United Kingdom
5
years running since 2021
60
live match days delivered
500
game plays per match day
2
tournaments per year
Overview
Five years. Sixty match days.
British Airways’ sponsorship of England Rugby called for a centrepiece activation inside the Allianz Fan Village, a brand-enhancing free fan space, eye-catching and all-ages, tied directly to the BA reward ecosystem.
IUF delivered full concept, custom hardware build, software platform and on-site execution of two connected rugby challenges, a Passing test and a Kicking test, running side by side as the lit-up heart of the Fan Village on every England home match day since 2021. Five years of refinement have turned a one-off activation into a plug-and-play platform run by a single IUF technician.
Journey & Experience
1. Passing Challenge: LED Sensor Target Wall
A rugby passing test built around custom LED sensor rings. Players scan their RFID card, then have a timed window to throw the ball through a wall of illuminated target holes, each worth different points based on size and distance.
- Wall of LED-lit target holes — 50 and 100 point rings
- RFID card scan binds the attempt to a player profile
- Sensors register every successful pass in real time
- LEDs animate the score as it climbs
- Live total posts to the leaderboard within seconds
- Photo and video of the attempt captured to player profile
2. Kicking Challenge: Companion Precision Test
The companion challenge — a precision kicking test against the same LED sensor-ring structure, with a larger play zone and a short countdown for each player’s turn. Scoring runs through the same engine onto the same leaderboard.
- Same target wall, larger play zone for kicking range
- Short-window precision challenge with countdown overlay
- RFID tap-in links the kick to the same player profile
- Combined Passing + Kicking score posts to one leaderboard
- Top scores convert to Avios points and flight prizes
- Photo and video delivered to player’s inbox
Technology Architecture
Two activations. One shared platform. One on-site technician.
Core Infrastructure
- Arduino-driven scoring engine connecting Passing and Kicking
- Real-time pass and kick detection via integrated sensors
- QR registration capturing name, email and marketing consent
Hardware Ecosystem
- Custom LED sensor-ring target structures, 50 / 100 point rings
- Animating LEDs visualising score progression in real time
- Unique RFID card bound to every player profile
Support Model
- Outdoor-rated build for UK weather and match-day footfall
- Photo and video capture with same-day email delivery
- Live integration with BA’s Avios programme, flights for top scorers
Implementation
Phase 1 – Launch (2021)
- One-off interactive activation built for the Allianz Fan Village
- Custom LED sensor target wall and RFID scoring engine
- Integrated into British Airways’ Avios loyalty programme from day one
Phase 2 – Operate
- Deployed at every England home match — Six Nations and Autumn Internationals
- 1 IUF technician handles full build, live-day support and teardown
- Sub-minute player turnaround at high match-day throughput
Phase 3 — Refine
- Scoring engine, reward integration and capture pipeline iterated every tournament
- One-off activation evolved into an owned IUF plug-and-play platform
- The kit on stand today is a quieter, faster, more reliable version of the original
Outcomes
Programme longevity
60 live match days delivered since 2021 across Six Nations and Autumn Internationals, around 500 game plays per match day. The hero activation at the centre of the Allianz Fan Village, every time England plays at home.
Match-day engagement
Single Autumn Internationals snapshot: 800 registrations, 1,200 games played, 750 photos captured. Live leaderboard, live scoring and shareable video and photo delivered to every player’s inbox.
Brand & reward value
Name, email and marketing consent captured into the BA ecosystem at every match. Top scorers convert into Avios points and match-day flight prizes, tying the activation directly to BA’s loyalty programme.
