Technological developments in the past three years have greatly enhanced the experience of those who follow sporting events from home, but not those who do so by going to sports facilities: this is what emerges from the latest report by Capgemini Research InstituteA brand new ball game: Why sports technology is changing the rules of the game. As technology continues to improve the viewing experience and make it more immersive, 77% of fans Generation Z and 75% of Millennials In fact, they report that they prefer to enjoy sporting events outside of gaming facilities, compared to 53% of Boomers and 32% of people over the age of 70.
Younger fans prefer to stay away from the field
While on the one hand, the excitement of attending live events remains strong at major international events such as Olympic Games Or the World Championships, on the other hand, which may not be the case for domestic competitions and regular league matches. This change in fan preferences has caused them to attend live sporting events less.
In a previous research conducted by Capgemini in 2019, it was found that 47% of enthusiasts globally He often went to sports facilitiesWhile today the percentage is down to 34%, with a significant generation gap: 49% of fans over the age of 70 often attend sports facilities, while the percentage for Generation Z stops at 17%.
This difference is most pronounced in Australia and the United Kingdom, where the number of people who currently decide to watch live sporting events on a regular basis has halved compared to 2019, while France and Germany recorded the smallest decline (less than 5 percentage points). In the past 12 months, only 37% of fans globally visited a sports venue at least once, compared to 80% in 2019. Fans with disabilities in particular report lower satisfaction with the general conditions of accessibility of sports venues (48 only %), but still say they are confident that technology can help them better access and enjoy sporting events.
Smart devices, broadcasting and social media dominate the enjoyment of sports
The channels and devices fans use to watch sporting events have also changed dramatically in recent years. percentage of use portable devices Although fans in general continue to prefer TV to watch matches, a factor that indicates that smart devices represent an additional option for watching matches away from home or in ‘multi-screen’ mode.
In 2019, only 40% of respondents said they preferred smartphones for watching sports, compared to 70% today (notably 78% for Gen Z and 74% among Millennials). Live broadcasting and social media platforms have also seen an increase in importance among the available avenues of use: in 2019, only 39% of fans preferred streaming platforms, while today that percentage has almost doubled to 75%. As for social networking sites, The share has increased from 44% in 2019 to 64% todayIt is led by the younger generation.
According to the report, the device that fans prefer to improve their experience in enjoying sporting events, whether from home or in sports facilities, is smart phones. Over two-thirds of fans (68%) used a mobile device to regularly receive match or player information while watching the action in the stadium, and 65% to watch replays from multiple angles.
68% of fans would also like to experience using augmented reality to get additional information on their mobile device, simply by pointing at players while watching the match from the stands. Finally, fans will also be interested in enjoying immersive sports experiences, such as those offered by MetaverseFor example, two-thirds of the interviewees will be interested in buying digital items to wear it virtual environments (66%) as well as attending races and interact by default With fans and players (64%).
«In recent years, the ways of enjoying sports have completely changed. Technology ensures a higher level of immersion and game interaction, even thousands of miles away. This provides clubs with access to the next generation of fans around the world in different, innovative and exciting ways. However, our research also indicates that technological developments related to the in-stadium experience have not kept pace: the next stage in the digital transformation of the world of sport will be to revolutionize live experiences.he announced Pascal BrierChief Innovation Officer of Capgemini and Member of the Group Executive Committee.
Technological advantage for players and teams
Professionals and clubs are increasingly relying on technology to improve coaching and sports performance, from the use of devices such as smartwatches and smart glasses, to measuring performance and parameters, from analyzing positioning and strategy in live matches, to designing and reviewing training programs for individual athletes. More and more technology Built in sports equipment It is also used during meetings to support decision making.
Increasing interest in women’s sports and sustainability
In addition to the growing importance of technology in sports in recent years, the report highlighted that fans are increasingly interested Women’s sport and l sustainability. In fact, two-thirds of them would like to see more female competition in the sports they follow, and they would also like female athletes to have the same opportunities and resources as their male counterparts. For some disciplines, such as swimming, basketball, tennis, and Paralympic sports, viewing data can be compared for the men’s and women’s competitions, with many viewers choosing to watch both.
The report found a significant increase compared to 2019 in the number of viewers who chose to watch men’s and women’s matches in sports such as basketball (+34%), baseball (+20%) and American football (+28%). As for tennis, the report indicates a 10% increase in the number of spectators for women’s matches.
Across all countries and age groups, 67% of fans say they are disappointed that the teams and players they follow do not focus enough on environmental sustainability. More than three-quarters of them also say that having satisfying experiences enabled by technology outside sports venues would encourage them to enjoy sport more in this way, reducing their carbon footprint and limiting their environmental impact.
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