One way that sport benefits society in general is by opening up additional opportunities for

There is no question that technology has transformed, and will continue to transform, businesses across all industries, radically altering both the customer experience and the inner workings of organizations. The sports industry, in particular, is undergoing rapid upheaval, and digital technology is unlocking unprecedented opportunities for growth. In order to fully capitalize on those opportunities, however, sports organizations will likely need a digital overhaul. “Doing digital” is not enough: They will have to embed digital in every aspect of the business, transforming people, processes, and technology.

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Many athletes do better academically
Sports teach teamwork and problem-solving skills
Physical health benefits of sports
Sports boost self-esteem
Reduce pressure and stress with sports

Going through any kind of organizational transformation is not to be taken lightly. But given the significant opportunities that exist for sports organizations, the undertaking is well-worth considering. These opportunities fall into four categories.

Broaden content reach

Technology is playing a larger role than ever in the lives of fans, opening the way for sports organizations to create new, innovative customer experiences. Partnering with broadcasters and new distribution platforms can give fans the experiences they want, and capture viewership across multiple devices, including mobile.

The rise of the smartphone and the tablet may have contributed to an erosion in live game attendance, as more people switch to live streaming. Attendance for the National Football League (NFL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) is below 2007 levels, while both National Hockey League (NHL) and National Basketball Association (NBA) attendance has declined since the 2012-2013 season.1 At the same time, over-the-top (OTT) platforms are emerging as the new engine for growth: While the NFL has seen a drop in TV ratings, fans streaming NFL games increased 25 percent in 2017.2

Sports organizations need to strategically leverage digital media to build direct connections with fans. One way is to partner with broadcasters to master content across multiple channels, which also allows for a wealth of real-time marketing opportunities. Ultimately, digital optimization of content across platforms will help broaden content reach for sports organization.

Drive the fan experience

Many sports fans are no longer interested in the game alone–they crave the kind of exclusive and shareable experiences that can be amplified by technology. Sports organizations could grow stadium attendance by using immersive technologies such as augmented and virtual reality to create an intensely exciting viewing experience. They can also increase engagement by leveraging loyalty and customer relationship management data to tailor experiences to individual fan preferences.

Engage sponsors

Fans are interacting with media more than ever before–between 2014 and 2016, audio consumption, TV viewership, and application usage increased across the board.3 Couple this with the fact that sports fans are increasingly receptive to personalized engagement, and therein lies a world of opportunity. Targeted advertisements are reported to be twice as effective on average as non-targeted ads: 60 percent of millennials would willingly share their data for coupons or promotions, and 71 percent of consumers would rather see ads focused on their interests.4

Digital analytics allow for a better understanding of what excites fans, giving sponsors insight into what types of ads and engagement models work for individual audiences. Digital tools can also provide sponsors with more information about fans so that they can tailor the timing, content, and delivery of messaging for greater effectiveness.

Generate new revenue

In a world where big data predominates, sports organizations can mine fans’ data to better understand their habits, preferences, and demographics, ultimately unlocking new revenue streams by reaching fans in innovative ways—for example, by adding new services to existing offerings. They can also use data to improve core business operations, build and solidify partner relationships, and even develop entirely new business models.

But perhaps even more compelling is the direct monetization of anonymized data through external products and solutions. In fact, today, one third of all companies are commercializing or sharing their data to create new revenue streams.5 Ways that sports organizations can enter the game include:

Selling raw data through an established exchange
Trading information/pooling data into a shared utility
Selling persona and device ID data on ad exchanges
Media activation based on customer contextual data (in-home/out-of-home)

Organized, well-structured youth sports and on-going physical activities can provide many benefits for children and adolescents. Positive experiences that sports and an active lifestyle bring play an important role in a young person’s life.

At University of Missouri Health Care, our adolescent medicine team encourages all children to participate in sports or other regular physical activity. Physical exercise is good for the mind, body and spirit. Team sports help teach adolescents accountability, dedication, leadership and other skills.

Many athletes do better academically

Playing a sport requires a lot of time and energy. Some people may think this would distract student-athletes from schoolwork. However, the opposite is true. Sports require memorization, repetition and learning — skillsets that are directly relevant to class work. Also, the determination and goal-setting skills a sport requires can be transferred to the classroom.

Sports teach teamwork and problem-solving skills

Fighting for a common goal with a group of players and coaches teaches you how to build teamwork and effectively communicate to solve problems. This experience is helpful when encountering problems at work or at home.

Physical health benefits of sports

Clearly, sports can help you reach your fitness goals and maintain a healthy weight. However, they also encourage healthy decision-making such as not smoking and not drinking. Sports also have hidden health benefits such as lowering the chance of osteoporosis or breast cancer later in life.

Sports boost self-esteem

Watching your hard work pay off and achieving your goals develops self-confidence. Achieving a sport or fitness goal encourages you to achieve other goals you set. This is a rewarding and exciting learning process.

Reduce pressure and stress with sports

Exercising is a natural way to loosen up and let go of stress. You can also make new friends who can be there for you as a support system. When you feel under pressure or stressed, call up a teammate, head to the gym to talk and play it out.