2023
9
UK Technology and Sport Market Report 2023
2023-05-26T12:51:31+01:00
REPD7FB4DD3_A8A2_405F_A170_163150431C49
2195
163531
[{"name":"Sports","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/leisure-entertainment\/sports"},{"name":"Technology","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/technology"}]
Report
en_GB
“Professional-grade data analysis tools used in top level sports will filter through to consumers keen to adopt a more granular approach to tracking and analysing performance. Additionally, technology will continue…
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  8. UK Technology and Sport Market Report 2023

UK Technology and Sport Market Report 2023

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“Professional-grade data analysis tools used in top level sports will filter through to consumers keen to adopt a more granular approach to tracking and analysing performance. Additionally, technology will continue to boost the spectator experience, creating a hybrid way to watch by providing people with more data and interactive, personalised content.”
– Joe Birch, Consumer Technology Analyst

Key issues covered in this Report

  • The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on sports participation and viewing.
  • Competitive strategies of brands operating in sports markets and how technology can boost viewers and participants.
  • Launch activity and innovation of brands operating within sports markets.
  • Consumer activities undertaken at live sports events.
  • How technology can enhance sports participation.
  • Consumer attitudes towards sport viewing and participation and the role technology can play in these.
Collapse All
  1. Overview

    • Key issues covered in this Report
    • Products covered in this Report
  2. Executive Summary

    • The five-year outlook for technology and sport
      • Figure 1: Category outlook, 2023-27
    • The market
    • Consumer spending power will be curbed
    • The pandemic has pushed people to prioritise their health more
      • Figure 2: Attitudes towards health and wellness technology, 2022
    • Companies and brands
    • Six Nations rugby championship introduces new Smart Ball to aid analysis and in-game decision-making
    • Sports brands look to the metaverse as a new frontier for engagement
    • Streaming deals aim to boost niche sports’ reach
    • Broadcasters trial new broadcasting innovations
    • Masters golf rolls out in-game interviews on Twitter
    • Automated video streaming and game analytics help boost amateur levels of performance
    • The consumer
    • Over one in five consumers watch live sport in-person
      • Figure 3: Ways to watch sport, 2023
    • Football still dominates as the nation’s favourite sport
      • Figure 4: Methods to watch different sports, 2023
    • Live sport is not a passive watching experience, so push personalised content to make consumers part of the action
      • Figure 5: Activities undertaken at a sporting event, 2023
    • Participation steady, but sports clubs will need to get creative to attract new entrants
      • Figure 6: Sports participated in during last 12 months, 2022 and 2023
    • Use data to give amateurs professional-level insights into their performance
      • Figure 7: Attitudes towards sports participation, 2023
    • Use technology to encourage spontaneous sports participation
      • Figure 8: Attitudes towards sports participation, 2023
    • Games in the metaverse could provide another income stream
      • Figure 9: Attitudes towards sports participation, 2023
  3. Issues and Insights

    • Use technology to encourage spontaneous sporting activities
    • Augmented reality can add new dimension to the live sport watching experience
    • Harness AI to boost personalised activity plans
  4. Market Drivers

    • Inflation will continue to eat into consumer spending power, but sports participation could be resilient to consumer cutbacks
      • Figure 10: Priorities for leisure spending cutbacks, 2022
    • Consumer spending power will be curbed
      • Figure 11: Options for reducing spending on spectator sports, 2022
    • Consumers are prioritising their health more following the pandemic
      • Figure 12: Attitudes towards health and wellness technology, 2022
    • AI will continue to change the way sport is officiated
    • AI will also provide insights into game management
    • Sports betting markets will offer more granular odds with the emergence of advanced analytics
    • DAZN bids to broadcast EFL matches in prime Saturday afternoon slots
  5. Launch Activity and Innovation

    • Six Nations rugby championship introduces new Smart Ball to aid analysis and in-game decision-making
    • Sports brands look to the metaverse as a new frontier for engagement
    • AR and VR used for fan viewing experiences
    • Manchester City sets sights on the metaverse
    • Dubai hosts world’s first metaverse horse race
    • Brands look to experiment with virtual reality fitness and coaching
  6. Competitive Strategies

    • The Ocean Race and Warner Bros. Discovery team up in live coverage and distribution partnership
    • Niche sports introduce streaming subscriptions
    • Digital platforms boost interactivity during streams of games
    • Sky Sports trials new broadcasting innovations
    • Masters golf rolls out in-game interviews on Twitter
    • Technology brings big game analytics to amateur sports
    • Automated video streaming and game analytics help boost amateur levels of performance
    • Professional-grade solutions aim to grow the amateur cricket game
  7. Sports Viewing

    • Over one in five consumers watch live sport in-person
    • Grass-roots sports can be the value proposition consumers are looking for
    • Create inclusive digital messaging to attract a diverse crowd
    • Create innovative ticketing opportunities to boost appeal
      • Figure 13: Ways to watch sport, 2023
    • Men still dominate the sport viewing landscape
    • Boost the occasion to draw women into live sport action
    • Promote the diversity in your brand by sponsoring women’s sports
      • Figure 14: Ways to watch sport, by gender, 2023
  8. Sports Watched

    • Live sport is crucial content for TV providers
      • Figure 15: Methods to watch different sports, 2023
    • Livestreaming can boost engagement with minority sports
    • Bitesize content can boost a sport’s reach
    • Consumers’ appetite for a variety of live sports suggests an aggregator can appeal
      • Figure 16: Repertoire of sports watched live on TV or online, in past 12 months, 2023
  9. Cricket Viewing

    • Nearly two thirds of cricket watchers watch cricket via Freeview
      • Figure 17: Use of Freeview to watch cricket in last 12 months, 2023
    • Cricket can boost its overall audience with more accessible content
    • Streaming and bitesize content can help boost cricket’s appeal
      • Figure 18: Interest in watching cricket content on Freeview, 2023
      • Figure 19: Technology and Sport – CHAID – Tree output, 2023
  10. Activities Undertaken at Live Sporting Events

    • Live sport is not a passive watching experience, so push personalised content to make consumers part of the action
      • Figure 20: Activities undertaken at a sporting event, 2023
    • Stadiums should target older age groups with to-seat ordering
    • Sports brands should offer more in-depth statistics for those attending games
      • Figure 21: Activities undertaken at a sporting event, by generation, 2023
  11. Sports Participation

    • Participation steady, but sports clubs will need to get creative to attract new entrants
    • Focus on the social aspect of sports participation as well as fitness
      • Figure 22: Sports participated in during last 12 months, 2022 and 2023
    • Create more ways for women to engage with team sports
      • Figure 23: Sports participation, NET, 2022 and 2023
      • Figure 24: Sports participation, by age and gender, 2023
    • Create multi-club memberships or interaction opportunities for serious sports enthusiasts
      • Figure 25: Repertoire analysis of sports played, by age and gender, 2023
  12. Attitudes towards Technology in Sports Participation

    • Brands have to provide more proof of standards and accuracy to win over sceptics of fitness tracking capabilities
      • Figure 26: Attitudes towards sports participation, 2023
    • Use data to give amateurs professional-level insights into their performance
    • Those who play team sports are interested in tracking more advanced aspects of their performance
    • Artificial intelligence can have a sizeable impact on personalised sports data
      • Figure 27: Attitudes towards sports participation, 2023
    • Tap into the on-demand culture to boost sports participation
  13. Attitudes towards Technology in Sport Viewing

    • Virtual stadiums offer potential new income stream
      • Figure 28: Attitudes towards sports participation, 2023
    • Unleash the machines to feed consumers’ need for speed
  14. Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information

    • CHAID analysis – Technology and Sport – April 2023
    • Methodology
    • Abbreviations
    • Consumer research methodology

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