Sports fans would argue that sports are entertainment, and they’re probably right. But, increasingly, we’re seeing sports leagues and teams tap into more mainstream entertainment in a bid to attract an even bigger market. Not to mention, stay up to date with new and emerging consumer demand. Here, we look into the idea in more detail and reveal the impact of sports entertainment.
Tapping into TV
Netflix’s Last Dance, Amazon Prime’s Manchester City documentary and individual titles for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – a number of sports documentaries have been released over the years and they’ve proven very popular. Not only do they help to tell the story of the players but they give fans an unrivaled experience and allow them to be a part of the journey – including the highs and lows.
We’re also seeing more sports-based leagues trying to expand into fictional entertainment. Most recently, Ted Lasso partnered with England’s Premier League per ScreenRant, which will mean that some of the league’s content will be shown in the American sitcom. This is an effective way at introducing new sports and teams to those who might not have supported them before. It also fills a gap when the sporting season might be on pause and helps to boost tension and drama when gameplay resumes.
Creating a social experience
Back in 2020, Facebook launched the app Venue, as discussed on Yahoo, where sports fans can communicate with each other during games. Just like Twitter, fans can interact with commentators too – in a bid to increase shared experiences. It came after Twitter announced Multicasts at the PGA Tour. Here, nine different streams of content were available, providing fans with video and audio commentary on the game, pre-game, and practice sessions. Not only does this help to build engagement and excitement but it’s meeting the demand for shared sporting experiences.
In America, watch parties are becoming more common with the Indian Premier League even organizing watch parties on social media. The NBA is also working with Wunderman Thompson and Turner Sports to add watch parties to their app. In the UK, Amazon and YouTube are now streaming some English Premier League games to allow more people to enjoy the game too.
Putting fans first
As with many industries, if organizations want to keep ahead of the competition, they need to keep their fans at the forefront of what they do. By making the watching experience even more accessible and interactive, it should encourage even more fans to get involved. Soccer club Borussia Dortmund hosts fan parties every year and, in Formula E racing, fans vote for their favorite drivers who are then rewarded with a power boost.
Similarly, there are a number of sports-based games popping up – again tapping into the popular culture of sports entertainment. What’s more, the world’s top sporting leagues can be found on the bookmakers featured in BonusFinder’s list of the best sports betting sites among others as the offerings become more uniform across the world because these leagues have expanded and increased their presence in different markets This, again, gives fans the opportunity to interact with their favorite sports, whether or not the season is in full force, and creates opportunities for new fans to arise and become interested.
That’s before we even mention the opportunities that are available to individual sports players in the fashion, music, entertainment and marketing industries.
