The XFL 2.0 — A Train Wreck Lesson In Customer Experience Marketing
AKA: Everything I Wanted To Tell The XFL Outside Of The 200 Characters Given In The Survey
While surveys can be a useful tool for gathering feedback, they often fall short when it comes to truly understanding the fan experience. Asking fans to provide meaningful feedback in under 200 characters is not a justifiable way to understand their thoughts and opinions.
From the perspective of a season ticket holder, the XFL match between the San Antonio Brahmas and the Orlando Guardians was a major disappointment. Despite being excited about the prospect of the XFL coming back to Orlando, the experience has been underwhelming, to say the least.
The ticket purchasing process was confusing and frustrating, with emails trying to sell uninspired merchandise and Google forms (really?) for fan experiences that were mostly geared toward children. The mobile application for tickets wasn't even available when tickets were purchased, and there was a lack of clear way-finding and staff on the west side of the stadium.
Security was practically non-existent, with only a smaller than sufficient presence from the local police that seemed understaffed. To make matters worse, most of the seats were sold on the "away side," leaving locals frustrated that tickets were not available on the "shaded" side of the stadium.
While delays for commercial advertising and promotional shout-outs are understandable, the minimal investment on the XFL's part when it came to branding, merchandise, and customer experience marketing was unimpressive.
The live events street team's tactic of handing out stickers by zoned locations was a cost-effective strategy, but for those in the know, it felt lowbrow, especially for season ticket holders who had already spent their money. To make matters worse, they ran out of stickers before reaching some road sections.
Furthermore, effective way-finding can also help reduce congestion and improve safety at large events. By providing clear directions, attendees can be directed towards less crowded entry points, reducing the risk of accidents and injuries. Additionally, clear signage and directions can help attendees find their way back to their cars after the event, minimizing confusion and potential security risks.
Proper way-finding can ultimately enhance the overall attendee experience, leading to greater satisfaction and a higher likelihood of repeat attendance. Therefore, investing in effective way-finding solutions should be a top priority for event organizers, especially at large events like the XFL matches. This is a VERY cheap fix.
In today's world of social media and instant gratification, it's easy to see the polished highlights of any event from the comfort of our own homes. However, the reality of the game-day experience can be vastly different. What fans see on social media and game highlights may not accurately reflect the issues faced by attendees on the day of the event. From parking and way-finding to merchandise and branding, the XFL match between the San Antonio Brahmas and the Orlando Guardians left much to be desired for those in attendance.
Launching a brand at the professional level requires an all-out effort to create a truly exceptional experience for attendees. In the past, the previous XFL league produced by the likes of the WWF went above and beyond to treat season ticket holders with a VIP-like introduction, including embossed tickets and an array of supportive marketing materials. This created a genuine sense that something special was being created, and the excitement for the league was palpable.
Unfortunately, the current iteration of the XFL felt like a cheap experiment in comparison. While the league may have been trying to keep costs low, the lack of investment in the overall experience left many attendees feeling disappointed and disengaged. Look I’ve been doing sports and customer experiential marketing for most of my career. It’s hard, there are a million things that should come from this, and hopefully they’ll staff professionals to do journey-mapping, security run-throughs, and craft moments worth word of mouth advocacy.
Unleash your 200 characters of constructive criticism
The XFL is falling short of expectations from a live event fan perspective. From the confusing ticketing process to the lack of proper way-finding and branding, attendees were left feeling underwhelmed and unimpressed. When launching a brand at this level, it's important to invest in every aspect of the fan experience to create a truly exceptional and memorable event. By doing so, the XFL can build a loyal fan base and establish itself as a legitimate player in the world of professional sports.
In the end, you know, the actual game part, the XFL match felt like a bad C-level college football game, leaving many season ticket holders unimpressed and wanting to opt out if they could.
