
When TV providers show live, real time sports, they are encouraging connections and sparking passion; emotions of which every sports fan thrives on, writes Veset CEO Igor Krol
By Contributor
Published: July 22, 2021
When TV providers show live, real time sports, they are encouraging connections and sparking passion; emotions of which every sports fan thrives on, writes Veset CEO Igor Krol
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Like many sectors, sports broadcasting has had the odds stacked against it over the last year. Dealing with postponed or cancelled events, empty stadiums and now an increasingly crowded schedule as the backlog of live events returns. On the plus side there is a huge appetite for sports content following the hiatus, which content owners can leverage, as long as they adopt a strategic approach.
Increase in demandSport naturally sparks loyalty in fans. After a highly disrupted year, the return of live sport broadcasts meant that fans could enjoy the familiarity of live, scheduled sports broadcasts on TV. The lack of new sports content during the pandemic, however, left fans hungry for alternatives and although fans are eager to return to live sports events, there is an ongoing demand for digital content.
There is a demand for a broader range of content, such as archive footage, sports documentaries and episodic content as consumers have shifted to wanting more thought provoking and engaging content. There has also been rising demand from wider demographics including older audiences and those wanting to see more from niche sports.
AudienceAlong with the audience's profile, viewing habits have also changed. With the option of attending live sporting events taken away and people spending more time at home, consumers have become aware of new ways to interact with sports content. A recent study found that social video provides a direct complement to linear TV, offering 75 per cent of the reach that linear provides.
With a growing trend in second screen viewing comes challenges and opportunities for TV content owners. Although the use of smart phones and tablets may take the viewers' attention away from the television, it gives content owners another method of reaching the audience. Often, viewers will use the second screen for social interaction during a live match, which provides additional touchpoints for engagement and targeted advertisements.
Additionally, with many consumers left with lower incomes as a result of the pandemic, consumers continue to want long term free-to-view content. This is great news for content providers who are able to generate revenue through advertising, and great for consumers who are able to consume sports content for free through traditional TV.
FormatsDiversifying sports offerings through alternative formats will enable broadcasters to reach wider audiences and increase revenue streams. While most of the value in watching sports comes from a live, scheduled experience, flexible cloud-based formats can be implemented to maximise engagement around key events.
The appetite for sport is still there, however, viewers are using alternative technologies and formats to access content. During a period of ongoing transition, content owners are having to experiment with different technology and platforms to gauge value. Taking the time to understand new behaviours means providers can tailor new experiences to the evolving needs of the viewers. Although OTT providers are gaining popularity, many sports fans are either unwilling to subscribe to an OTT service or unable to do so because of their set-top box or broadband connection.
Content ownersUser experience will continue to be a main factor for maximising engagement with existing customers and attracting new audiences. However, with changes in consumer habits, content owners must be willing and able to adapt to the requirements of the consumer.
The adoption of simplified linear TV management systems provides new methods to manage and operate their content delivery. Providers can leverage these new management methods to schedule and deploy live sports content easily and cost efficiently to platforms such as Twitch, for example.
As the sports industry continues to recover from the significant impact of the Covid pandemic, content providers must develop new ways to encourage fan engagement. To re-coup lost revenue, content owners will still need to diversify touchpoints to attract new audiences and keep existing ones. Exploring new viewing trends such as social watching and second screen viewing will offer new opportunities to reach targeted audiences, whilst driving fans back to the traditional ways of watching TV.
There is no doubt that linear TV is neither dead nor dying. When TV providers show live, real time sports games, they are encouraging connections and sparking passion; emotions of which every sports fan thrives on.
data-src=https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/themes/tvbeurope/library/images/tvbe-subs.jpg width=729 height=90>
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
08/07/2026
Latest analogue-emulation plug-ins revealed
Universal Audio have just added two new analogue-emulation plug-ins to their DSP-powered UAD line-up. Developed ...
08/07/2026
Turn any audio loop into a playable kit
Pitch Innovations have recently introduced an interesting new tool that's capable of creating playable kits from...
08/07/2026
Adds new keyboard-split function
MonkeyC have recently launched an update that overhauls their powerful software sampler. Described as the sampler that mad...
08/07/2026
Four new delay algorithms & dual-engine functionality
Strymon have just announced that the much-anticipated MX version of their hugely popular delay pedal i...
08/07/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and China Mobile Research Institute jointly demonstrate generati...
08/07/2026
Film follows the courageous fight for justice by survivors of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries & Mother and Baby Homes
TESTIMONY airs Wednesday 22 July at 9...
07/07/2026
Applications are now open for the Validation Booster, a six-month acceleration programme supporting journalists, media organisations, content creators, media in...
07/07/2026
New mixer aimed squarely at instrument-level sources
Heritage Audio have clearly been busy recently, as alongside their all-new Tubestrip, they've also ...
07/07/2026
New channel strip combines popular hardware designs
The latest arrival to the Heritage Audio line-up brings together a selection of their praised hardware d...
07/07/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
07/07/2026
UKTV commission with BritBox and Sony Pictures Television and inspired by Deborah Cadbury's book, Chocolate Wars
The six-part series is produced by Fable P...
07/07/2026
Tuesday 7 July 2026
Record audiences tune into the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 on Sky Sports
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 was the most watche...
07/07/2026
Tuesday 7 July 2026
Official trailer released for Fightland, a revenge drama fr...
07/07/2026
Wuppertal July 7, 2026
Riedel and ARRI Bring Cinematic Live Production to the Eurovision Song ContestRiedel Communications and ARRI played a key role in one o...
07/07/2026
To Whom It Concerns RT today confirmed that Patrick Kielty is to extend his contract as host of The Late Late Show.
Last season, the world's longest-runn...
06/07/2026
Bundle gains 100 new synths & more
Synth Anthology 5 the largest and most feature-packed edition of UVI's hardware synth emulation bundle, bringing toge...
06/07/2026
Available now via free firmware update
MOTU have just announced that three of their popular audio interfaces now boast official Milan Certification. The 16A...
06/07/2026
Rohde & Schwarz completes Hunter Preliminary Design Review for the Integrated Co...
06/07/2026
The R&S IMAGER from Rohde & Schwarz uses millimeter wave imaging to inspect the ...
06/07/2026
Monday 6 July 2026
Sky Kids unveils new slate for 2026 including Paris Hilton...
06/07/2026
Monday 6 July 2026
Sky agrees to acquire ITV Media & Entertainment, creating a ...
06/07/2026
Fresh from his World Cup heroics with Cabo Verde, Roberto Pico' Lopes will join the RT panel for Argentina v Egypt tomorrow and for the England v Norway q...
06/07/2026
A death can be unsuspicious, but it has to be explained
What happened to Ke...
05/07/2026
Browser-based and desktop apps available
Digital Sunset Studios have been busy working on an interesting project: a free software tool that provides compute...
04/07/2026
Celebrates company's 80th anniversary
Rhodes have recently revealed that they will be producing a limited run of electric pianos in celebration of their...
04/07/2026
** MEDIA ALERT **
BLEACH: THOUSAND-YEAR BLOOD WAR THE CALAMITY Continues I...
04/07/2026
** MEDIA ALERT **
VIZ Media Unveils New Anime Slate at Anime Expo 2026 with ...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
03/07/2026
New bundle & three Single Packs
Continuing to expand their already sizeable orchestral collection, VSL's latest release introduces three new Single Pack...
03/07/2026
Venue installs new ATC-equipped control room
LSO St Luke's, a unique music venue that also serves as the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, have rec...
03/07/2026
1 February 2023
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany, 1st February 2023: Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software technology for digit...
03/07/2026
** MEDIA ALERT **
VIZ Media Celebrates Anime Expo 2026 with BLACK TORCH Worl...
02/07/2026
Stammering, stuttering, strangulated tones
The Crow Hill Company's latest creation promises to be the most original sound set they've produced to d...
02/07/2026
A new era in unmixing and spectral editing
The latest version of Steinberg's spectral audio-editing software has just arrived, building on the strength...
02/07/2026
Aims to simplify additive synthesis
Sine Machine is the debut launch from Melatonin, a Vienna-based developer who have spent the past six years creating wha...
02/07/2026
Products to remain fully active & supported
Following the news of Native Instruments joining the inMusic brand line-up, Academy and Emmy Award-winning visua...
02/07/2026
What you missed!
Last weekend, Saturday 27 June 2026, saw the debut of Sound On Sounds new GearExpo UK event, the largest dedicated pro-audio event to take ...
02/07/2026
Thursday 2 July 2026
Tea with Judi Dench returns to Sky Arts with legendary guest, Sir Ian McKellen
Sky today confirms Tea with Judi Dench will return this su...
01/07/2026
New AI Assistant, Multi-channel Audio, ARA2 improvements & more
Tracktion's DAW software has just received its latest major update, gaining a selection ...
01/07/2026
Stammering, stuttering, strangulated tones
The Crow Hill Company's latest creation promises to be the most original sound set they've produced to d...
01/07/2026
Exclusive run of limited-edition modelling pedals
Sweetwater and Andertons M...
01/07/2026
Matt started engineering and mixing in studios. Twelve years later, a good friend, front of house engineer Shane Haase, took him out on tour as system engineer ...
01/07/2026
Our SD10T was an absolutely rock-solid, stable console and the Quantum 338T has been the perfect upgrade, Hurley says. Having multiple screens is a big advant...
01/07/2026
LEXINGTON, Kentucky - July 2026 -Tyler Childers' seventh and latest studio record, Snipe Hunter, is an adventurously sprawling collection of tunes that span...
01/07/2026
** MEDIA ALERT **
BLEACH Comes to Life in Los Angeles with First-of-Its-Kind...