CHANGING THE GAME WITH SOCIAL FITNESS AT ITS BEST
With the rise in the popularity of contactless rugby we were tasked to get people hands on with a new a digital solution. Making O2 Touch Rugby more accessible regardless of gender, age or experience with O2 and England Rugby.
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46%↑
Touch Venue Usage
35%↑
Monthly Player Engagement
3,000
Monthly Active Users
THE PROBLEM?
The challenge was to create a digital platform that would inspire new players to get involved in O2 Touch, fuel the passion that existing players had, and remind lapsed players why they fell in love with the game in the first place.
The platform needed to make finding your nearest sessions easier. Whether players are looking to learn a little more about the sport or get involved in a competitive game, the platform needed to make taking part in O2 Touch Rugby more accessible for anyone and everyone, regardless of age, gender or level of experience.
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THE SOLUTION
The solution was a platform with two main components; an app and a facilitating website. The app allows players to find sessions based on their area, the size of the session and the level of their experience. As well as rewarding returning players and advocates with various rewards and making the process of checking into sessions easier and more convenient.
Also used as an administration tool by O2 Touch Centre operators and England Rugby, the O2 Touch app is supported by a website and both platforms enable them to follow the rise of the game and its success. Being able to track the popularity of the game in different areas, centres and sessions is crucial, so the administration side of the platform was just as important as the app that players are using.
WHAT DOES THE APP DO?
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EDUCATING NEW PLAYERS
New players are able to read up on the rules and watch short videos which explain all the need-to-knows; from defining a turnover to the best strategy for attacking.
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PERSONALISING SESSIONS
Choosing the date, location, session type and skill level that's best suited to you is quick and painless. Having the ability to filter sessions this way means you can always find a game that's right for you're individual needs and desires.
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REWARDING PASSION
The app makes it more convenient than ever for players to recommend the sport or specific sessions to friends and family, and can even earn rewards such as exclusive kits and rugby balls by doing so.
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AUTOMATIC CHECK-INS
Existing players benefit from quick registration and automatic check-ins, meaning that they can sign up for teams and sessions as quickly and easily as possible, without having to spend valuable game time filling out forms and submitting information.
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O2 TOUCH RUGBY OPERATORS AND AMBASSADORS
The app has been designed to make it easy for new or existing operators and ambassadors to organise and schedule sessions for players.
What is O2 Touch?
O2 Touch is a fun and friendly environment for both men and women of all abilities to get involved in touch rugby, a contactless version of the game. Teams of six take it in turns to pass the ball and attempt to get it over the try line, to stop the attacking side, a defender only has to touch the player with the ball, no tackling allowed! Whether its about honing your fitness or having a great time exercising as a group, this is social fitness at its best.
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We decided to give it a go ourselves!
Our team visited and played in sessions across a number of O2 Touch centres, including Old Elthamians, Bournemouth RFC and Oakmeadians Rugby Clubs. Although we had a lot of fun getting involved in the game, it was the insights from players and ambassadors that made our time playing worth it. Exploring the differences between players/users, from how often they play to what motivates them to do so, how they would want to pay for the sessions and what would make them refer these sessions to friends/family.
A lot of the team have now become fully paid up members of O2 Touch Rugby teams and are regularly playing, so we know the positive impact the game can have.
It was research, testing and prototyping that allowed us to prioritise and design the UX (User Experience) and UI (User Interface), as well as each different function, feature and element of the platform. Insights like exclusive kits and rugby balls being a major motivation for people to engage with the rewards system, or the idea that payments and data capturing were prime issues for ambassadors. The importance of getting out there and involved in O2 Touch Rugby gave us a completely new way of thinking about the platform, and led to solutions that we wouldn’t have considered otherwise.
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