Sport is part of our daily life, it unites people who have the same passion for their team and nation. But nowadays, fans are expecting more in terms of engagement with clubs and with the evolution of technology, sport is about to change.
This infographic shows research from Performance Communications into the future of the sports fan. It takes an in-depth look at how fan bases are made, what are their motivations and analyses the key trends affecting fan behaviour.
Four trends are highlighted in the research that will shape the future of sports fans.
Firstly, “Augmented Viewing” means fan experiences will become more personalised and immersive. With the development of VR technologies and new camera angles like 360-degree videos, we can easily imagine how it could be included during live matches to improve fans’ experiences.
Then, “Game Changers” is a trend that signifies fans with fewer privileges will pioneer new sports. Sports, as well as cultures and attitudes, are changing to appeal to younger audiences. The next generation wants more fun and more excitement like extreme sports that Red Bull promote or e-sports because they live in a digital age.
Also, “Priced Out” suggests being a fan will become a luxury. Professional sports are becoming more expensive and exclusive. As a result, everyday fans will have to spend more money just to stay connected. With the rise of ticket prices, fewer fans can afford to buy an expensive season ticket to support their team and they are now using live-streaming platforms (79% believe tickets to see live sports are overpriced).
Finally, with “Playing With Purpose”, sports reach millions of people some of the most powerful platforms to inspire positive change in the world. 66% of fans see athletes as role models and they consider their personality outside of the sports structure to be really important, maybe even more than their skills in the game (43% want teams to punish discriminatory behaviour). For example, 64% of people surveyed believe sport is a more powerful route to social change over religion (39%) and politics (28%).
Our desire for content shows no sign of decline: 73% want to access content ‘whenever they want’, with a quarter of fans having accessed content on the toilet, 52% at work and 14% at a wedding or funeral.
