SportsTech Monthly Roundup #6

Are you watching sports as much as we are? It certainly feels like we’re reaching a point where we have to DVR some games just so we have enough time to stay current. It’s also been fascinating to watch the return of competitive sport, as well as to see just how much the venues and conditions have changed, and how much technology is entering the narratives.

Yet, we’re constantly amazed at many of the innovations and technological updates that are impacting both the play and the way we consume sports from home.

Many of these trends are shaping what we’re reading this week in the world of sports and tech.

🎲  Sports Betting & Wagering 

Place Your Bets: Sports Wagering Is Taking Off | Via: Inside Track

If you live in one of the states where sports wagering is legal, we’re betting you’ve noticed a striking number of advertisements lately. From billboards and street signage to satellite radio commercials and social media ads, daily fantasy sports, wagering, and sports betting are quickly changing the American professional sports landscape. It wasn’t that long ago that sports personalities like Bill Simmons were dissuaded from discussing sports lines in their work. Now, it’s impossible not to spot a Vegas line on a sports ticker or on a sports talk show. Here’s how sports betting and technology are changing the way we watch, consume, and interact with sports.

Chicago Cubs Partner With DraftKings | Via: CNBC

In the last few years, the Chicago Cubs have done a tremendous amount of upgrades and improvements to The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field and its surrounding environs. From various stadium and infrastructure improvements to collaborations with the Lakeview neighborhood, there are many ways fans can experience the game of baseball and engage with others. Until now, many of these improvements have been in common park spaces where fans can watch the team outside the park, bars, restaurants, and even a hotel. Now, fans will look forward to a completely new development with their exclusive DraftKings partnership. According to their press release, the team will bring to market, as quickly as possible, a “first-of-its-kind sportsbook” which will likely be a lively place fans can place wagers, interact with others, and watch the games unfold.

Air Jordan Joins DraftKings | Via: CNN

Another Chicago icon, Michael Jordan, piggy-backed the news of the Cubs partnership with his own update. Air Jordan will join the company as both an investor and advisor. As one of the most recognizable icons in sports, and one of the originators of the athlete as a sports brand, Jordan will be key in providing valuable input and strategy on the DraftKings product development and other inclusion initiatives. Following this news, DraftKings stock jumped 6 percent.

👀  Sports Viewing Trends

📺 Streaming, Streaming, and More Streaming | Via: Grabyo

Without a doubt, the pandemic has changed the habits of the at-home viewer. With stadiums all but shuttered across the country (and the globe), devout fans and the casual observer are forced to watch the games from afar. According to a Home Video Trends Report, U.S. consumers have increased their streaming spending by $1 billion per month in 2020.

🏈 NFL Network + YouTube | Via: NFL 

YouTube, in partnership with the NFL Network, is bringing NFL channel-based content to YouTube TV subscribers, decreasing the digital divide of NFL fans and cord cutters. As of now, the NFL Network, it’s signature RedZone, and a new package, Sports Plus, are all available to watch. The RedZone on YouTube will bring more of the impact scoring moments that fans have craved on cable. As fans increasingly get involved in fantasy sports, daily fantasy, and sports wagering, it will be interesting to follow the engagement metrics on YouTube throughout the upcoming season.

Esports Viewership Sees Huge Spike | Via: Front Office Sports 

We’re starting to see just how much the lack of real, live sports impacted esports. According to the numbers, esports was able to make a rapid and seamless succession even as major league players like Overwatch and Call of Duty had to transition from real venues to online-only formats. This quick movement by leagues helped solidify their ad revenue. Before the pandemic hit esports’ digital ad revenue was growing by 23% to $175 million last year. It is expected to grow by 12% this year.

Other players also saw a big boost in viewership. Facebook Gaming increased viewership by 215% year-over-year in July 2020 with 345 million hours viewed. Twitch, on the other hand, saw a 67% increase YOY with, get this, 1.4 billion hours watched.

👋  Fan Engagement 

🏈 Tailgating Comes Home | Via: Yahoo Finance

In an effort to bring a ritual from the stadium to the backyard, Pepsi announced the winner of the “homegate” contest. The soft drink giant built a full-on tailgate experience in the yard of a New York Jets fan. This especially hits home when the pandemic has put a dent in NFL fans hopes of returning to their favorite stadiums for the first few weeks and even tailgating at the venues. Pepsi looked for the perfect diehard fan willing to transform their entire yard and found a winner in Cindy, a lifelong Jets fan living in Piscataway, New Jersey. Together, Pepsi transformed 1,500 square feet of her yard into a virtual end zone complete with Jets branding and team colors, a 65” flat-screen TV, a stadium lot light tower, and grill equipment.

🏟 Stadium Tech Keeps Watch Over Games

A Tennis Robot Makes Calls at Open | Via: Tennis.com

To limit the number of personnel, the U.S. Open has deployed Hawk-Eye, a tracking technology to make the calls of a line judge. In 2018, the tournament unveiled Hawk-Eye for quality control purposes and to review challenges, but now the pandemic has ushered in a new reality where it has the final say on calls. It actually announces the calls too, increasing its sense of urgency on closer line calls.

🔥 An Olympic Logo For All | Via: AdAge

Given how the current year has gone, it feels like a million years until the Olympic games arrive in Los Angeles in 2028. Earlier this month, the L.A. Olympic committee unveiled their official logo. What makes it unique is that it’s more than a logo —  it’s constant motion designed to reflect the unique culture, diversity, and personality of Los Angeles through the lens of the athletes including figure skater Adam Rippon and Paralympian Scout Bassett. Most interesting, the mark contains significant elements that call out the games, including a clever use of “LA” — Roman numeral for 28, representing the year 2028. It makes the perfect image of the month.

📸  Snapshot of the Month

From the Playing Field to the Front Office:
The Journey of an Athlete Turned Entrepreneur

An athlete’s dedication to their sport is much like an entrepreneur’s dedication to their company…and maybe that’s why the transition isn’t so different. View a replay of our most recent webinar, with former NFL players Ryan McNeil and Ray Farmer of SportsID, for a heartfelt and real discussion on their experiences in the world of sports and startups and the hardships they have faced as an athlete turned entrepreneur.

🚀 Follow Us For More on Convergence of Sports & Tech 

To learn more about the fast-moving world of sports technology, be sure to follow us on all our social channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Also, you can check out our updates and stories that we publish to our blog, Inside Track.

🛣 We’re Hitting The Road! 

Check us out as we make appearances at these events in the coming weeks:

#Hashtag Sports 2020 – October 21-22, New York City 

Join 1,200 senior media and marketing professionals along with hundreds of athletes, content creators and CMOs to talk about how the future of sports media will shape the fan experience.

Startup Week Atlanta – November 9-13, 2020, Atlanta

Right in The Farm’s own backyard, Atlanta Startup Week will be a celebration of everything that makes startups and innovation so exciting.

We hope to see you at these or other events. Let us know if there are any amazing sports tech events that you’re going to and we’ll do our best to join.

Sincerely,

— The SportsTech Team