Top 4 Breakthrough Stories From 2020
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Each week our newsletter highlights the top stories changing the sports industry in the sponsorship, live entertainment, media, and the athlete market. I asked our research team to widen that scope to the entire year of 2020, and identify the four stories that scored the highest (via our data) in their respective “breakthrough” categories. Congratulations to DraftKings, ESPN+, NBA’s Golden State Warriors, and the NFL + Nike for making our “Top 4 Breakthrough Stories of 2020.” As we look back at 2020 and see how we were able to overcome adversity and innovate as an industry, we wanted to send some love and highlight those that are truly innovating! Here’s to 2021!
Angela Ruggiero
CEO & Co-Founder
Sports Innovation Lab
Brand Breakthrough of the Year: DraftKings and NFL's NY Giants
This past September, DraftKings inked a first of its kind deal to become the Official Sports Betting Partner of the New York Giants. The agreement provided the online betting giant with access to official Giants logos and a virtual sports betting lounge, allowing fans to engage in unique ways with DraftKings platforms. Sports Betting has played an enormous role in the industry this year; as fans were forced to stay home, they leaned into mobile sports betting apps like DraftKings and FanDuel to remain connected to their favorite teams.
Live Entertainment Breakthrough of the Year: Warrior's Dub Hub
The NBA’s Golden State Warriors launched “Dub Hub,” the virtual fan center at Chase Center. The virtual experience will live stream fans onto video screens surrounding the court since the Bay Area team will not have fans in attendance in the foreseeable future. In partnership with the Famous Group and inspired by the WWE ThunderDome and the Microsoft Teams and NBA Bubble collaboration, the Dub Hub will provide fans with a courtside video stream and a unique game-day experience. They have also set up four video boards and microphones in the tunnel, allowing select fans to talk directly to players as they walk out onto the court. Depending on how this goes, the Warriors say they could see the Dub Hub becoming a permanent fixture at the chase center. Activations such as this have redefined the relationship between teams and their fans. Live entertainment is no longer only about getting butts in seats, but instead about creating an engaging and interactive experience for fans before they even enter the venue.
Media Breakthrough of the Year: Disney's ESPN+
This past year has shown a dramatic shift away from traditional broadcast television towards more nimble OTT platforms. Many teams and properties have taken a new approach to media, meeting their fans on Twitch, TikTok, and Instagram. A clear winner in the OTT space this year was the success of Disney’s ESPN+. This past year the ESPN+ streaming service went from 3.5 million subscribers to 10.3 million according to its 2020 full-year earnings report and saw a 41% increase in Disney’s direct to consumer streaming revenues. In contrast, their linear broadcast in Q4 saw a seven percent decrease.
Athlete Breakthrough of the Year: NFL's Virtual Training Platform
This past summer, the NFL and Nike Joined together to launch 11-Online, a new virtual football training platform for high school athletes. The program brought high profile athletes like Saquon Barkley and Russell Wilson into the participants’ living rooms, as the young athletes completed exercises alongside their heroes. The online sessions provided guidance related to team building, leadership development, and position-specific drills. The training content will be available free of charge to all levels of football players. This example represents an overall trend in the athlete-driven media trend. Due to the pandemic, virtual training technology has seen tremendous growth, as athletes at all levels attempt to train on their own. More importantly, perhaps, it is giving athletes a new avenue to go direct to their fans, bringing their data to life in a new way. The last year has shown the value of athlete data to their fans, their coaches, and the athletes themselves.
