To measure fan sentiment, we deployed an all-new real-time fan monitoring system – a world-first. Custom built in-stadium monitors, along with software and hardware systems, recorded fan performance. Heart rate monitors similar to the ones players wear gave us unique insights: while players peak at 156 bpm, fans’ peak at 185 bpm. Custom software systems monitored the length and loudness of chants and cheering, along with colour analysis to find the most dominant team colour in stadium and on social. Social sentiment analysis then overlaid optimism of fans as they watched the game unfold.

An animation engine visualised significant data events and produced live reports on fan performance, made for mobile and targeted to social media channels during and after the match. Our data even became a new statistical source for commentators, with The Virgin Australia Fan Report content shared live on Channel 7 with over 6.5m viewers.

The content was developed directly, in real time, based on insights gathered through original data. Inherent to the creative output, we used an animation engine to generate custom-built graphics and statistical tables to visualise the data on social media, through targeted Facebook and Twitter posts, to keep them up to the date with the build up to and throughout the match. It also became a statistical source for TV commentators, scaling the idea to the masses.

Also, the content created out of the data served a business need – convincing people that their support did make a different to their team’s performance. Given VA’s position as official partner airline of the AFL, awareness generated through the report linked VA to AFL travel, and in the hearts and minds of the footy fan to ensure they were top of mind when booking a flight to support their team when playing interstate.

Our results are two-set fold. Firstly, the data collected demonstrated the power of the “Uptimism” and how superior fan support of Richmond helped the underdogs to win the Grand Final. Of the thousands of data points collected – Richmond fans had the higher BPM, they out-cheered Adelaide, out-waved their flags, they posted more on Social – the players even called out the fans in their post-match interviews further proving our theory.

Second, in terms of raising awareness of the VA-AFL partnership, the Fan Report ran across Facebook and Twitter, reaching 951k and 292k fans respectively, delivering pre-game / in-game / post game updates to drive engagement. This was in conjunction with ATL channels, including becoming a statistical source for TV commentators viewed by over 6.5m people.

With the final having a total addressable market of 8.4m (Roy Morgan, Oct ’17), we reached a significant proportion of our target audience.