The future of sports broadcasting just changed forever

A futurist doesn't predict the future but can study it to anticipate what it will bring. Today, I am a futurist.

We all watch sport. We all watch sport on TV.

In 10 years you may text your best friend this:

“Hey man, I am about to log onto Facebook to watch the Superbowl.”

You may not have noticed but the future of sports broadcasting is changing and here is why.

Ordinarily, you have TV conglomerates bidding for the broadcast rights to the best (and worst) sports because sport is unable to be watched on delay (DVR proof for our American friends). Sport needs to be consumed live or it is not as dramatic. We all know how hard it is to avoid all social media and technology and watch a game 6 hours after it has finished not wanting to know the score. Sport is unlike any other programming as it has to be watched live and as a result the rights to the major sports broadcasting are multi-billion dollar deals ($10 Billion dollars for the latest English Premier League broadcast rights).

The future is not going to be watching your favourite sports on TV. With the growth and power of digital media, these powerhouses will start to infiltrate the sports markets. Sports will succumb to the highest bidder and evolve, with digital media having deep pockets to make a sustained play.

Why am I so sure?

It is no surprise because of the value of networks in modern business. Not TV networks but global networks that underpin some of the modern juggernauts. The network of Facebook, the biggest social media provider. The network of AirBNB, the biggest ‘hotel chain’ in the world. The network of Uber, the largest car service provider. The list continues. These networks have global reach and are not your typical structure in these industries. Uber is not like your typical taxi service. AirBNB is not like your typical Hilton Hotel chain. This is the future.

In Australia, the Australian Football League (AFL) and the National Rugby League (NRL) have been in talks with companies like YouTube, Netflix and Facebook about the rights to their games. In the latest AFL deal, Telstra paid over $150 Million dollars for the rights to AFL games, which gives access to matches on your phone.

Across the globe, the goalposts are shifting. YouTube streamed Indian Premier League cricket games and the Copa America football tournament live to millions of fans. Recently, the NFL announced that it will live stream the Buffalo vs Jacksonville game from London this season. The NFL also has deals with YouTube and Twitter for content.

Now for some boring legal stuff. In Australia, there are certain anti-siphoning laws that will require major Australian sporting events to be shown free-to-air. This is basically to ensure the public have access to games and it is not all pay per view content. This will ensure that Netflix, Facebook, YouTube or any other pay-per-view type service cannot swoop in and take over the rights outright. That is not to say they cannot take a portion or apply pressure to the status quo.

A few questions to ponder;

Will a leading sport make the ‘landmark’ shift first and team up with the new digital media providers in a substantial manner?

Will it be a smaller sport with bold and audacious leadership, like UFC, to make a splash?

Will a $20/month Netflix subscription in 2025 give you access to House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Sunday Night Football, FIFA World Cup matches and the Winter Olympics?

Now we wait….