Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

How broadcasters can leverage the appetite for sports content

22/07/2021

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

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>
LINK: https://www.tvbeurope.com/live-production/how-broadcasters-can-leverag...
See more stories from tvb

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

14/11/2026

MLB Networks David Maybrown, 57, Passes Away

Longtime MLB Network employee David Maybrown passed away Thursday at the age of 57. David joined MLB Network in 2009 shortly after its launch, beginning as an i...

14/11/2026

Rotary Exciter & Resonator Clamps from ADDAC System

Modular innovators introduce two guitar-based products ADDAC System's recently introduced Four String Series makes it possible to integrate physical str...

14/11/2026

Marcelo Dai's Live Session Captured with URSA Cine Immersive

Marcelo Dai's Live Session Captured with URSA Cine Immersive Brie Clayton November 14, 2026 0 Comments Artist takes viewers on an immersive journe...

14/11/2026

Political Ads Spiked a Week Before Midterm Elections, Nielsen Says

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

14/11/2026

FCC Sends 2027 Upper C-Band Auction Plan Into Motion

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

14/11/2026

ZEISS Showcases Latest Cine Lenses at TorunCAMERIMAGE 202...

Newest Lenses, Horizon Anamorphic Seminar & Guided Lens Character Experience Highlight Creative Possibilities At the 2026 Toru CAMERIMAGE Film Festival, ZEISS...

14/11/2026

Sonnet Announces Black Friday Sale on Select Products

Sonnet Announces Black Friday Sale on Select Products Brie Clayton November 14, 2026 0 Comments WHAT: Sonnet Technologies is having a sale on a select...

14/11/2026

Berklee Alumni Shine at the 2026 Latin Grammy Awards

Berklee Alumni Shine at the 2026 Latin Grammy Awards This year's winners included songwriters, engineers, and performers who contributed to acclaimed reco...

13/11/2026

E1 Series Brings Its Remote-First Broadcast Model to Miami for Season Finale

The UIM E1 Series wraps its third season this week with the Bombay Sapphire E1 Miami GP, Nov. 11-14, on Biscayne Bay at the Miami Seaplane Base on Watson Island...

13/11/2026

SVG GameDay, Ep. 39: Carolina Hurricanes Christine Williams & Jason Danby - Celebrating a Stanley Cup in Raleigh

In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...

13/11/2026

Benson Boone to Headline Entertainment at Discover NHL Winter Classic

Singer-songwriter Benson Boone will headline entertainment for the Discover NHL Winter Classic between the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles St...

13/11/2026

Blackmagic Design Announces Ambisonic Microphone for Immersive Spatial Audio

Blackmagic Design has announced the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone, a 7th order ambisonic microphone array that captures spatial audio for immersive video prod...

13/11/2026

The Studio B&H and Riedel to Power SMPTE MTS Solutions Hub

SMPTE has announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infrastructure and communications technology for the Solutions Hub at t...

13/11/2026

HPA Sets 2027 Tech Retreat Theme Around a Changing Industry

The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) has announced the theme and program focus for the 2027 HPA Tech Retreat, which takes place Feb. 14-18, 2027, in La ...

13/11/2026

Football Manager 27 Touch Joins Apple Arcade, with Plants vs. Zombies, Prince of Persia Added Dec. 3

Football Manager 27 Touch is available on Apple Arcade starting today. The game ...

13/11/2026

MotoGP and ESPN Announce Two-Year Media Rights Agreement for U.S. and Latin America

MotoGP has announced a two-year media rights agreement with ESPN covering the Un...

13/11/2026

Apple Sports Adds UFC Ahead of UFC 334

Apple Sports, the free iPhone app, has added the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to its lineup of supported sports, in time for Saturday's UFC 334. The...

13/11/2026

NBA Names Fanatics Studios Multiyear Creative and Event Production Partner for NBA All-Star

The NBA and Fanatics Studios, the joint venture between Fanatics and entertainme...

13/11/2026

From ManningCast to McAfee to Star Wars: ESPN, Disney Pull Back the Curtain on Super Bowl LXI Plans

ESPN held its annual EDGE Innovation Conference last night and offered up an ove...

13/11/2026

Battle in the Bronx: YES Network Presents 2026 Cortaca Jug at Yankee Stadium

Regional sports network gives Ithaca College, SUNY Cortland students a platform to thrive One of the biggest games in Division III college football will be pla...

13/11/2026

HLabs reveal the CL089

Studer-inspired 500-series PWM compressor unveiled The HLabs range already includes a couple of Studer-inspired offerings in the form of the PRE169 and EQ16...

13/11/2026

Freedom of Choice White Paper

Download Now! To view the white paper, please enter the following details: -- First Name* First Name Company* Country* Please select your countryA...

13/11/2026

Cruz Schedules Confirmation Vote for FCC Nominee Thumann-Severs

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

13/11/2026

Yamaha Acquires Virtual Production Specialist Disguise

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

13/11/2026

MyStation App Emulates TV Network' Marketplace

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

13/11/2026

Blue Lucy integrates with Comcast Technology Solutions Vi...

Blue Lucy, the workflow orchestration and integration platform for broadcasters, rights owners and localisation companies, today announced an integration with c...

13/11/2026

Krotos announces Black Friday offers on Studio Pro and Studio Max

Krotos announces Black Friday offers on Studio Pro and Studio Max Brie Clayton November 12, 2026 0 Comments First-year annual plans start at US$195.99...

13/11/2026

Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone

Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone Brie Clayton November 12, 2026 0 Comments New 7th order ambisonic microphone with 108 MEMS...

13/11/2026

Meet the Berklee Student Setting Planetary Motion to Music

Meet the Berklee Student Setting Planetary Motion to Music With his compositional platform SoniKosmos, Javier Roqueni aims to make the universe the ultimate i...

13/11/2026

Hub: Despite AI, More Viewers Still Rely on Word of Mouth and Trailers to Find New TV Shows

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...

13/11/2026

Jack Smith Joins Madhive as Chief Product and Technology Officer

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

13/11/2026

Operative Names Brian Beirne as Senior VP, Commercial Growth

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

13/11/2026

Former FCC Chair Tom Wheeler to Advise AI Startup

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

13/11/2026

IEEE Broadcast Technology Society Honors Dr. Yiyan Wu with the 2026 Jules Cohen Award

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...

13/11/2026

Vizrt Acquires Chyron

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

13/11/2026

Samsung Ads to Offer 3 New Interactive Formats

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

13/11/2026

HPA Retreat to Explore Changing Shape of Industry

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

13/11/2026

The Studio B&H, Riedel to Equip SMPTE Media Tech Summit

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

13/11/2026

Tegna Promotes 3 Sales Executives to President and GM

Share {alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...

13/11/2026

Amagi and Golden Times Media Technology to Bring Chinese...

Amagi, the media industry cloud company, today announced a partnership with Golden Times Media Technology (stock code 920021.BJ), a Beijing-based media and tech...

13/11/2026

CGI and Cedar Broadcast and Communications deploy advance...

CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB), one of the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world, together with its Malaysian partner, Cedar ...

13/11/2026

The Studio BH and Riedel Communications Power the SMPTE...

SMPTE, the home for media professionals, technologists and engineers, today announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infra...

13/11/2026

iWedia Brings Software-First DRAM Optimization to Android...

iWedia, a global leader in connected TV software solutions, will present its software-first approach to DRAM optimization at Android TV APAC Summit 2026 in Bang...

13/11/2026

Apple HomeView available today - UPDATE - Posted on 13 November 2026

Beginning today, November 13, Apple HomeView is available for purchase at Apple Store locations, on the Apple Store online, and in the Apple Store app in select...

13/11/2026

How AI Is Helping Care Teams Get Patients the Right Care, Sooner

From pediatric research to smart hospitals, AI is helping care teams spend less time on routine tasks and more time with patients. Health systems and startups...

12/11/2026

The Software-Defined Shift: A Discussion on the Technologies Reshaping Live Sports Production

Industry leaders examine how Dynamic Media Facility, Media eXchange Layer, and c...

12/11/2026

SVG Students to Watch: Addison Carnow, University of North Carolina

The junior Tar Heel is embracing the technical and creative challenges of live production while emerging as a leader and mentor in the control room...

12/11/2026

Gracenote Survey: 78% of Viewers 18-24 Want a Single Program Guide Across Streaming Services

Gracenote, Nielsen's content intelligence business, has released its fifth a...