In researching ideas for mobile experiences, I came across HitTrax. This company is great because they develop batting cage simulators. Seeing the batting cage immediately awakened my inner child and had my my mind racing in thinking of the possibilities of what could be developed. I'm not sure if you've ever heard of Putt-Putt but I used to go there a lot as a child. For a young child, Putt-Putt was amazing because they had seemingly unlimited arcade games, mini-golf, go-karts and batting cages, all in one place. It was an oasis for an active kid. I loved the batting cages. I can still feel the slightly sticky rubber grip on the aluminum bat and the blisters that I'd get from hitting the baseballs all over the cage. Ironically, the cage was freeing because it was a space where I swing as hard as I could without the concern of causing damage to a neighbor the thought of embarrassment if I missed. It was okay to miss so that made it even more exciting to get a clean hit. It tested my hand-eye coordination...which I valued. I still do.
Discovering HitTrax made me wonder...What could a mobile batting cage looking like?
First, Let's see what a batting cage simulator looked like.
As you can see, The batting cage is a long rectangular shape which is perfect for a mobile setup. Knowing this, I engaged with HitTrax to see what is involved in their offering. Here is what would be included in their setup:
HitTrax Suite Simulator
High Impact HitTrax Frame
Infrared High-Speed Cameras
Infrared LED Sources
(1) Dell All-In-One Touch Screen, 24”
(12) month warranty included after date of installation
Lexan Protective Cover for Sensor (Overhead Configuration Only)
HitTrax Suite Software
HitTrax Suite Projector Package
Hi-Impact Custom Projector Screen
Single Cutout for Pitched Balls
7000-Lumen LCD Projector
Custom Overhead Projector Protective Guard
All hardware and mounting accessories included
HitTrax Suite Pitching Machine Package
Supports foam and real Baseballs
Built in feeder (72-ball max capacity)
6-Dozen Featherlite Baseballs
Fully integrated with HitTrax Software
Batting Mat
I was determined to find a way to fit their product into a trailer space. Imagine the potential of having a batting cage that can be rented out for events, parties and even just flexible to be relocated amongst training facilities for high school, college & professional athletes.
See the design drawings below:
For the mobile batting cage simulator trailer, a stacker trailer would be used. I believe that any trailer over 28' would be feasible but I strongly recommend at least 32'-34' for adequate space.
The approach would look like this:
A New batter comes into the trailer, logs into the HitTrax system, grabs a bat from the wall and walks into the cage. The batting cage is designed to be an experience. The lights on the ground light up to direct towards the projector screen which shows the outfield. The pitching machine would poke through the projector screen and the walls would be covered with Black padding so that the baseballs don't damage the unit and the sound would be suppressed.
If you're an entrepreneur or a sports program looking for a unique business idea / training facility solution, consider a mobile batting cage simulator. Assuming the mobile batting cage simulator operates for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and 50 weeks a year, that's a total of 2,000 operating hours per year (8 hours x 5 days x 50 weeks). If the hourly rate for the simulator is $100, the annual revenue would be $200,000 (2,000 operating hours x $100 per hour). Since the mobile batting cage unit trailer unit costs approximately $250,000 to build, it would take 1.25 years of operation to get the initial investment back ($250,000 initial investment / $200,000 annual revenue). It's worth noting that this is just an estimate and the actual revenue and payback period may vary depending on various factors as mentioned earlier. With the help of Guesscreative to make creative ideas like this happen, it's now more feasible than ever. Not only would it be a great addition to events and parties, but it could also be used by training facilities and athletes on the go. Let's bring the excitement of batting cages to a whole new level with this innovative concept.
Comentarios