The proposed Shah Alam Sports Complex, set to be completed in 2029, will likely feature the latest sporting technologies, including near-field communication (NFC) technology for Selangor FC season ticket holders, simplifying stadium entry.
The club’s general manager (media and marketing), Ridwuan Mahamud, said the club also plans to introduce a range of activities to attract more families to the stadium.
He added that Selangor FC was the first Malaysian football club to introduce non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for fans.
“As a club, we can offer a limited range of items each season – three jerseys, ticket sales, and additional merchandise,” he said during the ‘Technical Innovation in Sports’ session at the Game Changers: Legal Evolution in Sports Conference by the Sports Law Association of Malaysia (SLAM) in Kuala Lumpur today.
“We decided on NFTs to leverage digital assets and diversify our merchandise, offering enhanced fan experiences. The challenge at that time was educating the fans about NFTs.
“So, for the venue, tentatively called the Shah Alam Sports Complex, I wish we will introduce many other technological advancements to enhance accessibility for fans.”
Ridwuan mentioned one suggestion he hoped would happen was embedding NFC chips in jerseys for season ticket holders, allowing them to enter the stadium with minimal hassle.
“We recently returned from a visit to Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong, and the same architects behind that venue will design ours,” he said.
“I hope we can incorporate other modern features, such as facial recognition technology.”
Ridwuan explained that Selangor FC is working with its partners to turn the surrounding areas into “mini carnivals” during home games.
“We want to attract families to the stadium. So, aside from football matches, there will be activities to engage other family members,” he said.
“Looking at our fan demographics, we don’t have enough female audiences, but we are working hard to attract them through initiatives like ladies’ night, where we could offer free entry or other freebies, and by setting up activation booths with games for the whole family.”
Ridwuan also shared that the club plans to conduct daily “sentiment monitoring” on social media to address negative comments and misinformation.
“In the past, we could implement a monthly content and social media strategy, but now things change so quickly,” he said.
“After a win, we could be on a high, but a defeat a few days later might lead to fans turning on players, spreading negative comments and misinformation, which could impact performance.
“We need to reinforce the club’s brand and community ties by setting the record straight.”
Meanwhile, SLAM president Sri Sarguna Raj, speaking on new technology in football, warned that teams must tighten their data security, particularly as performance trackers are now widely used.
“There have been several data breaches, the most notable involving the Strava application, where many United States soldiers were using it to track their training, inadvertently revealing the location of their base,” he said.
“Another issue is that some players may claim the data belongs to them, so it’s crucial to protect this data by strengthening the legal framework surrounding its use.”
Sri Sarguna also reiterated the importance of obtaining explicit consent from players for the use of new technologies in sports.
As Malaysia’s digital economy continues to grow, the government has been working to create a more resilient digital sphere. This includes the Cyber Security Act, which came into effect in August, and amendments to the Data Protection Act.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, who launched the Malaysia Digital Xceleration Summit this morning, announced that a Digital Trust and Data Safety Commission would be established in the first half of next year.
He said the commission would oversee the development of a safe, secure, and trusted data ecosystem that facilitates productive data flows.
Main image: Selangor FC
