Over the last few decades, technological transformations have been observed in practically every aspect of life. The majority of these developments can clearly be seen as advantageous and has the ability to enhance efficiency and productivity.
These technological advances have benefited people on an individual level and are fantastic on the whole for various industries and business sectors.
The vast world of sports is one industry in particular that has benefited from the ongoing digital transformation. New technology is forever fuelling change when it comes to how fans enjoy and access sporting events. This ongoing development of technology also improves how athletes train for their sports and is enhancing the data available to them.
Technology and the Fan Experience
The ways in which fans are able to engage with the sports that they love shapes their experience on an individual level.
Many decades ago, it used to be the case that a fan would have to purchase a ticket and physically travel to where the event was taking place to enjoy a sporting event. They would take a seat with a number of other fans and watch the match, game, or similar event unfold. This all began to change with the invention of the television.
When televisions started to appear in the home, suddenly sporting events could be enjoyed by tuning into the relevant channel at the relevant time. This increased access to sporting events and meant that a much larger number of people could enjoy these events. This was also good news for the sports teams and athletes, as they become much more widely known and appreciated.
A Wider Content Reach
With the emergence and advent of the internet, there became even more potential to watch these events in the home or in any other venue that has a screen, such as a bar. Since home internet has become commonplace over the last decade or so, it has also become completely normal to live stream events as they are taking place. Audiences all around the world can now gain live access to practically any event that they wish to watch. Sometimes this will be free with their television provider, and sometimes they will pay a fee to watch.
Not only is it now possible to watch this content on the television or the computer, but this can now be extended to watching on a mobile phone or similar smart device. This has undoubtedly led to a huge improvement in fan engagement and enjoyment.
This expansion of viewing onto handheld devices has allowed fans to stay tuned in, even when they are away from home.
The Potential of Social Media
Social media is one of the most notable technological advancements of recent times. It has changed the basic everyday ways in which people communicate and connect. It has also enhanced the sports experience of fans all around the globe.
Watching a match is no longer just about viewing the match itself and anticipating the outcome. This is now also an opportunity to discuss the match in real-time with other fans via social media. Opinions can be shared, content can be created, and people from all corners of the world can discuss the match with each other as it happens.
This interactive experience allows fans to feel more involved and also even presents them with opportunities to connect with the players themselves.
Twitter is arguably the most popular way for fans to connect with their sporting heroes and can be done simply by tagging the relevant person in a tweet.
Marketing Opportunities
Data shows that sports fans are incredibly receptive to the personalization of online marketing. A stunning 60 percent of millennial-aged sports fans would give their personal data for marketing purposes in exchange for promotional offers. With targeted adverts being approximately twice as successful as non-targeted adverts, this gives marketers a much greater opportunity to succeed.
Furthermore, the sports clubs and sponsors can use this information to develop new services and increase revenue. With sports fans being so responsive to existing services and so happy to share information about their preferences, these experiences can easily be further developed to become more appealing to the user, and therefore more profitable to the organizations.
Embracing Digital Transformation
The various enterprises that shape the sporting world are increasingly embracing digital transformation.
It is now completely normal that a football club will have a dedicated social media manager or that an entire league will recruit a digital media analyst. These jobs have been born out of a need to integrate digital into the sporting world and the evolving expectations of the fans.
It is becoming increasingly the case that those who are not adopting this evolution are getting left behind. Sports teams and athletes can risk losing the interest of fans if they do not make themselves available in various ways across digital platforms.
Technological Advancements in Sports
The online sphere is not the only area of the sporting world that has benefited from digital transformation and technological advancements.
Wearable technology has been developed to help athletes and sportspeople gain greater insights into their training. These devices can help a person track their personal vital signs, such as blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen level. They also offer a wide range of other functions, such as tracking activity levels, monitoring performance, and evaluating recovery from injury.
Wearable technology is useful to both the individual wearing it and also to their coaches. The data can easily be made available to the relevant people who have an interest in the health and performance of the individual.
The Future of Digital Transformation in the Sporting World
As technology continues to evolve, the ways in which sports clubs will use this to their advantage remains to be seen. There is great potential for the fan experience to be enhanced by further embracing these technologies while also engaging further with existing products and services.
When this is continuously adopted successfully, it could lead to many more digital products and services being developed, which focus on a better experience for the fans.
Robert Griffith is a content and essay writer. He is collaborating with local magazines and newspapers. Robert is interested in topics such as marketing and history.
