Advanced Digital Technologies and its Impact on Sports
Technological advances have changed the world of sport, especially from the spectator’s point of view. Technology has not only improved digitalization. Discover its impact on the world of sports.
How is advanced technology impacting sports?
Human athleticism is projected on your giant LCD screens with the help of advancements like Hawk-eye, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Video Assistant Referee (VAR), and much more.
For instance, Hawk-eye innovations provide IT solutions, and it holds expertise in sports. They are famous for delivering enhanced sports production and innovative solutions for content management to increase audience engagement.
Just imagine a life where you don’t get to see the slow-motion playback of a sixer shot or a run-out. Would you be able to enjoy sports the way you do right now? We don’t think so. Hence, it is a well-known fact that progress in technologies have revolutionized the sports world.
Technology has brought the spectator and the players really close to one another. Players use digital technologies and sports broadcast to observe and work on their flaws and drawbacks. Back in the olden days, people needed to be in front of the television to watch a live match. Tech has evolved to bring sports to you in almost every gadget.
Benefits of Advanced Digital Technology
Instant replays
The most commonly used advanced technology in the sports industry is Instant Replay. Instant replays allow the spectators to witness the actions closely. It also helps the referee in making important decisions. No matter the sport, this feature is used in cricket, football, rugby, soccer, and physical combat.
Instant replay gives officials and spectators a surety that they witnessed each act correctly and closely. It helps gain perspective from another point of view. Hawk-Eye is considered an unbiased sports expert, and its opinion is respected and trusted in tennis, cricket, football, etc.
Over the top (OTT) content
While some sports fans want to view the perfect sports productions, others want to view the bird’s eye — a view where they have their eyes on everything. Digital technology and sports have given birth to “Over the top” live streaming, where sports organizations air live content. Sports fanatics like to indulge in live streaming.
Famous sports organizations like the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) provide live streaming. Watching sports on a big screen is no longer a trend for sports lovers. However, this is not such a piece of great news for television broadcasters and sports production companies.
Since 2017, NFL TV ratings have been dropping while NFL game ratings have increased by 25%. OTT has been flourishing in sports because it boosts investments in content acquisition. A new TV report has estimated that sports media streaming rights will increase to reach almost $85 billion in the future years.
Sensor tools
Sensor tools have been integrated into the sports industry in the past two decades. For example, in cricket, whenever the balls hit the wickets, the sensory light turns on. It helps the referee and spectators decide whether it is an out or not.
Sensory tools help make things clear, decide whether the players blocked the cricket ball unfairly. Similarly, in tennis, specially designed laser tools are used to check whether the ball was in the boundary or not. Sensory tools make judgments easier for spectators.
Since 2002, Hawk-Eye innovations have been a vital part of tennis tournaments. It has continuously served tennis matches, one after the other, providing broadcasting, sponsors, and other innovative solutions, including sensor tools.
Generate new revenue
The sports industry generates a total of $700 billion in revenue, which is 1% of the global GDP. Digital advancements in the sports industry are now developing new revenue. For example, advanced technology allows viewers to be close observers. They can use their observations to form raw data and sell it to generate revenue.
People use data visualization and indulge in comprehending habits, tactics, preferences, and sports demographics. By providing such analysis, one can attract a more influential audience of sports lovers.
Engage fan experience
Nowadays, sports fans are not excited about the game only. They demand an amplified experience, which is something that only advanced technology can serve. Renowned sports organizations work on making the experience exciting for viewers.
They will continue to do so in future sports technology as well. They could work on the in-stadium experience by using virtual reality to increase the spectators' experience. Hawkeye has offered ground-breaking solutions in over 80 tennis tournaments with advanced technologies like big-screen production, smart vote, serve speed, shot clock display, and much more.
About this article
This article has been written by a student on the Grenoble Ecole de Management’s Advanced Masters in Digital Strategy Management. As part of a content creation assignment, students are given the task of writing articles based on their digital interests and disseminate the articles online. Articles are marked but we make minimal changes to the content. Thanks for reading! James Barisic, Programme Director, MS DSM.
