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From our Founder Angela Ruggiero
"Outside of a really clear picture with 8K, the pandemic has caused the industry to change at a rapid rate, adopting new remote production processes, as well as the adoption of new camera technologies."
With the majority of fans stuck at home, sports broadcasts are finding innovative ways to deliver the content fans know and love. One innovation that I have been eagerly awaiting is 8K, which I first saw up close at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. After all, sometimes you just want to lean back and feel immersed in a killer picture. Recently, there have been some extremely clear and high-resolution cameras rolled out during NFL games and other sporting events. For example, last week F1 announced it is planning to have high dynamic range (HDR) broadcasts during the 2021 season to elevate its coverage. The HDR technology is very good at capturing high-speed objects which is perfect for F1 and its fans. With other motorsports, like NASCAR, using these new broadcast technologies, it is exciting to see what F1 will do to augment their viewing experience. Outside of a really clear picture with 8K, the pandemic has caused the industry to change at a rapid rate, adopting new remote production processes, as well as the adoption of new camera technologies. It will be interesting to see what sport and what league leverages these technologies next. Stay tuned.
Weekly Brand Breakthrough
This past week the NBA announced a multi-year licensing and marketing deal with Mondelez International, the company behind household names such as Oreo, Chips Ahoy!, Nutter Butter, Ritz Crackers, Trident, and Sour Patch Kids. The agreement will make Mondelez an official partner of the NBA and all of its subsidiaries. While the Mondelez brand has a far-reaching grasp on consumers, the NBA appeals to a younger audience, families, and gamers. The initial campaign focuses on Oreo cookies and the NBA’s dynastic teams. The cookies will feature franchises’ logos, such as the Boston Celtics, LA Lakers, and Chicago Bulls. This one-of-a-kind partnership promises to benefit both brands by enhancing fans’ viewing and snacking experience.
Weekly Live Entertainment Breakthrough
Almost a year after the entire world ground to a halt, fans have finally returned to sports venues in New York City. Fans have slowly returned in smaller numbers to live sporting events worldwide, from Munich to Tampa to Manchester, but never in New York. The city, hit so hard by the virus in the first few weeks, has yet to recover completely, but the safe reopening of large venues to small numbers of fans seems like the beginning of the end of this dark period in American sports. Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center both welcomed 2,000 fans to games last week, just ten percent of their total capacity. These fans had to display a negative PCR test from the previous 72 hours, complete a health screening before coming, and a temperature check at the door. This may be the future of live sports for a while, but these games bring with them so much hope for the future.
Weekly Media Breakthrough
This past week the NHL inked a seven-year rights deal with The Walt Disney Company, which owns ESPN and ABC. The deal kicks off for the 2021-22 season and will allow ESPN or ABC to air 25 games and half of the playoffs each year and the Stanley Cup Finals four out of the seven years. The deal demonstrates that ESPN remains front and center when it comes to sports broadcasting. Although the company faces the challenge of moving from traditional broadcast services to streaming-based services, they seem ready to adapt. The deal also includes 75 regular-season games to be streamed exclusively on ESPN and Hulu. In addition, ESPN+, the conglomerate’s OTT streaming service, will absorb NHL.TV, providing an alternative streaming package for NHL fans. This big deal demonstrates the future of media and sports. It is no longer focused on a single product but about providing every consumer with the best viewing experience.
Weekly Athlete Breakthrough
This week marks a substantial milestone for all of us, a year of pandemic life, but it also marks the return of March Madness basketball. After a two-year hiatus, the much-awaited sports event will look much different than it did before the pandemic. To keep the virus at bay, the NCAA will host the tournament inside of a bubble in Indiana, as proved successful with the NBA’s Orlando Season. The protocols are tight, stating that if a team cannot meet the medical requirements, they must forfeit, and the NCAA will bring in another team from their region to replace them. The games will kick off this coming Thursday, March 18th, and finish with the National Championship game on Monday, April 5th. The return of this tournament is a win for fans and all NCAA athletes, as the tournament typically brings in 700 million dollars in revenue, which helps to fund all NCAA sports.
For more information on the changing trends in sports and all of our latest research visit sportsilab.com
Sports Innovation Lab Events
The Fan Project Live:
Creating Equal Opportunities for Women in Sports
It is time the sports industry creates equal opportunities for women. We’ve seen female executives make history in the past year, and we want these historic hires to be the norm. Join us Thursday at 2:30 pm ET when The Fan Project Live Chat Series continues when our host Megan Perry is joined by special guests Olga Harvey, Chief Strategy and Impact Officer at the Women's Sports Foundation and Haley Rosen the CEO and Founder of Just Women's Sports. Olga is also a decorated collegiate tennis player from Cornell University and currently serves as the Vice President on the USTA Eastern Board of Directors. Haley entered the sports and technology world after an outstanding professional soccer career in the US and abroad. Learn about how these two organizations are unlocking the possibilities in every girl and woman through the power of sport. Register today and join the conversation! To view all of our previous sessions visit our YouTube Channel.
Ask John Levy Anything
Tune in Thursday at 1pm ET when the Sportico and Sports Innovation Lab Ask Me Anything Series continues with special guest, John Levy the Founder and CEO of theScore. Josh Walker and Scott Soshnick will talk with John about theScore’s innovative media strategy, its push into sports betting, and its recent public offering on the Nasdaq. A highly successful and experienced media entrepreneur, John has built theScore into one of the most exciting and forward-thinking companies in the sports media and betting industry. His visionary approach led to theScore becoming the first media company to create and launch a sportsbook, offering a completely unique and deeply integrated experience that fuses media and betting. This innovative model and strategy has helped theScore Bet secure access to key markets across the country as its operations continue to grow. Register for the event now! You can view all of our previous AMAs on our website and our YouTube Channel.