Sports
2018
Red Bull Rampage 2018
Evolving the Rampage spectator experience through practical improvements, meaningful partner participation and a new approach to offsite hospitality.
Credit: Red Bull North America | Bartek Wolinski
Credit: Red Bull North America | Peter Morning
Credit: Red Bull North America | Bartek Wolinski
Credit: Red Bull North America | Christian Pondella
Credit: Red Bull North America | Christian Pondella
Credit: Red Bull North America
Credit: Red Bull North America | Peter Morning
Credit: Red Bull North America | Christian Pondella
Client
Red Bull
scope
Event Strategy · Project Leadership · Integrated Marketing · Production Oversight
year
2018
duration
February–October
role
RBNA Project Lead – Sports Marketing Manager, Rockies Region
team
Red Bull West Business Unit
partners
H5 Events — Competition and course production
Dragonfli Media Technologies — Event operations, infrastructure and partner village
Freeride Entertainment — Broadcast production
Red Bull Media House — Media, programming and distribution
Red Bull Distribution Company — Regional retail sales execution
Overview
The brief.
Red Bull Rampage gives the world’s best freeride mountain bikers a stage to push the sport forward, with fans traveling around the world to the Utah desert to see it firsthand. In 2018, the event moved to a new venue, with new opportunities for both athletes and spectators. Returning as project lead, I wanted to build on the spectator experience we had expanded in 2017: refine what worked, improve the practical side of the visit and test new ways to add value to the pilgrimage. 2018 included a larger role for partners and an offsite camping experience, while keeping the sport and character of Rampage at the center.
The Challenge
A new venue meant reworking how the competition, broadcast, spectator access and partner spaces fit together. Sport progression remained the priority, and the guest experience had to work within those demands. We also had a clearer picture of what fans valued from 2017. The challenge was to build on that experience while protecting what made Rampage feel authentic. Opening more of Red Bull’s event space to other brands required a careful balance: their involvement had to add something worthwhile for fans and feel like it belonged at Rampage.
the solution
Our bike chair, drop-in photo booth and wood-branding station returned, with dedicated photographers and an onsite print shop thanks to partners. Our partner village brought practical services into the experience, including CamelBak’s water stations and a WD-40 branded bike wash. These additions and others created a meaningful way for partners to participate in the experience we had started in 2017 and connect with the fans who made the trip. Rampage Experience tickets continued to offer closer access to the event, while a new ticketing platform made for an improved purchase journey and easier management. Beyond the venue, Camp Rampage introduced paid camping with guided rides, evening films and BBQs, building on the offsite hospitality and programming lightly tested in 2017.
Approach
Spectator and operations feedback was used to decide what to carry forward and where to improve. Ticket tiers were adjusted and check-in improved for our industry and invited guests alongside consumers. As project lead, I worked with the partnerships team to create space for brands within the guest experience and set the expectation that their presence would contribute to it. Despite a small onsite audience, the opportunity was to make a deeper connection with the fans who were there. That meant connecting ideas to staffing, transport and site operations while keeping the experience cohesive. Camping had also come up in the spectator survey, so Camp Rampage became a test of that interest in 2018.
Outcome
In 2018, we gave fans more ways to be part of Rampage, from a smoother arrival to shared rides, evenings together and something personal to take home. Partners became part of that experience by contributing services and activities that fit the event. For me, that was an important step: creating more value for fans and partners while keeping the connection to the sport at the center. The year gave us a clearer sense of where to take the experience while being thoughtful about what we added and doubling down on the details that made the trip worthwhile.
Related work: Red Bull Rampage 2017 · Red Bull Rampage Rebranding
