The effects of COVID-19 have been felt throughout the world’s health, educational, financial and commercial institutions, and the sports ecosystem is no different. For a long period, matches and competitions were cancelled or postponed and although these have returned, the lingering effects of the disruption are still being felt.
There is now, undoubtedly, a need for sports businesses to adapt. Owners, broadcasters, and sponsors are trying to navigate the impacts and implications of the continuously evolving situation. The industry needs to change in order to simultaneously manage modifications, operational disruption and fan expectations.
However, this change is not necessarily a negative one, as evidenced by the innovations taking place in the sport tech industry.
Here are a few of the unique, trailblazing businesses who are advancing this progression and bidding to become the next big players in their respective markets for the years to come.
Venue Tech:
As all aspects of the sports industry are thrown into sharp focus, perhaps none more so than the live events and sports venue sector; where even the most established venues find themselves struggling in the face of imposed financial pressure as a result of business models being reliant on fan attendance.
However, there are some who are aiming to revolutionise this sector through innovative technology.
Realife Tech is one such business, using advanced automation and data tracking services to not only engage fans at stadiums and events, but to keep them safe at the same time with the introduction of their COVID Safety Hubs. Already signing with some of the most iconic venues across the world, Realife will certainly be one to watch in this space.
Similarly, Verteda aims to provide integrated automation services to not only stadiums, but also delivering innovation to back-of-house operations across the leisure and hospitality industries. Their IT solutions will be sought after as businesses urgently look to streamline their operations and reduce costs.
PTI is another emerging venue tech business, supplying venues with specialist solutions which enhance experiences for fans, making matchday improvements by providing relevant information quickly and flexibly. PTI are truly driving technology transformation for many organisations in the sector, bringing technology to the service of sport.
Advertising:
The importance of advertising and sponsorship in sports cannot be understated. In major sports where millions of people around the world tune in to view their favourite team, businesses have always, quite rightly, pitched in for this bit of lucrative marketing real estate. In turn, advertising and sponsorship are integral to sporting teams: helping pay the costs of the stadiums, the teams and keeping the price of tickets for each fan to a lower rate.
Of course, in the wake of the pandemic, more people than ever are tuning in to watch their sport from home (as they don’t have much choice, for now at least) but this has spurred some businesses to take live advertising to new heights.
One such business in this sector, who are worth getting really excited about, are Supponor. They use ground-breaking technology to make virtual advertising a reality. Successfully implementing their unique tech into live broadcasts, respectfully and authentically overlaying physical TV visible signage. Enabling advertising to be bespoke and tailored to individual audiences, no matter where they are in the world. Supponor are helping sports organisations make up for lost revenue emerging as global leaders in advertising.
Business Support:
For many sporting businesses and organisations, they are a myriad of factors they have to manage when delivering an event, whether it’s a one off grand final or a weekly match. That’s why there have been an emerging number of service providers to assist in the delivery of events.
Sport:80 is a growing influence within the market of sporting business support, offering a range of management services, from membership registrations and data management to governance & compliance. From humble beginnings as a Sheffield business, to working with major international sporting organisations, such as USA Track & Field, Sport:80 are a great story and we can’t wait to see what they do next.
Do you have a sports tech business that you’re keen to promote? Get in touch with our award-winning team of experts today to discuss how we could help.
