Fans Weigh In on the Importance of Cleanliness & Sanitization as Sports Look to Resume
The survey found that sports fans are prioritizing cleanliness and sanitation. The insights pulled from the survey fielded June 8-14, 2020, of 3,000 nationally representative respondents, age 12 and above, reported
Overall, 59% of sports fans ages 18+ agree, “No matter what the product is, I will pay more if I know it’s clean and sanitized”
Avid sports fans (65%) and sports fans in the Millennial generation (67%) are even more likely to agree with the same statement as above
82% of sports fans indicated that personal hygiene is very important in strengthening your body’s defense against COVID-19 (87% among avid fans)
These insights determined that “crowd-controlled or not, sports fans remain wary about attending live events — and prioritize hygiene/safety significantly more than non-fans.”
Using Technology to Help Be Part of the Solution
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the world and has changed the way society views and approaches health and safety, including facility cleanliness and sanitization. These changes will continue to create new challenges and drive new protocols for facilities and venues, as indicated by the survey results above.
When it comes to traditional disinfection methods, such as wiping surfaces with towelettes or using backpack sprayers, those methods will be unsuitable for large-scale disinfection of fan seating areas. These methods are too labor intensive, make it harder to achieve turnaround times, and create additional liability exposure. Fortunately, drone-enabled disinfectant spraying technology is an innovative new method that can help facilities disinfect the seating areas of stadiums and arenas, safely, efficiently, and affordably. With 59% of fans from the survey indicating that they are comfortable paying more to attend sporting events “if I know it’s clean and sanitized” it makes sense for sports leagues, teams, venues, and stakeholders to invest in innovative and new technologies to assure consumers that it is safe to attend live events again (when permitted).
Deciding whether to disinfect the seating area in a venue has become an important point of discussion as facilities navigate new expectations of leagues, schools, players, stakeholders, and fans. The type of venue, the seating layout, the frequency of events, and whether it is outdoors or indoors are key factors in these discussions. The consensus seems to be that disinfection on a regular basis and after every event will be important to demonstrate that a facility is doing everything possible to ensure safety and cleanliness.
With the overwhelming media attention given to new virus cases and introduction of contact tracing, it is reasonable to expect that any new COVID-19 occurrences which trace back to an event will likely result in that venue suffering attendance disruption and diminished revenues. Taking appropriate precautions and proactively disinfecting after every event is the best course of action.
Innovation That Matters
A recent episode of the Bolt Group’s “Innovations That Matter” reviewed a handful of new drone companies who are leveraging innovative technologies during the age of Coronavirus.
“EagleHawk’s latest automated aerial chemical spraying system is notable for its efficiency. Realizing how much time and effort it takes to disinfect large public venues by hand they devised a better way. … As venues potentially reopen being able to quickly and effectively clean spaces such as theaters and sports stadiums between events will make a big difference.”
For EagleHawk’s drone-enabled disinfectant spray services the Bolt Group rated the company:
Innovation – 3/5
“We’re impressed with the two-drone solution to manage that awkward hose line.”
Feasibility – 5/5
“We find the implementation here to be both practical and effective. The system cleans very similarly to how a large staff might but only faster.”
Scalability – 4/5
“We can see a system like this bringing a value add to a lot of venues. We think being able to clean fast is going to be a major cost influencer in the days ahead.”
The Importance of Public Relations & Making Fans Feel Safe
Marketing and public relations initiatives focused on communicating to fans and patrons that a venue is committed to doing everything possible to make that facility safe, clean, and disinfected is going to be a key enabler to getting fans and stakeholders back into the stands. Ticket sales drive revenue and fund programs and it only takes a small increase in fan attendance to pay for the cost of drone-enabled disinfectant spraying services. As noted above by the survey insights, many fans are willing to pay extra to know that venues have been properly cleaned and sanitized.
Traditional vs Drone-Enabled Disinfection
Most facilities and venues currently use a team of laborers after each event to clean up debris, garbage, and some cases pressure wash the facility. This labor-intensive approach has been considered for disinfection as well, but there are many reasons this approach is impractical. There are safety concerns, liability risks, operational challenges, and cost barriers to performing manual spraying of disinfectant. EagleHawk’s new drone-enabled disinfectant spraying services and technologies overcome these challenges because it is safe, efficient, effective, affordable, and reduces liability risks.
Contact EagleHawk today to learn more about how EagleHawk’s drone-enabled solutions and technology are helping sports fans feel safe once sports can resume with fans in attendance.
