360° Experience – From Stadium to Retail

How Technology, Data, and Design Create Seamless Fan Journeys

In the world of sports and entertainment, experience has become the defining currency. Fans don’t just want to watch — they want to participate, connect, and take a piece of the moment home.

At this year’s Sport.Forum.Schweiz in Lucerne, I had the chance to share insights on a topic that’s reshaping how clubs, brands, and venues engage their audiences:“360° Experience – From Stadium to Retail.”

The idea is simple — but powerful: the emotional connection that starts in the stadium can (and should) continue seamlessly across digital and physical touchpoints. What happens on match day shouldn’t end at the final whistle.

The 360° Experience Approach

A true 360° experience connects the live moment, the digital layer, and the commerce journey into one fluid system.It’s about understanding how a fan’s excitement in the stands can translate into a personalized retail experience — both on-site and online.

In practice, this means:

• Activating fans through interactive touchpoints such as photo booths, AR mirrors, or digital collectibles.

• Linking these activations to data-driven systems — CRM, ticketing, and loyalty platforms — to personalize the next interaction.

• Extending the story into retail spaces, where fans can customize merchandise, relive moments, and share them online.

When technology, design, and storytelling align, the fan becomes part of the ecosystem — not just a spectator.

From Emotion to Engagement

The beauty of experiential design lies in turning emotion into measurable engagement.Every interaction — a scan, a share, a purchase — becomes part of a bigger picture.For sports organizations, this opens the door to smarter insights:

• Which players or moments resonate most?

• What type of content leads to conversion?

• How can a retail journey feel as emotional as a goal celebration?

By designing for emotion first and integrating data second, we create experiences that feel human — but scale digitally.

Stadiums as Experience Hubs

Modern arenas are no longer just places to watch sports — they are living platforms for brand storytelling.Every surface, every screen, every fan touchpoint can be part of a dynamic, data-connected system.

Imagine walking through a stadium where:

• The LED façade adapts to your favorite player.

• The in-store configurator knows your last purchase.

• The mobile app extends your physical visit into a digital reward loop.

That’s what the 360° experience aims for — a holistic, personalized ecosystem bridging physical and digital worlds.

Retail as an Extension of the Stadium

Retail spaces — especially fan shops — are the natural continuation of the live experience.With the right tools, they become interactive stages for identity and community.Whether it’s a Trikot Customizer, a digital photo activation, or AI-driven personalization, the key is to make every fan feel seen, involved, and rewarded.

In this sense, the stadium and the store are not separate worlds — they are two sides of the same emotional journey.

Looking Ahead – The Future of Immersive Fan Journeys

The next wave of fan engagement will be shaped by AI, spatial computing, and connected environments.Imagine AI systems that understand the mood of the crowd, adjust visuals in real time, or suggest personalized merchandise instantly after a goal.

We’re moving toward a future where every fan touchpoint is both emotional and intelligent — and the line between experience and commerce completely dissolves.

That’s what “Beyond the Stadium” truly means: designing connected experiences that live across platforms, powered by data, driven by emotion.

A Thank You to the Community

A big thank you to ESB Marketing Netzwerk for the excellent organization of the event and to all the inspiring speakers and participants in Lucerne.It’s always a pleasure to see how the sports marketing and innovation community continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

About the Author

Benjamin Brostian is a Chief Innovation Officer and specialist in sport, entertainment, and experiential technology. He develops data-driven fan engagement concepts, immersive activations, and interactive retail experiences for global brands and sports organizations.