Fluid Fan Featured Four Newsletter
Sign up below to stay up to date on the sports stories changing our industry
From our Founder Angela Ruggiero
"The balancing act between player safety and rights holders should be handled with the same care that the resumption of the seasons was handled. "
As leagues across the world continue to plan for their return to normalcy, leagues need to consider player health and safety. Players need to be provided with ample time to recover from chaotic seasons the sports industry had never seen before, and deal with the possibility of another shortened, condensed season in 2021. The balancing act between player safety and rights holders should be handled with the same care that the resumption of the seasons was handled. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality training tools could become essential for players as they try to safely train and prepare for an upcoming season given the possible restrictions on gathering in large capacities inside team facilities. As we have seen continued investment in human performance and wearable technology during the pandemic, AR and VR tech may be next in line. More immediately, there is an opportunity for athletes to take the time to learn how to leverage technology and data to recover faster, train smarter, and prepare to compete under heightened stressors. The stories below highlight the leagues and properties that are working to move out of the COVID pandemic and make plans for a safer and innovative future.
Weekly Brand Breakthrough
The NBA has changed the game in recent days by easing sponsorship restrictions across the league in an attempt to boost revenue streams and offset the losses of the 2019-20 season. These changes include opening up baseline apron areas for additional signage and relaxing stringent measures on hard alcohol, casino, and sports betting sponsorships. This is an effort to make up for the 10% revenue drop this past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although deemed necessary because of the pandemic, leagues and teams have begun, in recent years, to look outside the realm of traditional sponsorship, and focus on innovative activations and brands that share their values.
Weekly Live Entertainment Breakthrough
The San Francisco 49ers debuted 8K video technology at Levi’s Stadium during their game versus the Green Bay Packers last Thursday night. Venues around the world have been trying to find new ways to bring the game to fans as a limited number, if not none at all, are allowed in the stadiums to watch live games. Although fans will not be able to see this new technology live in the venue this season, it shows us that the industry is still trying to innovate and test new technologies during this very strange season. The sports industry can’t sit back and wait for a return to normalcy, we need to continue to test out innovative tech that will create the best Fluid Fan experience possible for fans upon their return to the stadium.
Weekly Media Breakthrough
Olympique de Marseille has joined a host of other teams now making use of the Amazon-owned streaming platform, Twitch. The top tier french soccer team created their account this summer in an attempt to reach fans at home, with a two-game promotion, but they have recently decided to begin more regular programming through the platform such as live club press conferences, original programming, women's games, and some interactive content. They saw great success this summer with a total audience of 266,000 attending one game. In a similar vein, the top Spanish flight, LaLiga, opened its own Twitch account in October, becoming the first major European league to enter this new arena. The Fluid Fans of the future are looking for new, interesting, and engaging ways to enjoy their sports content and it is teams who dive into these new opportunities, like Marseille, that will have the most success.
Weekly Athlete Breakthrough
It has just become a lot easier to train like the pros because the world's leading VR soccer training app is now free on StreamVR. Rezzil Player 21 is a VR built specifically for the sport of soccer. It allows players to build muscle memory from the comfort of their own homes, and without the risk of injury. The recent release of the app now allows anyone with VR capabilities to train, and the company has also gamified the experience as you can track your progress on a worldwide leaderboard, interact with different in-game purchases, and if you're lucky, catch the attention of top-level scouts who use the platform to enhance their own recruitment. Promotions like this bring the tools that have only been available to the top tier of athletes to a much larger group, allowing more and more people to interact and train alongside their heroes.
For more information on the changing trends in sports and all of our latest research visit sportsilab.com
Sports Innovation Lab Events
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS WITH THE WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM
The Sportico and Sports Innovation Lab Ask Me Anything Series returns Thursday, November 19 at 1 pm ET featuring an interview with Jason Wright, President of the Washington Football Team. Jason is the first Black team president in the history of the NFL and currently is the youngest team president in the League. He’ll answer all your questions about the organization's business divisions, including operations, finance, sales, and marketing. Register for the series here! You can view all of our previous AMAs on our website and our Youtube Channel.