The Covid-19 pandemic is revolutionizing business, but some industries have been more prepared for the changes than others — and the sports world falls in the latter camp. The sports industry has been incredibly lucrative for decades, with teams earning big from ticket sales, broadcast partnerships, and licensing deals. These three revenue streams have only grown with technology’s rapidly changing evolutions. From 2011 to 2018, the global sports industry valuation grew 45%, to a whopping $471 billion in 2018, according to World Economic Forum. Entering 2020 — the year of the highly anticipated summer Olympics — life in the sports world looked brighter than ever.
Of course, we know what happens next. When March 2020 rolled around, the sports industry — as well as the world — catapulted into chaos overnight. The multi-billion-dollar Olympics were postponed. The money-maker that is March Madness was canceled. And, as the Covid-19 tale goes, other teams and leagues followed suit. This begged a terrifying question for those in sports:
How does the sports industry stay afloat without, well, sports?
The answer wasn’t clear, but leagues and broadcasters experimented widely. ESPN and Fox Sports made classic games and archived content readily available to engage fans. The NBA capitalized on its own e-sports adaptation, NBA 2K, which had players streaming content from their own homes.
And the NFL took sports nostalgia a welcome step further by making every single game since 2009 accessible for streaming via Game Pass, a direct-to-consumer channel priced at around $99 per season. Fan reception proved just how much sports lovers missed their pastime. Game Pass saw a 500% uptick in daily sign ups after the nostalgic promotion launched.
Lucrative or not, experts know these strategies are mere Band-Aids — and sadly, these Band-Aids just don’t hold up. Take the typically money-making men’s college basketball season. Their income was down more than 50% — a figure that’s hardly surprising given the March Madness cancelation. Abroad, the English Premier League teams anticipate millions — between $60 to $150 million — will be lost in income as well.
“Shortened seasons, no in-person fans — these changes really altered several billion dollars of revenue streams,” said Jason Neureiter, corporate account manager for broadcast and sports with Adorama Business Solutions.
As sports leagues and broadcasters enter new territory — a mix of teams playing reduced seasons, and largely (if not entirely) without fans onsite — they’re navigating new revenue options to keep a key income driver — fan engagement — alive. Fans lead to advertisement views, and advertisement views lead to potential revenue. It’s a tale as old as time in the world of sports advertising. But in 2020 and beyond, that ever-valuable fan experience will look quite different — and despite the bleak circumstances, that may ultimately lead to some long-term positives.
Using livestreams to recreate the fan experience
Livestreaming is not a new idea in the world of sports, but it’s taking a new shape — and priority — as leagues and broadcasters brainstorm new revenue options. According to Neureiter, this is one area his sports customers are looking to grow their tech investments in 2020.
“In the past, livestreaming was an enhancement of the broadcast. It was there, but more so as an extra stream of revenue,” he said. “Now what they’re going to have to do is make it more readily available. They’ll need to improve upon it, make sure it’s top-notch quality, and perhaps even bite the bullet by not focusing solely on revenue stream, but also perfecting the fan experience in this new virtual sports environment.”
Services like Pixellot have further expended the options for sports broadcasting. No longer do you need a full crew or production team — the service allows for inexpensive live coverage for seamless streaming.
While multiple tech options make livestreaming easier than ever, Neureiter says PTZ cameras — cameras that pan, tilt, and zoom via remote controls — are flying off the shelves. Units like the Panasonic AW-HN130 PTZ Camera, for example, are making waves, and saving big bucks, across the industry.
“It’s interesting, because these cameras, which are basically remote-controlled broadcast cameras, are a more cost-effective solution than traditional broadcasting,” he said. “In the past, the director in the control room could tell a certain camera man to go the 40-yard line to get a shot. Now, they’re handling it by remote control. The only thing is, these cameras don’t have the same quality caliber of a traditional broadcast, simply because the camera qualities aren’t as great as traditional broadcast cameras. That’s a trade-off we’re seeing clients adapt to engage fans while staying within tight budgets.”
Take the Sony CX405 video camera, when paired with the Hi Rise Camera Sky 250ET Video Camera Tower Kit, gives sports broadcast teams powerful high-angle aerial vantage point from which they can broadcast and stream video footage. Alternatively, the beloved Autel Robotics EVO II PRO drone bundle also give you the aerial advantage and can capture any action on the field.
Making social media a main, money-making priority
Just like livestreaming, social media has always been important in the world of sports, but it’s never been a top-level priority. That will soon change, if it hasn’t already. Social media is an essential tool for fan retention, which is more critical than ever given fans don’t have in-person events and nearly as many games to engage them. Since fans equal potential advertisement views, and advertisement views equate to revenue, social media could mean major dollar signs for the sports industry — at a time when they need it most.
“On the sports side of the business, social media has always been key in acquiring fans and retaining fan interest, but it’s also been more of an afterthought. We found teams doing the same posting and content patterns game after game,” Neureiter said. “Now, because of the actual lack of interaction and lack of content, teams, leagues, and broadcasters are turning to social media to create social-first content.”
Following the death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests and rallies, Neureiter says numerous broadcasters decided to craft content showing their support and their brand positioning. And, in an unprecedented move, they used this content solely where the conversations were happening: social media.
“I had one client call me up to say they needed a set of cameras, cables, microphones, lights, and so on, because his company gave him $50,000 to create six one-hour specials on equality,” Neureiter said. “We’ve also had teams create timely social-media content around staying safe during Covid-19, how to watch the game virtually, or even 10-minute one-on-ones with players since fans couldn’t come to practice. This is where social media has, and will continue to, play a major role moving forward.”
Home studios are the new broadcast sets
As the pandemic and subsequent stay-at-home orders grew, more and more broadcasters turned to home studios instead of in-person broadcast sets for the safety and health of their staff. Just look at celebrity chefs like Rachael Ray, who’ve spent the pandemic successfully cooking — and streaming — from a home kitchen.
Neureiter says home studios are not only growing in popularity; they’re also surprisingly affordable, with just a few essentials like lights, cameras, microphones, and tripods needed for the perfect kit. Even better? According to Neureiter, most people don’t know just how much they can do with the gear they have on hand.
“Most people don’t realize that with traditional mirrorless cameras like the Sony Alpha line, you can plug right into the internet with the correct adaptors, then livestream to the masses,” he said. “So that’s an affordable first step for clients creating home-studio kits. From here, our team suggests lighting options, tripods, and streamlined audio configurations to round things out. We’re building these kits left and right, from celebrity chefs to broadcast facilities — and more and more, for those in sports.”
Content quantity is the key to a sustainable short-term future
Unfortunately, the pandemic shows no signs of letting up. That means sports seasons may be shorter. Games will inevitably be canceled. And content quantity — the bread and butter of the sports industry — will continue getting reduced. Except, it doesn’t have to. From e-sports adaptations to livestreams left and right, the sports industry has already shown its prowess when it comes to content creativity. Now, it’s time to monetize as the rest of the pandemic shakes out.
“Of course, the biggest thing would be getting back to regular seasons. It’s not even so much the livestream of the broadcast that’s lacking, it’s the fact that the sheer quantity of material isn’t there anymore,” Neureiter said. “That said, I think the way forward will definitely look different, both now and after the pandemic. Livestreams, feeds, exclusive content — these are all potential revenue drivers. Think about it: If you could tell a loyal fan that there’s a 24-hour camera on the practice court that they could access for 99 cents per month, a lot of fans would happily sign up. Capitalizing on this content now, and in the future, will be key.”
For more information and for sports tech solutions, contact Adorama Business Solutions via business.adorama.com/ABSSportsTech.
Feature photo by Free To Use Sounds on Unsplash
