Is the Clippertron the Next Step in Fan Engagement?

Picture it: You’re sitting in the stands during an NBA game. The action on the floor is slow — maybe there are free throws or a 30-second timeout on the floor. You grab your phone, connect to the arena WiFi, and pull up a webpage. You scroll through a list of players, pick your favorite one, and choose a highlight you want to see — a dunk, a sweet finger roll, a step-back jumper, etc. During the next timeout, on the big video screen over center court, the video you selected is playing, along with your name. This is what Steve Ballmer wants to do with Clippertron, and it’s already happening.

The Los Angeles Clippers have teamed up with the company Second Spectrum to work on developing a new approach to fan engagement at sporting events. The system allows fans to use their mobile device to pick a favorite highlight to be displayed on the scoreboard. While Blake Griffin’s dunking prowess is impressive enough, Second Spectrum isn’t stopping there. Using their proprietary DataFX system, they will also display key stats and measurements that will show how and why Griffin dunks so hard, what makes up DeAndre Jordan’s shot-blocking ability, or how Chris Paul gets so many assists. As Second Spectrum co-founder Rajiv Maheswaran told the LA Times:

“It’s not just going to be highlights […] It’s highlights with a lot of effects but also telling the story with numbers you can’t get anywhere else. Nobody else on the planet is going to have them.”

According to the Times, the Clippers will be the first team to incorporate this kind of technology during games.

It’s a fairly logical move for the Clippers, as their new owner has such a rich tech background. But as certain NBA teams struggle to bring in crowds, something like what Second Spectrum is offering could help with fan retention. Basketball games can be expensive endeavors for fans when compared to staying home and watching the game on TV. Now, teams have the ability to bring a little bit of that TV experience into the arena. It wouldn’t be shocking to see more teams implement the same system — or something similar — very soon.