Print Vs Digital Game Day Programs
We’re here to settle the debate of which is better - print or digital publications? More specifically, we’ll be looking at print vs digital game day programs (also called media guides). We’ll dive into the pros and cons of each then decide which may be a better choice for your program and fan base. Let’s start with why PRINT game day programs are tried and true.
PRINT PROS
1. Physical game day programs act as a life long keepsake
Physical game day programs serve as a personal keepsake to look back on. It is nice to be able to thumb through the pages and store on a coffee table or bookshelf. There is a nice physicality to a print media guide which makes the memories and the book feel more real and tangible. Many people prefer to thumb through book pages than scroll or click through them.
2. Easy to use as a fundraiser
Game day programs are a very visual and simple product that can easily be sold at games and banquets. Printing costs can be recouped and a profit can be made by selling the books at a higher price. Businesses can also purchase ad space in the game day program to advertise to the local community. Having sponsorship packages or using the page space in your media guide for advertising is lucrative and valuable to businesses. It’s a win-win for the program and the business as they get local exposure and you get their money.
3. Easily Accessible
Print game day programs are easy to read and access. There are no tech barriers to access and read the content. There is no reliance on WiFi or cell service which makes them great for those who are less technologically savvy.
4. Make great gifts
Because the game day programs are physical they typically make great senior or end of season gifts for the team. They can be individually wrapped and given to a player or their family.
PRINT CONS
1. Printer Costs Are Expensive
Once the game day program is designed there is an additional time investment of finding a printer. Then another large financial investment of getting the game day programs printed and shipped. Printing and shipping typically take 1-2 weeks on top of the design time. Printing can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars especially if you’re printing books for 100+ players and fans.
2. Books Become Outdated Quickly
Print game day programs have a zero mistake tolerance. Missed a typo or forgot a player? You unfortunately can’t go back to fix it and then reprint them all. Once they are printed, they cannot be edited or updated. Typically print game day programs go out of date quickly as players may quit, switch positions and game schedules change.
3. Viewership and Distribution Is Limited
Printed game day programs are limited in viewership as it greatly depends on how many programs are printed. To get more views you need more programs which costs more money. This means you limit the number of views on advertisements (businesses get less value in their ads) as well as less views on the content (less people get to know about your team.) Distributing the programs to everyone who bought one can be an extra hassle as well.
4. Print Game Day Programs Take Up Physical Scape
Left over programs that are not sold or grabbed can take up space and sit in boxes. They become out-dated after a season and you may be forced to throw the programs (and the money you spent on them) in the trash.
5. Limited By Pages
While physical pages are great to thumb through they do have some limitations. Content can only be 2 dimensional and must fit within the 8.5” x 11” frame of the page. You can only put so much on a single page. The more pages you add, the more money you spend, so you may have to limit the content or even advertisements that you sell. More pages equals more money.
6. Physical Books and Items Get Lost or Broken
As with all physical keepsakes and paper items, they can get lost over time, fall apart, and may not stand the test of time.
Now that we’ve gone over the advantages and disadvantages of print game day programs, let’s look at what makes digital game day programs a great option for your team as well as explore some of the digital drawbacks.
DIGITAL PROS
1. Unlimited Viewership
Digital game day programs are hosted online via a URL link. Anyone with that link can access the digital game day program. Teams could have hundreds to thousands of viewers looking at their content and sharing it with others. This provides businesses with more value for their ads as a lot more people are seeing them. Also digital media guides allow hyperlinking, so advertisers can drive viewers right to their website by clicking on their ad in the game day program.
2. Easy to Distribute
The great thing about digital publications is that they’re very easy to share with a lot of people. All you need is a web link. A link can be distributed virtually using email, text, back-linking on a website and social media posts as well as in person using a QR code.
3. Easy to Update
Need to make a schedule update or forget to add one of the players to the varsity roster? No worries at all - digital media guides can be updated instantly so that they stay current and useful. Because they are so easy to update, weekly editions of the media guide can be created and sent out for a more engaging fan experience. (If this weekly edition concept interests you check out https://www.storyoftheseason.com/story-of-the-season-1)
4. Enhanced Content
Digital game day programs can use the power of code and embedded links to include just about any content you can think of. Video interviews, detailed game recaps, photo slideshows, highlight clips from the game, animated graphics and more can be stored on each page. To make it even better, web design has come far enough to allow us to put more on a page than what physical space allows. Using buttons, slideshows, scrolling effects, we can fit an unlimited amount of content just on one page. No longer do you need to worry about staying within an 8.5” x 11” area.
5. No Additional Printing Costs or Wait Time.
Since the game day program is published directly after the design is complete there are no printing costs or wait time associated with getting the publication in people’s hands. A digital program just needs to be designed and then put on an internet server (which has no additional cost associated.) Then it is ready to be read and used at games! With a print game day program, it needs to be designed, printed and shipped before it can be distributed.
6. Timeless and Accessible
The game day program will stay online in the same spot for as long as the URL is live. No need to worry about losing the program. It also is safe from getting damaged by weather conditions on game day or getting trampled on at the stadium. You can just pull out your phone and access the roster or other important team info immediately using the digital program.
DIGITAL CONS
Technology Barrier
Navigating websites, links and online publications can be difficult for those who may not be as experienced with technology. Also strong WiFi or good cell service is needed to view most digital game day programs which aren't always available at remote schools and stadiums.
Lacks Physicality
Of course with a digital game day program there is no physical book or publication to hold on to. You can’t really display a game day program or give it away as a gift.
Which Should You Choose?
It can be difficult to make a decision on which type of game day program your team should invest in. A print media guide is a great keepsake and fundraiser but can be expensive and limited in content. A digital media guide offers enhanced content and more value to advertisers but lacks that physicality needed for an end of season memento. Since digital game day programs offer just as many advantages as print game day programs with a few less con’s, digital typically is the better option. With that being said a lot of people prefer something physical, so we recommend doing both! Story of the Season offers weekly digital game day programs and an end of season print program that fills the need for a commemorative keepsake. Get the best out of digital and print game day programs by doing both.
