Sports has been a major part of the lives of many people, either in participation or in viewing. And it’s not just the small games you see locally or participated in as a kid as you know; there are all different levels of professionalism to sports and tons of different sport activities out there. What’s been especially interesting is seeing how sports have evolved and changed as an industry over the years particularly surrounding available technology. Let’s talk about it!
This industry is nothing new. People have been playing sports for as long as we can track in some form or another, either in competitive ways or just as means of entertainment. But as we’ve grown in technology and population, these became ever popular.
Now sports are often a part of almost everyone’s lives whether they actively play, tune in to sports shows or go to games, or just know a little from how much hype surrounds big sports events throughout the years.
Sporting events like the Superbowl and Olympic Games are still at an all-time high in popularity, especially when we get into technology’s influence on this concept. Television has made these more and more accessible for viewers to see for free or paid viewing.
But now, streaming services are on the rise. These are paid platforms with a set price to have access to streaming live or pre-made entertainment, and there are more and more platforms coming into popularity or existence currently.
As the more platforms come into play, sports are being offered alongside these services for the same price or added prices to allow fans the best access to their favorite sporting events and games. And it took the industry to even higher of a popularity rise.
Sports are continuing to raise in viewership and income from this added form of revenue and viewing, and it’s also driving multiple streaming platforms up higher in revenue because of how many sports fans love the availability to watch their events from home for a flat fee.
And since these options often include other television or movies, subscribers are typically pleased to continue paying for this option so they can enjoy sports and TV all in one. This trend is expected to continue rising as this year goes by.
The only piece of the puzzle most people are curious about is how this may impact in person shows and events for their attendance. It seems that bigger events like the Superbowl and small local events such as college and high school level sports are still going strong in person.
But, this may shift and evolve from a more in-person based activity to something both viewers and fans can enjoy from anywhere right at home. It also will mean that more busy folk can still enjoy their favorite events.
Streaming services are an interesting part of the industry in many ways because of the technology involved and how much they encompass so many different forms of entertainment streaming depending on the platform. It’s no different for sports, and this is something that will really be a pivotal focal point for this industry as time continues to move forward and we see streaming platforms raise more in popularity.