For the past year, Ozean has waited patiently on the sideline. Our company has continued to workout hard, run stadiums, and focus on what was important…our chance to play the game. Today, on February 4, 2011, we’ve been given the go-ahead. We are no longer sitting on the sideline. Instead, we are in the middle of the action, playing the game!
screen shot from Gatorzone.com
Ozean partnered with the University of Florida’s Athletic Association to design and develop a Panoramic Seat Locator Application, and now it is live for fans to see and interact with! The Panoramic Seat Locator, now called Total360Sports, is a 360° panoramic virtual tour for sporting venues that shows multiple views within each section of the stadium or arena.
Approximately 12,000 photographs, 3 stadiums, and 612 data points later (not to mention, over 15 pounds of combined weight loss between Lauren Kruglanski and Alex Patton – the majority of which was lost by Alex after doing stadiums a few times to get all of the required photographs), the virtual experience of Total360Sports has launched.
Want to see Ozean’s magic? Curious to get started and find your view from your seat in the stadium? Visit GatorZone’s website!. From that point, you can select which stadium you want to view.
For the University of Florida, we have taken this idea from conception to reality for all three major sports stadiums:
“I love the level of customer service Total360Sports brings to our fans,” said Mark Gajda, Assistant Athletic Director of Ticketing for the University of Florida Athletic Association. “It is very easy to use for any fan, young or old.”
Total360Sports is not only a clean and useful web application, but a practical tool that can be advantageous to your website. Fans can now be even more engaged, since Total360Sports interactive virtual tours uniquely create greater fan interaction and enthusiasm, as well as sales for your business. The Total360Sports web application offers panoramic views comprised entirely of actual photographs, complete with icons that designate men and women’s bathrooms, first aid and wheelchair seating.
Total360Sports has:
- Immersive 360° panoramas
- Particular points within each section of the field or court
- Ability to view panoramas in full-screen mode
- Ability to zoom in and out of each point in full-screen mode
- User-friendly interface
- Branding specifically for your athletics program
- Ability for fans to compare seats/sections
- Ability for fans to search the application by entering their section, row, and seat
- Hotspot icons within the panoramas – men’s restrooms, women’s restrooms, first aid, and telephones
- Ability to serve ads and update with advertising messages and/or sponsorships
The benefits of these features truly reign supreme. Total 360Sports significantly increases fan engagement and enthusiasm, therefore increasing total time spent on your website. The rewards are immeasurable.
What are some of our favorite points? Lauren’s favorite is center court at the basketball stadium, and Alex has claimed the view from the “F” point at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, taken during the Florida vs. Florida State game in November 2009. Since it was taken during the actual game, the stadium is filled to capacity and Chas Henry is in plain view, looking directly toward our cameraman wondering what on earth he is doing.
At Ozean Interactive, we are thrilled to have been given this opportunity to develop a web application with the Gator Nation, available only at GatorZone.com, the official website of the Florida Gators. It was such an honor partnering with the University Athletic Association since all of us at Ozean Interactive are avid Gator fans.
“We are receiving considerable interest from additional athletic venues, and we look forward to growing this sector of our business; however, being Gator fans we may have to initiate a ‘rival gator fan tax’,” joked Alex Patton. “In all seriousness, we are honored to partner with the Gator Nation; however, in this economy, we would even work with Auburn University. Call us.”
To read the complete Press Release about the Launch of Total360Sports with The University of Florida Gators.
Note: The site has been undergoing a soft launch since Dec, 2010 while in beta testing.
Ozean Media is an award-winning web design firm.