Over the past few years, technologies have significantly changed and influenced almost every sphere of our lives. We are living in a busy world where people want to get information quicker, communicate without borders, and be flexible and mobile. Technology has impacted healthcare, education, government, and, of course, sports.
Some may not see the differences at once but sport has become simpler and faster, and the revenues grow exponentially. It’s no longer surprising to see certified casino operators that have their own apps or football live streaming in high definition. In this article, we’ll discuss how technologies have changed the sports business.
Buying tickets
The times when you had to wait in queues to purchase a ticket has long gone. Now you can head to the team’s official website or one of second-hand platforms and buy a ticket wherever you are.
Social and digital media
Some time ago viewers had to choose only one channel to watch a particular game, missing other broadcasts. However, nowadays it’s possible to watch numerous games on different devices and several screens. In addition, coverage is available on the Internet and in the replay. While our fathers had to wait for the morning news if missing a game, we can record or replay any moment of any game.
Moreover, social media allow getting freshest information from the field. Even earlier than it appears on the screen. Updates are sent to smartphones in a matter of seconds. In addition, social platforms like Facebook or Twitter allow communicating with sports stars. For example, Lebron James regularly answers fans on Twitter. Such engagement and connection increase enthusiasm and devotion of fans making sports a tight community.
Better equipment
Technologies have significantly influenced sports equipment which becomes smarter and lighter. All areas of sports can boast high-tech devices. For example, tennis rackets with tracking sensors are quite common.
High definition
More and more people choose to work from home, and technologies significantly contribute to such a choice. 50-inch television sets are available in many homes and make it quite difficult to go outdoors.
Considering how expensive tickets are, sports fans decide to stay at home on a couch and watch a game in a high definition on the latest TV. Such sets are already quite standard and become more and more affordable.
To feel as if you are in a field, there’s no need to buy a ticket, fly to another state, and wait in huge queues. Make yourself comfortable, prepare snacks, turn on your high definition TV set, and enjoy the game in comfort and without any interruptions!
Fairness of games
Another advantage of technologies is fairness. And even though it may not be so obvious or popular, it significantly influences the quality of games. Even though technologies themselves have created enough space for cheating, testing becomes more complex and sophisticated. Now it allows eliminating cheating and frauds making the games safe and fair.
Did you know that many stadiums have humidors? Important equipment that ensures proper humidity. This, in turn, gives both teams equal and fair chances of winning.
Video gaming
It’s quite difficult to find players who don’t like video games. Especially when it comes to sports. FIFA’09 was a real sensation and continues to have millions of fans worldwide. Due to outstanding visuals, recognizable characters, and the latest features, video sports games are extremely popular.
You can even choose a particular player knowing his strong sides or to play the kind of sports that you are well familiar with. This significantly improves gaming experience allowing sports fans to be active participants and not passive viewers.
Cutting edge technologies are already here
Technologies give sports enterprises and venues a chance to engage more fans and broaden the horizons reaching people all over the world. These technologies offer additional ways of monetization which results in higher revenues.
However, traditional sports organizations find it very difficult to adjust to new technologies and models which means that rather soon some enterprises won’t be able to fight for fans’ attention and will have to go bankrupt. We will continue to follow the latest trends and will tell you about the recent technological advances in sports and other industries.