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From our Founder Angela Ruggiero
"Digital sports are taking off and there has been serious investment in esports properties."
It’s no secret markets all over the globe have been affected by the pandemic during the last year. Even during the pandemic, the esports market was able to stay steady and show signs of growth. Forbes released their valuations of the top esports brands in the world and although it was only a small percentage, the teams were still able to show growth in 2020. Digital sports are taking off and there has been serious investment in esports properties. According to Pitchbook, venture capitalists have invested $4.8 Billion into esports in the past five years. This market is primed to make a big splash as money continues to flow in, and valuations of expected global revenues are reaching upwards of a billion dollars. The social and interactive aspects of esports are far greater than traditional sports, and the teams and athletes are using platforms like Twitch to go to where the fans are to produce content. As growth may be slow in a pandemic, it is on the cusp of exploding.
Weekly Brand Breakthrough
Facebook Gaming has recently announced that they will be investing $10 million to support black gaming creators over the next two years. This program comes as part of Facebook's $200 million commitment to support black-owned businesses across all of its platforms. Those admitted to the program will receive a monthly stipend based on their content quality and audience size, as well as a Facebook Gaming Partnership. Facebook has also said that these individuals will have early access to products and a mentorship program. Facebook hopes to emphasize the valuable contributions of a group that has historically been ignored in this space.
Weekly Live Entertainment Breakthrough
This past week, English Premier League fans finally returned to stadiums across the country after 271 days away. The English government has allowed ten top division clubs to welcome back 2,000 fans each to home games, while the remaining ten teams are located in covid hot spots and have not been allowed. For those in attendance, the venues were filled with optimism and hope, as British soccer fans began to see the light at the end of this dark tunnel. The small numbers in the stadium made an intimate environment where the players could hear individual fans, and the fans could listen to the players. One reporter noted that although the quality of soccer had been consistently high without fans, there was something about having fans in the stadium that motivated all the players to dig a little deeper. The EPL hopes to welcome back more and more fans in the coming weeks and months.
Weekly Media Breakthrough
Sky Deutschland has pioneered a 5G smartphone live sports broadcast with LiveU. Sky Deutschland used LiveU’s LU-smart App to stream a german handball match over the Telefonica - 02 5G network to Sky’s online platform with next to no delay. They were able to capture the action on the court from multiple angles and simultaneously transmit the live feed. Alessandro Reitano, SVP Sports Production at Sky Deutschland, said, “We were able to produce a solid 5G stream of the handball game and to let our online audience become part of a dynamic and highly engaging viewing experience.” In this case, four technology leaders LiveU, netorium, Sky Deutschland, and Telefonica, came together to move the industry forward.
Weekly Athlete Breakthrough
COVID-19 has led to a surge in demand for fitness apps, but this week showed the convergence of a professional athlete, NFL Star DeMarcus Ware, and an app. The NFL veteran, a computer science major at Troy University, spent the last two years working in concert with Bottle Rocket CEO Calvin Carter to build an engaging workout app. The app called “Driven to Win” sets itself apart, as it allows you to workout alongside Ware and other NFL players. DeMarcus Ware exemplifies the new athlete, someone who combines ingenuity and name recognition to build something innovative.
For more information on the changing trends in sports and all of our latest research visit sportsilab.com
Sports Innovation Lab Events
JOIN US FOR A GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON THE BOOMING ESPORTS INDUSTRY
Organized by the Global Esports Federation and powered by Sports Innovation Lab, GEFcon_20 is the only global thought-leadership event focused on values and connections within esports. Join us virtually December 16 & 17 to hear from innovative leaders across esports, sports, and technology while listening in on the essential conversations surrounding what it will take to build a stronger and healthier community within esports. Registration includes access to a one-on-one conversation between NBA Champion and Olympic Medalist Pau Gasol and our CEO and Co-Founder Angela Ruggiero, as well as over 10 hours of video-on-demand sessions featuring leaders from across the world of esports.
INNOVATING THE SPORTS MEDIA MARKET WITH ELEVEN SPORTS
This week’s episode of the Fluid Fan Podcast features a true leader in sports innovation. Luis Vicente the Group CEO of ELEVEN SPORTS joined Angela Ruggiero to discuss the trends making waves in the sports media and OTT space. Luis has been in sports for many years and has worked for some of the top clubs in European football as well as the Chief Digital Transformation & Innovation Officer for FIFA. His background is unlike any other and now he is innovating at ELEVEN to bring Fluid Fans sports content when and where they want it. Learn about Luis’ rise through sports and how he envisions the market moving forward as we continue to push the sports industry out of the pandemic.
INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP IN SPORTS WITH VAL ACKERMAN
The Sportico and Sports Innovation Lab Ask Me Anything Series returns Thursday, December 17th at 1 pm ET featuring an interview with Val Ackerman, Commissioner of the BIG EAST Conference. Val was named the fifth Commissioner of the BIG EAST Conference back in 2013. She spent eight years as an attorney and executive at the National Basketball Association, was the founding President of the Women’s National Basketball Association, and is a past President of USA Basketball, which oversees the U.S. men’s and women’s Olympic basketball program. Her expertise on the name, image, and likeness debate of college sports is unlike any other, and she is ready to share it and more throughout our conversation. You can view all of our previous AMAs on our website and our Youtube Channel.