How can technology enhance the fan experience for remote sports viewers?

Technology can enhance the fan experience for remote sports viewers through: Streaming: High-quality live streams bring the action to viewers' screens. ?? Second Screen: Interactive apps provide stats, replays, and social features. ?? Virtual Reality: Immersive VR experiences make fans feel like they're at the event. ??? Social Media: Real-time updates and engagement with teams and athletes. ?? Fantasy Sports: Interactive platforms for fans to create and manage fantasy teams. ?? Technology bridges the gap between fans and the game, creating a dynamic and engaging viewing experience.

Here are several ways to enhance the remote sports viewing experience: - Virtual and augmented reality: this can provide fans with a 360-degree view of the game, making them feel as if they're right in the stadium or on the field - Enhanced analytics and real-time data: Viewers can access player performance metrics, game statistics, and predictive analyses, making the experience much more interesting - Personalized content: AI can tailor content to individual preferences

Gen Z fans won't sit on the couch and watch a 3.5 hour NFL game passively like their predecessors. They want to engage, own, influence, and play the content. They're mobile first and crave dopamine that the archaic cable experience can't provide. Enter the era of sports betting, AI, VR, web3, and other innovative technologies that will pave the way to the sports experience of the future. The paradigm is shifting and Gen Z will lead us there. By the way, I still can watch three NFL games back to back on Sundays (to the disdain of my wife) but I am a dying breed of sports fan.

With over 90% of the Gen Z population playing mobile games these days, there is huge potential for rights holders to create an entirely new second screen experience through games. By tapping into these games in a social multiplayer fashion, it enables the generation of a fan community and interaction amongst fans that the Gen Z population crave. Whilst enhancing the in game experience, it can extend beyond this to help sports properties and brands engage these audiences outside game day, even into the off season.

I helped to launch a football club based in Bangkok, Thailand, back in 2021 that is powered by the Blockchain. It's called Futera United and games are beamed around the world. Our fans can purchase digital football cards (NFTs), and each one acts as a 'vote', so fans can steer the direction of the club. One very important element for fans based outside of Thailand has been POAPs (Proof of Attendance Protocols). Each game is shown on YouTube around the world, and collectors can watch live, at half time we release a POAP which acts as validation of 'virtual' attendance. Fans share their favourite POAPs on their social channels and avidly collect them. This is the epitome of interactive content, more clubs should consider it.

Cricket isn't just a sport in India, it's a fervent passion ingrained in the nation's cultural fabric. IPL is a festival of sports, entertainment, and, most importantly, advertising opportunities. In this digital age, where technology drives interactions and innovations redefine possibilities, JioCinema, under the umbrella of Viacom18 Media, recognizes the transformative power of digital advertising. The inclusion of Vertical Highlights, aligning with trending social media formats, ensures heightened engagement by packaging match highlights in a shorter, more dynamic orientation. JioCinema opens avenues for brands to integrate special messages, rewards, and gamified communication, enhancing brand salience and engagement at scale.

To solve this challenge sports rightsholders will certainly make use of the tech outlined in the section above. VR will be able to create virtual representations of stadia which remote fans can watch a game in (also creating new sub-sets of rights). AI can already create personalised clips for fans who just love one player. But the one that we need to remember is community. For remote fans to truly feel a connection we need to ensure they feel as much a part of the community as a local supporter. To do this we need to build on the strength of the local fanbase - amplifying its unique, positive characteristics. While also reflecting the passion of global fans, and successfully merge the two. This takes investment, care and skill.