Summary
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) partnered with Reaktor to transform their digital ecosystem. By rebuilding their app, website, and implementing a modern CMS, we delivered a solution that not only improved user experience for fans, athletes, and event organizers but also gave FIS full ownership of their systems. The outcome was a modernized digital presence that accommodated their unique seasonal traffic patterns and global content creation needs.
Highlights
Future-proofed
Rebuilt native iOS and Android apps, redesigned the website, and integrated a headless CMS to replace an outdated monolithic system.
Scalable architecture
Implemented Google Cloud solutions to handle extreme seasonal traffic fluctuations, optimizing costs during off-seasons and ensuring performance during peak events.
Twice the users, double the momentum
289,000 active users across the 2024/25 season, a 105% increase compared to the previous season.
Saved costs
Freed FIS from vendor lock-in, providing them with full control over their digital assets and the ability to make frequent updates.
Background
FIS is a key player in competitive winter sports worldwide. It governs six Olympic disciplines, three Paralympic disciplines, and five non-Olympic disciplines, and it is comprised of 137 member National Ski Associations. The organization is the backdrop when athletes hurdle down mountains, take massive jumps, and push the boundaries of human capability on snow.
As the architect of over 7,000 international competitions annually, FIS connects millions of fans to high-stakes winter sports while maintaining the standards that define professional competition.
FIS came to conclude that their existing platform had reached its limits. The organization was trapped with a monolithic system that was costly to maintain and difficult to update. With hundreds of content creators and event organizers needing to input data, plus multiple user groups ranging from casual fans to coaches requiring real-time competition information, FIS needed a flexible solution that could scale with their highly seasonal traffic patterns. They were also looking to expand their audience beyond data-focused hardcore fans to include more casual viewers interested in video content and news.
A scalable digital ecosystem built for global use
The project kicked off with a design phase. We reimagined the user experience through concept sketches for a new app, focusing particularly on improving navigation and implementing a fresh visual identity. Working against a tight timeline, we began building the app’s technical foundation even as design work continued. The implementation of new features was often getting started as designs were still being finalized.
The technical architecture was built on Google Cloud Services. This allowed us to efficiently handle the extreme traffic fluctuations – ramping up resources during major competitions and scaling down during the off-season to optimize costs. Both Android and iOS apps were rebuilt from scratch with multiple integrations to the existing results database, while preserving data that worked well in the original system.
For content management, we integrated Storyblok as a headless CMS solution. This was key for FIS's hundreds of non-technical content creators worldwide who needed a simple, efficient system. The CMS transformation streamlined workflows for event coverage, with features like automatic image sizing and focus point selection improving visual quality without adding work for content creators operating from remote competition locations.
Increased ownership and flexibility
The completed digital ecosystem transformed how FIS connects with its diverse audience. On top of viewing rankings, results, event calendars, and following athletes, the app now allows users to select favorite disciplines as well as access news and video content. The website offers similar functionality plus official information, resources for competition organizers, and more.
By giving full access to the source code, FIS was granted complete ownership of their systems, enabling more frequent updates. This new flexibility has made it easier for FIS to work with various technology partners going forward.
Reduced costs and expanded audiences
The project resulted in significant operational improvements as well. Content management became substantially more efficient, with daily updates now taking significantly less time. Consolidating previously separate systems into one unified platform reduced ongoing costs, while the modern interface helped FIS expand their audience beyond hardcore data-focused fans to more casual viewers. Additionally, the new platform improved SEO performance while ensuring proper compliance with cookie consent and data regulations.
The app passed App Store reviews on the first submission and launched soon after, followed by the website launch a few months later. Today, FIS is able to operate with a solid new digital foundation – equipped with technology that adapts to their global rhythm while bringing fans closer to the slopes than ever before.
First image credits: FIS Ski Cross