http://www.bizjournals.com/portland...ers-position-moda-center-as-asandbox-for.html The Portland Trail Blazers and parent company Vulcan Inc. have poured $20 million in capital improvements into the Moda Center arena over the last three years. From upgrading private suites to adding an on-site bar and restaurant to welcoming more local food purveyors to operate concessions, owner Paul Allen, a co-founder of Microsoft who also owns the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and is a minority owner of the MLS Sounders, has opted to invest in an extended life of the 20-year-old facility. While the enormous new fountain and torch that welcomes fans may be splashy, its arguably the technology behind the scenes at Moda Center that's setting the team up best for the future. I stopped by the arena Thursday to learn how the Blazers have been using different apps and platforms to engage existing fans, create new ones and build a business that has struggled to reach profitability. "The culture, because Paul Allen's the owner, is to do these things," said Dewayne Hankins, senior vice president of brand strategy and digital for the Trail Blazers. Hankins, along with Business Operations SVP Vince Ircandia, highlighted a few of the ways the Blazers have tried to make the team a sort of sandbox for trying out new tech toys and platforms designed for sports clubs. The Blazers were the first pro sports team to enable season-ticket renewal inside a native app. The team recently rolled out free stadium-wide WiFi, a challenge when you consider the system needs to seamlessly support fast Instagram posts for 20,000 fans. But some recent partnerships with Portland tech firms have begun taking the team into the next phase in its quest to improve the fan experience and make it easier and more engaging to attend a live event. The team tapped Portland-based Digimarc, once one of the fastest-growing tech firms in the U.S., to run the FanScan feature of the Blazers app. Anytime you see the FanScan logo, printed on items like game programs, team posters and the Blazer Dancers calendar, just scan the item using the app to be taken to extra content like video interviews, roster details or related offers.
Our partnership with the Blazers is part of this. From all my dealings with these guys, they really get it.
