Major League Baseball is looking to change the way fans experience ballgames, by revamping an iOS app, Mashable reported.
At the Ballpark is an app fans can download that will bring them content like videos and articles about the game they are attending and others around the league as well. Users can also document photos, record games attended and load an ticket of admission right onto the smartphone.
Now, At the Ballpark is going to get even more comprehensive. Using iOS 7's new iBeacon, a GPS feature than can map out indoor areas, At the Ballpark will make entering the stadium gates an interactive experience.
"We've been looking at customizing the app based on where you are within the stadium, but GPS is notorious for not working indoors, especially when you are in a building made of steel," Marc Abramson, iOS developer for MLB, told Mashable. "Instead, we are incorporating Apple's new Bluetooth and iBeacon technologies for iOS 7 and couldn't be more excited about the potential."
Apple sought to make navigating indoors just as effective as a traditional GPS system. The app upgrade will now detect, using GPS, when a person has arrived at the stadium. MLB and Apple have been working closely together to make sure the new upgrade is effective and there was a test-run Thursday at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets.
"Essentially, we want to create micro-locations within the stadiums where you can get different experiences," Abramson said.
The app will load information specific to each stadium and will show the user how to navigate to certain locations. So, if you took the subway to the Bronx to see the Yankees, or flew across country to see the Dodgers, At the Ballpark would have something different to show you about each stadium.
The app goes to work as the user approaches the gate. If you bought your tickets through a partnering website and loaded them to Passbook, then the tickets will load as you get to the entrance gate. The app will show you where your seats are, but will also show certain content depending on where you are in the stadium.
"Not everyone who comes to the games is a super fan, so this adds a new dimension to the experience," Abramson said.
In the Citi Field demo, the app brought up a video about the stadium's history while standing near a statue near the main entrance.
The app will also reward the user like a credit card would. Visiting a certain amount of times can get app holders discounts on team gear or coupons for a free hot dog.
"The whole concept is to give the user an individualized experience that is always different," he said. "The next time a fan comes to Citi Field, you might not get a prompt to visit the apple because it knows you've been there. Instead, it will highlight another area of the stadium."
The Mets are the first team to jump in on the new technology, most likely to officially launch in 2014, but MLB has not announced if any other teams have as well.
