DBasia.news – Game by game, Real Betis and the Benito Villamarin Stadium are attracting attention from all around. That resulted from the club turning the stadium into a party every pre-game, also involving fans to enhance the experience.
This season, Real Betis enhanced the stadium experience ahead of kick-off through a light, music and color show, convincing fans to choose football over other leisure activity options, as every time they go to the stadium they can enjoy something unforgettable.
The first pre-match show of the season was one involving Alejandro Ortega and his electric fiddle ahead of the game Real Betis played against CA Osasuna in August. The song played was ‘Stereo Love’, a song that has been regularly played in the stadium for the last 12 years, ever since the game away to Salamanca in 2010, one of the biggest and most special away days enjoyed by Real Betis fans in the club’s history.
Another pre-match experience from this season was when the club hosted the biggest TikTok dance in a football stadium ahead of the game against Girona FC, with the crowd dancing to the beat of Rosalia and the famous song ‘Despecha’. This was a huge success and increased the interaction of Real Betis accounts on the social media platform: in just 72 hours there was an increase of 420% in views, 233% in profile views, 442% in likes, 589% in comments, 545% in shares and 51,800 in total. follower.
Thenn, during the Real Betis vs UD Almeria match, a saxophonist appeared to play Quevedo’s song ‘Quedate’, which has become an anthem for the fan base, referring to the Copa del Rey title won in April. Just before the match against Atletico Madrid, Fondo Flamenco, a band with close ties to the club and which composed one of Real Betis’ unofficial anthems, performed before the day’s game.
Achieve value and improve brand
Discussing the pre-match show, Real Betis director of general business Ramon Alarcon said: “Football is entertainment and, therefore, our obligation is to present an attractive product. The only thing we can’t control is sporting results, so we have to focus on making the rest of the experience, which we can manage, as good as possible.”
He continued: “We do this to provide value to the people who come to the stadium and, at the same time, we elevate our brand. The main aim is for those who come to the Benito Villamarin Stadium to get an experience that they cannot get by watching the game on television at home. It is an incentive that helps us to have an audience of 50,000 people every game.”
One of the most spectacular pre-match moments was the duo of saxophonist Manuel Diaz and violinist Alejandro Ortega ahead of El Gran Derbi, providing a truly festive atmosphere at the Benito Villamarin Stadium. “The choice of artists and songs is related to current trends and traditions, all related to ‘Betis culture,’” added Alarcon.
These elements ensure fans feel a greater degree of connection and, for example, make fans more likely to decide to share content. In this way, supporters help each other and become part of the virality of social media. As the Director says: “We create content that goes viral after the game and this allows fans to boast on their own social media saying ‘I was there’, which is a way to increase fan engagement and gain new experiences.”
On the stadium activations and pre-match parties, Alarcon added: “These activities help convince fans to decide to spend their money and, more importantly, their time to come to watch Real Betis instead of pursuing other alternative activities.”
On top of that, the fact that fans now want to get to the stadium early so as not to miss out on the pre-match party has also meant that food and drink sales at the stadium have also increased, and this has boosted overall business. While Alarcon has stated that “everything helps”, he adds that “increased sales were achieved by improving the experience or, in other words, making the options more attractive and introducing a digital payment system that avoids the lines.”