This is a sponsored story from Pixis Drones.
Sports and drone light shows share a common DNA: Both are exciting spectacles, filled with the unexpected and possessing the power to evoke deep emotions in individuals of all ages.
Sports teams and professional leagues are turning to drone light shows to enhance fan experiences, drive online engagement, create new marketing and sponsorship opportunities, and even fuel attendance.
HOW DRONE LIGHT SHOWS ENHANCE THE FAN EXPERIENCE
A drone light show is a bigger-than-life event—a synchronized visual symphony in the sky that evokes an almost childlike sense of wonder in people of all ages. Few can fathom the size and scope of a show taking place just a few hundred feet above their heads.
Whether they are part of the pre-game festivities, halftime show, or post-game promotion, drone light shows add a new dimension to the fan experience. They can draw people to the ballpark and evoke team pride.
Drone light shows have, to date, been used to create everything from team logos to championship banners and animated sequences that tell stories in the sky. Their presence has been felt at the biggest sporting events in the world, such as the Super Bowl and the NBA Draft, and emerging tournaments in professional tennis, such as the BNP Paribas Open.
While drone light shows are still relatively new, the experience is already being extended through the use of mixed reality (MR) and augmented reality (AR), haptic feedback devices, integration with sensor-enabled lighting and digital displays, and other innovative ideas that will drive attendance to games and events.
DRONE X SPORTS | MARKETING AND PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Brand Integration
Drone light shows have become popular with advertising agencies and marketing teams because they create an authentic emotional connection with audiences, create earned media opportunities, and drive unprecedented online engagement across social channels.
The potential for storytelling is limitless. Corporate sponsors see the tremendous opportunities to connect with fans and build a strong bond between them and their products. A well-planned drone light show can engage fans online through QR codes or a combination of image recognition and geolocation, and repay them for sharing or engaging with content by providing special offers or access to exclusive content.
Social Media Buzz
The video content that emerges after a show can go viral on social media channels, generating millions of likes and shares and driving high levels of content engagement long after the live event. In a world of endless scrolling, the stunning size and scope of a drone show remains one of the few things that consistently gets people to stop and share.
THE NEXT GENERATION IS COMING
Sports franchises have already used drone light shows to engage fans, celebrate milestones, and promote their brands and events—yet the true potential for these technology-driven spectacles is yet to be unlocked.
As we continue to innovate, create new ways to bridge the physical and digital worlds, and help our franchise partners make lasting connections with their fans, drone light shows will continue to evolve and become immersive multisensory experiences that deliver unprecedented and often unexpected returns.
