Beyond the Final Whistle: Evolution of Modern Sports Consumption
Author: Mohak Arora, Parimatch Sports analytics expert
In the 20th century, sport was usually associated with national pride and integrity, but the advent of technology and the wave of commercialisation in the 21st century have completely changed the paradigm of sports consumption amongst fans.
Anytime Anywhere
The biggest change in sports consumption has to be the availability of streaming live matches on any device in your periphery. Earlier, people had to be at a designated location for a select number of hours to catch the live game, but the digital streaming platforms have really made it possible to access the live matches on the go.
Nowadays, even if you are travelling on an aeroplane to a different hemisphere or are stuck in traffic, fans expect instant updates and a holistic real-time experience full of personalized recommendations from their favorite applications or social media channels.
The takeover of franchise-based leagues over international matches
The popularisation of the NBA in the USA laid the foundation for the modern renditions of the Premier League in England and the UEFA Champions League in Europe as basketball franchises and football clubs.
The Indian Premier League leads the way in cricket, with the likes of SA20, Big Bash League, and The Hundred also jostling for their respective windows in the cricketing calendar. The increase in sporting calendars, along with the unlimited availability of watching any select game at any time, has diluted the consumption of sports for several fans.
While the shorter formats in sports are thriving with T20 cricket, 3v3 basketball, and Hockey5s being the poster models for other sports, byte-sized content of these short matches further spreads like wildfire over social media.
Balance & Harmony between long-form and short-form content
Every organisation involved in sports media nowadays understands that producing both long-form content and short-form content is absolutely necessary to catch the attention of the viewers.
Long-form content like tactical analysis breakdowns, game-based podcasts, or documentary-style series is crucial in building long-term loyalty and delivering an enriching experience to the fans.
But, to keep them hooked on day-to-day happenings of their favorite teams or to explore new sports, or to build a sports community, is possible only with byte-sized short-form content delivered round the clock.
Role of AI as modern sports undergo a transformation
With AI enabling the traditional media channels and the new digital streaming platforms to broadcast cutting-edge analysis at breakneck speed. Also, new video-editing AI platforms are enhancing the quality of production while cutting costs at the same time, enabling users to avail cheaper subscriptions online compared to the monopoly of television.