AMBITION
Deepen fan engagement
When the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) started its first season in 1997, fan engagement looked generally different than it does today. Technology has created unique and powerful ways for sports fans to engage with their favorite players, teams, and leagues in real time. And, increasingly, fans are looking to consume content digitally and at their fingertips. As the WNBA is in more than the basketball game, the league turned to Deloitte to help reimagine and elevate its digital game, ultimately to meet the needs and interests of its growing and diverse fanbase.
ACTION
Transform the WNBA's digital strategy
As a trusted advisor to the WNBA, Deloitte helps the league advance and grow through many initiatives, including long-term vision planning, fan segmentation, and digital strategy. To take the WNBA App to the next level, the league brought in Deloitte, given our blend of strategic approach, product management and design experience, understanding of the league, and vast technology capabilities.
To start, our product innovation team and the WNBA collaborated to define product priorities based on fan needs, utilizing proprietary research, fan insights, and competitive analysis. More than 30 user journeys and leading mobile principles informed the overarching app strategy and approach, which resulted in three mobile design imperatives:
With the requirement framework clearly defined, Deloitte professionals, including UX/UI designers and product managers, began mapping the app architecture and experience flowcharts to optimize the experience across multiple operating systems. A team of in-house developers and engineers supported development—building, designing, and implementing design components that could be leveraged based on content served to each unique fan and based on their personalized interests. And, to ensure that the app would operate at peak performance, quality assurance professionals validated process flows and designs in more than 15 user testing sessions ahead of app launch.
Throughout the process, Deloitte brought an insight-driven, tailored approach to help create a next-generation digital experience designed to allow fans to get closer to what they love about the teams, the players, and the league as a whole. Keeping the fans at the center of the experience, the app brings in features many surveyed fans specifically asked for, including must-see moments and team spotlights, as well as prioritized short-form content delivery. Since fan preferences and trends are always evolving, the app was also built to accommodate new features over time.
ACHIEVEMENT
Delivered game-changing impact
Across the complete app development life cycle, from strategy and design to development and quality assurance, our product innovation team helped the league to build an app that delivers impact for the WNBA. By reimagining the mobile experience, the WNBA can help enable fans to engage more deeply with the sport through personalized content and experiences. In doing so, the WNBA can further understand and engage its fan base, ultimately providing a platform to drive loyalty and potential for revenue generation. Plus, Deloitte continues to work with the league to enhance and optimize the app for a more personalized digital experience with new features like viewing past season games, a game calendar and team filter, ticketing added to game details, and the ability to tour and rate the app.
Since the app’s launch, it has experienced eager engagement from fans and created measurable impact for the league. WNBA League Pass is the league’s
official streaming service, offering fans access to hundreds of live games and on-demand content. The app plays a crucial role in driving League Pass viewership and subscriptions. Featuring free game previews and seamless subscription integrations, the app enhances the user journey, effectively converting app users into League Pass subscribers and boosting game viewership.
Through harnessing the power of technology, Deloitte is helping the league win beyond the court now and in the future.
increase in app downloads year-over-year³
increase in App active monthly users in 2023
increase in League Pass views year-over-year
growth in League Pass subscriptions
Our work with the WNBA revolutionized fan engagement through a cutting-edge, personalized app experience.
Sources:
1 and 2: From proprietary research as a part of Deloitte-conducted focus group. Results are of those surveyed.
3: Women’s National Basketball Association, League Office, 2023.
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