Why?

Why Event Presentation is now a necessity rather than an

option.

With Andy Kay

Why Andy Kay?

Event Presentation & Broadcast Consultant to British Athletics

Event Presentation Consultant to EA and IAAF

IAAF Announcer

Former BBC Radio Editor & Producer

What is Event Presentation?

• A Show within a Show!

• Designed to work for the LOC, HB and paying spectators

• Manage the timetable

• Educate, entertain & inform the crowd

• Manage the VC’s (if any)

• Embrace innovation but be sensitive to the needs of the athletes

• Provide strong editorial judgement

• Anticipate what might happen

It’s not like we actually have a choice!

• Athletics needs to fight for live audience market share

• Other sports are now using advanced EP techniques

• We need to attract a younger fan base

• Our existing audience is getting older & will die off

• Full stadiums look better on TV

• The athletes like it

It’s not like we actually have a choice!

• Athletics is an easy sport to understand BUT…

…It is difficult to follow

AND

• We receive artificial importance from being the number 1 Olympic sport

Event Presentation can help us win the

battle…

• It turns a sports event in to an experience

• It appeals to the ‘non-expert’ spectator

• It makes spectators feel part of an event

• It can provide spectators with ownership (tweets & music)

• It creates word of mouth recommendation

• It takes some of the pressure off athlete performance

• It helps the sport punch above its weight

Event Presentation techniques on show at

Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games 2013

Screens Pyros Bolt Parade

Music Kiss Cam Sponsor Competitions

Flames Inflatables Event Competitions

Selfies Music requests T-Shirt cannons

Approval ratings…

Sainbury’s Anniversary Games 2013

87% of the people polled said they would definitely buy a ticket again

Over 30% said it was the best event they had ever been to

Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014

20,000 people were polled and 91% gave the event a top mark approval rating

This is proof that Event Presentation

works…

BUT

• You don’t need to spend a fortune on it

• It can be done on a budget

• You don’t have to instigate all of it at once

• Get the views of your top athletes

• Ask your European colleagues what works for them

Event Presentation is now at the forefront

of new event planning…

• No longer an after thought

• Events being created with EP personnel involved in the planning stages

• The advantages of good Event Presentation is now widely accepted (it hasn’t been in the past!!)

• IAAF World Relays is an example of great teamwork between the governing body, LOC, EP and HB

Social Media and new technology

demands that Event Presentation keeps

pace…

Social Media

• Tweets & Selfies on the screen

• Promotion of LOC / National Federation website / Facebook / Instagram/ Twitter etc

• Real time music requests

• Spectator vote for POTD / MVP (revenue stream?)

Social Media and new technology

demands that Event Presentation keeps

pace…

New Technology (well, it’s already here!!!)

• Biomechanical athlete kit (approval required)

• Virtual Seating (Google Glasses)

• TV feeds – track & field (Google Glasses)

• Real time live performance data (heat maps)

• WiFi rich environment

• Remote CIS (as per Zurich 2014)

• Implement sensors

« You cannot escape the responsibility of

tomorrow by avoiding it today. »

Abraham Lincoln