SailGP launches new fan engagement platform with Oracle in expanded cloud partnership

Each Sail Grand Prix includes two days of epic racing and culminates at the end of the weekend with a three-boat podium race to decide the winner

A new fan engagement platform called The Dock has been launched by SailGP for Season 4, which is due to begin this weekend in Chicago.

Powered by Oracle Fusion Cloud CX and built on NEAR, the platform will provide fans with exclusive offers, content and rewards. The collaboration with Oracle will build on the successful relationship over SailGP’s first three seasons by expanding the league’s use of Oracle Cloud during the new season and extending the partnership through to the end of 2026.

NEAR allows users to create and distribute innovative decentralised apps for Web 3.0 across any blockchain, while helping build a more open web, with the NEAR Blockchain Operating System (BOS).

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As part of the new agreement, SailGP is using Oracle customer experience (CX) technology to power its new fan engagement platform The Dock, a Web 3.0-integrated, free fan loyalty programme powered by Oracle Fusion applications and built on the NEAR protocol, the league’s blockchain partner.

Through the extended partnership, Oracle will also become the Title Partner of the inaugural Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix at the Port of Los Angeles on 22 to 23 July, an exciting addition to SailGP’s 12-event global calendar for Season 4.

The Dock will become the go-to place for SailGP fans and is designed to reward and engage sports enthusiasts worldwide. Designed as a loyalty platform, SailGP fans will be able to create a personalised account, access and engage with unique and exclusive SailGP content and in doing so, earn points that can be redeemed for exclusive rewards. These include VIP access to SailGP events, signed merchandise and once-in-a-lifetime experiences with team and athletes.

The more fans interact – through the videos, stories, behind-the-scenes content, quizzes, survey, polls and much more – the further they will progress in their own race to become a SailGP Champion. As they earn more points, they will be able to ‘level-up’ and advance through the gates and tiers with each new level unlocking exclusive benefits.

The loyalty programme uses Oracle’s CrowdTwist platform and bridges the worlds of Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 through a new partnership between Oracle and NEAR. The Season Pass will link an existing NEAR account, or enable users to create one, and additional rewards will be available including digital collectibles commemorating their progress that can then also be exchanged and traded for limited-edition collectables.

Rob Tarkoff, executive vice president and general manager, Oracle customer experience, said: “Data is at the heart of SailGP – from the mid-race decisions made on the water to the league’s continued innovation around fan engagement. “We’ve seen their success these past three seasons using Oracle Cloud to leverage that data – from OCI to analytics to NetSuite – and we’re excited to support their newest CX initiative, The Dock, as they redefine their approach to the fan experience.”

Since its inception in 2019, SailGP has harnessed the power of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to expand from a five-team, six-event startup to one of the fastest growing sports leagues in the world – with ten teams competing in 12 races in 2023.

Warren Jones, chief technology officer, SailGP said: “Oracle’s cloud technology is at the heart of everything we do at SailGP, and this partnership extension reflects the power and results of our collaboration. We have no doubt Oracle will take our fan and athlete experience to even greater heights in the seasons to come and The Dock is a great example of this.”

On the water, OCI’s high performance, high availability, and low cost enables SailGP to analyse more than 270,000 data points per second collected from its cutting edge hydrofoiling F50s; more than 48 billion data points each race day. The Oracle-powered analysis helps teams make better decisions during races, reduces the chance of equipment failure, and provides the foundation for SailGP’s broadcast platform. It also powers the league’s remote umpiring and Emmy award-winning LiveLineFX broadcast graphics, which uses AR graphics to insert key storytelling graphical elements into the live broadcast and provide the viewer with information on key race elements to help demystify the sport.

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Off the water, data is also at the heart of SailGP’s fan experience. OCI underpins the league’s unique second-screen experience, SailGP Insights, which complements SailGP’s broadcast partners’ coverage, enabling fans to access in-depth, real-time information about each team’s performance while watching the live event feed.

Behind the scenes, SailGP is using NetSuite to manage its financial processes, enhance decision making, and gain visibility into its operations as it continues its path to doubling the league’s size in the next two years.

SailGP Season 4 gets underway on 16 June