As the technical partner for the Extreme Sailing Series and sponsor of its own team in the competition, SAP uses data to enhance the experience of fans and sailors alike. While measuring key start line parameters including: angle to wind, favoured side and advantage, all in real-time, the company also analyzes social media to measure the event’s reach.
The Extreme Sailing Series returned to Singapore’s Marina Bay over the weekend of February 22 and 23. This is the eighth year of the global circuit and the first time the island nation hosted the race’s opening round. For 2014, SAP set out to deliver both pre and post-race, analysis, providing sailors, media and fans with deeper insight into the action on the water as part of a marketing effort to showcase the company’s data capabilities.
“We are committed to transforming the sport of sailing globally,” said Stefan Lacher, Head of Technology, SAP Sponsorships, “by developing tools that help sailors optimize their performance, bring fans closer to the action and enable media and broadcasters to provide better informed commentaries”.
“The Extreme Sailing Series also provides SAP with the perfect platform to showcase its cutting-edge solutions and to deliver an unprecedented sailing experience to sailors, fans, media and organizers,” explained Claudia Cortes, VP Communications, SAP Asia Pacific Japan. The event is a content marketing play because of the metrics the company captures and is part of the show. “The partnership with the Series positions SAP at the forefront of sailing innovation whilst making the overall business more versatile and recognizable across industries and audiences.”<br /><br />On top of that, Social media adds an interactive dimension and the company also measures those statistics for a tell-tale to judge the direction of social uptake and if it is a mild breeze or a gale force. There is still more to follow in the race series on twitter @SAPSports.
