Marketing in sports is a way sports clubs and brands build a meaningful and more profound connection with their fans and followers. Over the years, sports marketing has continued to experience revolutions owing to the innovations in technology and the desire to improve fan experiences (Ratten & Madichie, 2016). Sports marketing is a dynamic industry, and currently, there is a shift from traditional sports marketing to social and digital marketing due to the increasing channels. Digital technology has contributed to the rapid growth of sports marketing, including online, offering valuable content, the use of immersive media, online streaming, and eSport (Melander, 2016). There has been a trend in the industry for constant concern on how to engage the fans best and improve their experiences due to the dynamic nature of sports marketing (Mosele, 2018). Some of the future sports marketing trends include Extended Reality, eSport, AI, Over the Top (OTT) Content, Smart Stadia and Internet of Things (IoT), and Women in Sports.
Extended Reality (XR) in Sports Marketing
Extended Reality (XR) refers to all immersive technologies that involves a combination of virtual and physical worlds for the extension of human experiences through the senses. In sports marketing, these technologies include virtual reality (VR) in sports, augmented reality (AR) in sports, and mixed reality (MR) in sports (Ratten & Madichie, 2016). Initially, obtaining AR technology was very expensive. However, it has become increasingly cheaper for one to get the technology. Therefore, teams and brands have resorted to this technology to create immersive experiences for their global followers and outside the stadiums through social media platforms such as Instagram (Mosele, 2018). For instance, in 2017, FC Bayern Munich used AR features where fans could virtually insert themselves into selfies with the players. In marketing, XR will allow both team and brand followers to try products beforehand and help the concerned parties to make some improvements where necessary (Foote, 2017). Players can also improve their image and build their brand by gaining more fans.
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eSport
eSport is a new trend in the sporting industry in recent years. It is particularly more prevalent in football and racing. Currently, there are millions of people playing Fifa video games throughout the globe (Foote, 2017). In recent years, teams have made efforts to equip their stadia with eSport equipment. For example, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Real Madrid's football arena, is one of the few stadia with high-tech that includes eSport arena for their fans. Many soccer players also take part in eSports (Melander, 2016). The eSport has become one of the popular sport during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, with soccer players and fans playing against each other. Players use this platform for advertising their brands and images by gaining more fans, mainly through their signature celebrations.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI is also another new technological innovation. The technology is revolutionizing and changing every aspect of life, including the sporting industry. AI incorporates machines that perform tasks the same way humans do but in a fast and more improved manner (Mosele, 2018). Teams and brands can use AI in different forms of marketing. One way is the use of chatbots that provides their fans with specific information regarding their teams and brands, statistics, or any other marketing information (Foote, 2017). A good example is the recently developed Arsenal chatbot, known as Robot Pres, that gives "personalized and unique access to the club" and is available on Slack, Skype, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger (Introducing the official Arsenal bot, 2020) .
Over the Top (OTT) Content
Over the Top (OTT) refers to streaming media content such as film and television offered directly to viewers over high-speed internet. In recent years, OTT has taken the internet by surprise, with the emergency of platforms such as Netflix, Twitter, Facebook, or Amazon Prime (Ratten & Madichie, 2016). These platforms stream television and film or video via the internet. They are slowly taking over the streaming of sports events and leagues due to improved internet coverage. In India, Facebook has the exclusive rights to stream Spain's Primera Division. OTT allows the user to watch live sports content anywhere, on any internet-enabled device (Foote, 2017). Thus, Facebook owns the sports advertising rights in India for the Primera Division and can play targeted advertisements.
Smart Stadia and Internet of Things (IoT)
Smart Stadia and Internet of Things (IoT) are increasingly becoming a more common trend in the sporting industry. Smart arenas use state of the art technology to improve their functionality and fan experiences (Melander, 2016). These technologies include cutting edge wifi, digital screens, innovative ticket packages, network and cloud, cloud analytics, data security, restrooms, parking assistance, seat upgrades, and so on (Ratten & Madichie, 2016). Tottenham, in partnership with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, equipped the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 62,000 capacity with free wifi, that all the fans can use at the same time. Teams and Brands can use IoT for advertisement and improve their fans’ experiences (Mosele, 2018).
Women in Sports
Sports has been a male-dominated industry for an extended period. However, things are increasingly changing, and more and more women are joining the industry (Ratten & Madichie, 2016). Statistics also show that women have the financial power to buy sports products. Already, there have been campaigns to support women in sports, including the Nike campaign, Dream Crazier in support of Kaepernick, and NWSL Future Official campaign calling businesses to support the NWSL. Different stakeholders have taken initiatives to come up with approaches to women's sports marketing and missed opportunities in the industry. Therefore, sports adverts in the future will increasingly include women, especially campaigns that support and empower women in sports.
Conclusion
In recent years, there have been unprecedented changes in the sporting industry. These changes have forced the sports marketing industry to constantly incorporate changes, both in terms of technology and the way of interacting with fans for improved experiences. In the future, teams and brands that will invest in technologies such as Extended Reality, eSport, AI, Over the Top (OTT), Smart Arenas, and the Internet of Things will improve their fans' experiences and profitability. These technologies serve as platforms for reaching fans and for sporting marketing.
References
Arsenal.com. 2020. Introducing the Official Arsenal Bot . [online] Available at: <https://www.arsenal.com/news/introducing-the-official-arsenal-bot> [Accessed 25 April 2020].
Foote, B. (2017). Sports Marketing: The Impact of Technologies within the World of Sports (Doctoral dissertation). Available at: < https://our.oakland.edu/handle/10323/4550 > [Accessed 25 April 2020].
Melander, B. A. (2016). Smart Stadiums: An Illustration of How the Internet of Things Is Revolutionizing the World. Ariz. St. U. Sports & Ent. LJ , 6 , 349. Available at: < http://asuselj.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Melander-Smart-Stadiums.pdf > [Accessed 25 April 2020].
Mosele, J. (2018). Artificial intelligence in the sport industry. Available at: <https://www.politesi.polimi.it/handle/10589/142501> [Accessed 25 April 2020].
Ratten, V., & Madichie, N. (2016). The dynamics of sport marketing. Marketing Intelligence & Planning . Available at: < https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299525694_The_dynamics_of_sport_marketing > [Accessed 25 April 2020].
Staurowsky, E. J. (2016). Women and sport: From liberation to celebration . Human Kinetics.
