REQUEST FOR INFORMATION BY RLWC2021
OUR TOURNAMENT
For five weeks from the 23rd of October 2021, 21 venues across England will welcome fans as they experience the Rugby League World Cup 2021.
750,000 seats will be filled with Rugby League fans new and old enjoying the pinnacle of the sport and celebrating the biggest and best ever Rugby League World Cup.
In addition, all 61 matches across our three tournaments, Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair, will be broadcast and distributed globally to Rugby League fans.
With this tournament it is our ambition to reach a more diverse audience across all platforms than ever before. As well as to leave a long-lasting legacy for RLWC2021 that creates a wider social impact within our host towns and cities.
OUR DIGITAL VISION
It is our objective to make the tournament the most digitally connected entertainment event of 2021, whilst supporting our critical goal of selling 750,000 tickets.
We aim to do this by creating compelling digital experiences and content for both our core and non-core fans. Acting as a point of difference for fans, inspiring them to engage and interact with the tournament like never before.
OUR CHALLENGE
With our ambition to be the most digitally connected sports entertainment event of 2021 we recognise that mobile technologies present a significant opportunity to interact directly with fans in new ways; as well as authentically delivering on our promise of being a digital-first Rugby League World Cup.
At the highest level we have two audience groups we are attempting to engage with through their mobile devices, across our three tournaments, these audiences and our objectives are listed as follows:
In-venue spectators
- 750,000 spectators attending across Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair tournaments
- 60% of attenders core-audience (Rugby League and sports attenders)
- 40% attenders non-core audience (big eventers, families, millennials and students)
- 21 venues and 61 games
National and international viewers
- 150 million worldwide broadcast reach
- 300 million social media reach
- Participating nation supporter groups
- Broadcast companion
- Broadcast dark markets
In-venue objectives
- Directly enhance the in-venue viewing experience
- Create an appeal that incentivises additional ticket sales (FOMO)
- Enable content contribution for event amplification
Commercial opportunity
- Lower volume but highly targeted, high value audience
- Known users with 1-2-1 relationship with RLWC2021
- Strong affinity with Rugby League and RLWC2021
Remote objectives
- Enhance the broadcast experience, via 2nd screen
- Connect users to the venue experience
- Connect the stadium with remote fans
- Enable fan content capture
- Attract and engage new audiences with the sport
Commercial opportunity
- High volume but lower value audience
- High proportion of anonymous users, targeting via tracking, behaviours and location
- Interest in Rugby League and RLWC2021
We are keen to develop our mobile strategy to ensure that we can connect both audience groups with high quality digital experiences and content.
However, it is our priority to make sure that we are maximising the value from those spectators attending games, adding to their event experience, and providing additional drivers for ticket sales.
To do this, we believe there is value in commissioning a tournament mobile application.
What we are keen to understand as part of this process is how we motivate our fans to download overcoming any ‘barriers to entry’ a mobile application may create. Thereby ensuring significant return on investment from any development undertaken.
We also need to understand how we can deliver this experience in a sustainable and efficient way that recognises the ‘short-lived’ nature of the RLWC2021 tournament.
OUR AMBITION
We are keen to find a partner that can work with us to realise our tournament objectives through the delivery of innovative mobile solutions. The realisation of our vision for this project will need us to overcome significant challenges. Some of these will be familiar territory to businesses experienced in delivering world class digital experiences, whilst we are sure other complications are yet to emerge.
This partner must represent the RLWC2021 values and be willing to take a proactive approach in supporting us with achieving the RLWC2021 strategic goals.
We are keen to work with those suppliers that have previous experience in delivering solutions for other sporting tournaments, leagues, competitions, or major events.
OUR CONSTRAINTS
- We already have an existing technology infrastructure and suppliers committed through to the end of the tournament in the following areas – web development, ticketing, data management and warehousing and e- commerce. Any new solutions would be required to compliment these platforms and integrate where viable and where additional value could be achieved.
- There is inconsistent in-venue connectivity across the 21 venues being utilised for the tournament, presenting challenges for audience interactivity during matches.
- There is a limited time for development, configuration, content production, testing, deployment, and promotion of any proposed solutions in advance of tournament in 2021. We anticipate this available time to be 6 months during Q1 and Q2 of 2021.
- We have restricted content rights to live/highlights from in-match for distribution on RLWC2021 owned platforms.
OUR BUDGET
RLWC2021 have a limited budget for delivery of this critical project. However, we are interested in exploring commercial models to exploit the opportunities created by both audiences. This will enable reinvestment in product development, content creation and marketing to drive awareness.
OUR PROCESS
The following is an outline of the timetable for our decision making. This stage will enable us to determine the value and viability of the project, enabling us to proceed with a formal tender process.
AUGUST 2020
- Market assessment via ‘Request For Information’ submissions from interested suppliers.
- Review of submissions and identification of up to a maximum of ten suppliers for initial introductory presentations.
SEPTEMBER 2020
- Development of full scoping documentation and formal tender materials. Subject to the findings from the RFI process.
OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2020
- Procurement process, supplier selection and contract award.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR FROM YOU?
Thank you for registering your interest and downloading this document.
To submit a response to this RFI we require you to supply a proposal/presentation that is strictly limited to no more than 10 pages of A4. Your submission must demonstrate:
- Your organisation’s experience and credentials in delivering mobile experiences that have helped deliver on your clients’ strategic objectives.
- Your response to the challenges we have outlined regards the development of a RLWC2021 mobile solution(s).
- Your points of differentiation that will be the drivers for adoption and engagement with any mobile solution produced for RLWC2021.
- Your response should answer the questions outlined in Appendix A.
We look forward to receiving your submission, by the 17th of August at 6pm BST. All submissions should be submitted by email to digital@rlwc2021.com, with the subject line ‘MOBILE RFI SUBMISSION’.
B Hunter Russell Scott
Digital and media director Broadcast lead
APPENDIX A
ABOUT YOU
- Organisation name
- Lead contact name
- Contact details
- Top 3 key facts about your business
ABOUT FANS: IN-VENUE SPECTATORS
- Your vision for the in-venue experience
- Core functionality you propose or offered by your product/solution
- Commercial model and opportunities for ROI
- Your approach to driving adoption and engagement
- 3 examples of recent, relevant work in this area
ABOUT FANS: NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES
- Your vision for the remote experience
- Core functionality you propose or offered by your product/solution
- Commercial model and opportunities for ROI
- Your approach to driving awareness and reach
- 3 examples of recent, relevant work in this area
ABOUT RLWC2021
- How does your proposal contribute to the RLWC2021 strategic goals?
o To be the most attended and viewed World Cup ever o To deliver a profitable tournament o To leave a long-lasting legacy o To increase the profile and visibility of Rugby League o To be the most digitally connected sports entertainment event of
2021
