The Philadelphia Flyers and CTS: Revolutionizing fan engagement
Takeaways from our December 2025 webinar
December 11, 2025
Today’s sports and entertainment landscape demands creative, innovative new approaches to capture—and hold—the attention of fans, whether they’re at the game or on the other side of a screen. Fans are no longer confined to a single channel, platform, or venue; they consume highlights on social media, buy tickets through third-party sites, and check stats on separate apps. The net result for fans is a fragmented experience that introduces friction at every turn. As Doug Triblehorn, Vice President of Global Sales at Comcast Technology Solutions, put it, “In a world where attention is scarce, friction is the enemy.” At the same time, there’s so much untapped potential for brands to explore as they think outside the box (or field, or court, or track…).
The Philadelphia Flyers are tackling this challenge head-on with their new mobile app, designed to unify the fan journey and transform casual spectators into logo-wearing loyalists. Our recent webinar, “Revolutionizing Fan Engagement: The Flyers Digital Leap,” brought together leaders from the Flyers, Jump TV, and Comcast Technology Solutions to discuss how innovation is reshaping fandom.
Bringing the fan experience together
Anthony Brock, Vice President of Business Strategy and Analytics for the Philadelphia Flyers, emphasized the importance of thinking beyond the arena. “At NBA League meetings, they had this stat that 98% of your fans will never come to your arena,” he explained. “If you’re only marketing to fans that buy tickets, you’re missing out on a huge piece of your market.”
The Flyers’ app is designed to bridge that gap. Much more than just a place to buy tickets, it’s a creative path to a stronger fan experience. Brock described it as a foundation for deeper relationships. “We don’t want you to just use the app to scan in... We want to keep people engaged and build relationships so we can find out what they want and build more experiences around that.”
Make it personal, but at scale
Personalization is the beating heart of this “continuous invitation” for fans. Jesus Herrero, co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer at Jump TV, described how AI-powered analytics can tailor experiences that evolve for fans. “At the beginning, what we’re going to do is connect the dots and then do personalization in a profound way,” he said. This goes beyond personalized content to include offers for ticketing, discounts, and merchandise.
Herrero painted a picture of what’s possible: “You can do conversational experiences, have avatars of the players, and cluster fans in different ways. The starting point is personalization, but the journey will evolve with amazing features in the future.”
First, make it a useful tool
Phil Miller, Director of Product Management at Comcast Technology Solutions, stressed the importance of utility in the app’s first iteration. “There has to be a reason for users to download the app in the first place,” he explained. Practical features like ticket scanning, stadium navigation, and finding concessions have to be trusted and accurate in order to build something fans can count on.
The Flyers can layer in more features as adoption spreads, like personalized promotions, exclusive content, and loyalty rewards. Miller summed it up: “We want to maximize the enjoyment and reduce the friction of that game day experience. That increases the probability that fans will return because they had such a great time.”
Loyalty is a two-way street
A great example of how digital tools can extend engagement can be found with the Flyers’ loyalty program. Previously limited to season ticket holders, the program has now expanded to the entire fan base through the app. Get the app, and you’re in. Brock explained, “We’re trying to encourage and incentivize people to stay engaged with us. It’s very similar to your airline rewards apps.”
If you’re fan of anything – whether it’s the NHL, an MVP, or even a beloved IP, you know that stronger relationships create new opportunities for monetization (we’ve all seen the “throw money at screen” GIF). Retail sales, corporate partnerships, whatever – an app like this moves the action out of the cost center and into a revenue driver’s seat. “It’s a great opportunity for our partners to get their brand in front of our customers,” Brock noted. “And from the retail aspect, we want fans to have the latest jersey, the latest Gritty item. That’s what the players love to see too.”
For fans, it’s an even better way to play
Peter Gibson, Vice President of Product Management at Comcast Technology Solutions, captured the excitement of this moment: “It’s just a really exciting time to reinvent and reimagine what the fan experience is and make it as exciting as possible.”
Combined with Comcast Media360 to ensure that content can be delivered seamlessly to any on-screen experience, the AI-driven personalization of the Flyers’ app represents more than just a digital glow-up; it’s a blueprint for how sports and other fan-serving organizations can compete not just with other teams, but with every form of entertainment vying for more mindshare.
As Triblehorn reminded us at the outset, the stakes are high. “Organizations that reduce friction, unify fragmented experiences, and deliver personalization at scale will transform discretionary time into enduring relationships.” The Flyers’ digital leap shows exactly how that transformation can happen.
