There was a time in the not too distant past when listening to a guy, or two guys, commentate on a game or a fight was just about the only way sports fans could learn about their favorite sports events, apart from picking up a newspaper and turning to the sports section. That was about as much interaction as they could participate in. It was one way, and they had no choice. Or rather, they did have a choice: they could choose not to watch at all. Things have obviously changed a lot since then with advent of dedicated sports channels, radio shows, interactive content, phone-ins and online forums. The list goes on and on, with modern sports fans now spoiled for choice when it comes to content. This trend shows no sign of slowing as the pace of technology marches ever onwards. The boundaries between technology and sports are becoming more blurred all the time, as such it comes as no surprise that technology will continue to shape how we digest and experience sports commentary, debate and analysis into the future.
Web 2.0 and Social Streaming
Streaming has been, and will continue to be, part of those changes. For so long a dirty word, it has gone legit and now, and just like with movies and boxsets, is the way a lot of people get access to sporting content. It also means that no matter where you are, there’s a very good chance you can watch the match on your cell phone. That is not the end of the story, and it leads us into the other huge driving force behind the changing ways we watch sports. The audience themselves are no longer content to merely sit back and watch or listen. They are not content with only being able to debate online or call into a program or radio show. They want to create the content themselves. We’ll get back to streaming in a minute, but the rise in the popularity of podcasts, sports based ones especially, shows that people are not just happy to hear the same old voices. They want to hear from fans like themselves and get fresh perspectives. Former players are leading the charge among a new wave of influencers on the sports podcast circuit.
New Formats
Elsewhere, this collaborative focus is in evidence on game streaming platforms like Twitch. The success of the Amazon-owned brand has shown the appetite for this type of content, something that started in gaming and has grown to encompass traditional sports. The UFC for example, often at the forefront of innovative ways to get its content and message across has embraced Twitch with its own channel. It is almost inevitable that esports platforms like Twitch were going to end up influencing traditional sporting media. The free-form, anarchic space of these services is a breath of fresh air. You will have a choice to get your commentary from the traditional sports commentator, or alternatively you may opt for a former coach giving his views on proceedings, or perhaps even take in post-game analysis from Snoop Dogg or Ricky Gervais.
The AR Revolution
It doesn’t stop there however. Technology allows us to do so much more than merely watch what’s going on on the field. Using the capabilities that 5G offers, augmented reality adds another layer – literally – of content. The possibilities are practically endless. Live analysis, data and stats of each player can be called up, displayed on the screen in real time. The vision with such technologies is to create the ultimate immersive experience for the viewer. Broadcasters are already investing heavily in this. This is the way they see the future, for everyone. The only problem for the sports fan could be to remember that behind all the extras and add-ons, there’s an actual game going on.
