Football season is here, and while NFL teams take to the field and battle it out each Sunday in the hopes of becoming the next Super Bowl champion, another battle is brewing off the field — the location app battle for fan checkins.
While the Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots employ SCVNGR for fan challenges, the Washington Redskins are siding with Foursquare. The team just launched a location-based campaign designed to encourage fans to check in and unlock an official Redskins badge.
Redskins fans can opt to unlock the badge by either checking in to FedExField or checking in on three separate occasions at featured Redskins bars in the Washington D.C. area. Fans that play the Foursquare game will also uncover tips from the team.
Fans not lured to Foursquare by the promise of a new badge may change their mind once they find about the grand prize — 2 loge tickets and pre-game field passes. Also included is a tailgate party with the GEICO Caveman. Who doesn’t want to party with that guy?
Looking at the bigger picture, it’s interesting to see NFL teams embrace new social platforms so quickly. The obvious benefits include social exposure and the chance to convert more fans into ticket buyers. This season should shed light on whether or not location-sharing applications can be powerful recruiting tools. The service of choice for each individual team could also influence fan adoption of a particular app and possibly level the playing field.
Image courtesy of Flickr, Kevin Coles
More About: football, foursquare, MARKETING, nfl, washington redskins
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