interest and potential business opportunities to enable 5G-powered live-streaming at sporting and music events across the UK. In general, GWS recruits from a range of demographics and asks consumers about their habits and interests (i.e., gather feedback on what they like, what they don’t like, how often they attend events and which one, how much they would pay for such a service, and more).
In the early stages of the project GWS conducted both consumer focus group research and a nationwide market research survey. Below are three key findings:
1. Most people already use their phones to enhance their live event experience. According to GWS’s survey, the majority of consumers that go to live events typically use their smartphones at the event (76% of those attending music events and 77% at sporting events) with taking photos and videos, messaging, and voice calls being the most used functions.
2. Consumer feedback from GWS’s research presents an encouraging picture for an experience enhancing app that is based on VISTA technology - over a third of sports and music fans who regularly attend live events said they would be interested in using such an app. In addition, the Project VISTA team is currently working with various business leaders to test a variety of potential commercial models for the technology, which will be instrumental in determining consumer response to a final product.
3. Despite the pandemic, GWS’s data shows that there is still a strong appetite for the live experience of music and sports events. Amongst music and sports fans with smartphones, 96% and 95% attend live events, respectively. And the majority of those going to live events typically buy something at the event (87% of those attending music events and 88% attending sporting events) illustrating the continued commercial potential of feature enhancements within the live entertainment industry.
It is worth noting that GWS’s initial round of market research was conducted during the project’s early stages where consumers expressed their level of interest based simply on a description of the proposed concept. As the project matures and we are better able to demonstrate the technology’s benefits, consumer interest is expected to increase.
