It seemed appropriate for a team whose arena jumbotron is framed by a giant version of a smartphone: offer free mobile data to ticket-buying fans.
That's the pitch from the Phoenix Suns and Verizon, who are partnering for an offer convenient enough to wonder why it hasn't been seen before. With fans of all ages relying on mobile devices more than ever, the companies decided to offer what all of them need: more data to do more stuff with those devices.
“From millennials to families, data is a new-age form of desirable rewards for our fans,” said Suns President Jason Rowley. “Today’s launch represents the evolution of ticket plans, where the incentive is no longer tied only to an in-arena experience, but instead is a practical benefit to consumers in today’s data-conscious world.”
The plan gives Verizon customers extra data when they purchase 40% off tickets at Suns.com/Verizon while supplies last. They can earn up to 11 gigabytes of data -- an eye-popping number considering Verizon's "XL" plan is 12 gigabytes per month. Even better, the extra data is added to the front of the customer's phone plan for that month.
Rowley says the "FreeBee Perk" program is tailor-made for the modern-day sports fan.
“Data drives a lot of behavior these days,” Rowley told MarketWatch.com. “Sports fans watching the game in the arena or at home are also utilizing their mobile device to download stats and stream playbacks.”