Indians can’t get enough of technology when it comes to cricket, football and other sports

• Indians are the most receptive to using technology to enhance their sports viewing experience.
  
• Young sports fans lead when it comes to adopting technology, making them the driving force behind the use of new tech in stadiums as well as outside stadiums.
  
• Positive technology-enabled experience has also led to huge commercial gains for sports organizations, making tech in sports a lucrative option.
  

Technology has enabled access to sports content across all corners of India. It’s no wonder that Indian fans lead the world when it comes to adopting and accepting emerging technologies in sports.

According to a survey of over 10,000 sports fans conducted by Capgemini Research Institute, 89% of Indian fans have had positive experiences while using technology in sports — this is 20% points higher than the world average of 69%. According to them, technology improved their overall viewing experience.

In contrast to the rest of the world, South Asia has been more accepting of adopting emerging technologies with 74% having experienced it in stadiums. In contrast, the number falls to 56% in the US, 50% in Germany and below 50% in Canada, France, UK and Australia.

How technology is being used to improve in-stadium sport viewing experience

This begs the question – how are fans using technology to watch their favourite sports in stadiums?

According to the survey, it can be a number of different things — from getting the latest score updates right on your phone making it easier to follow the game to ensuring that there is Wi-Fi access at stadiums.

It also notes that smartphone apps that are tailor-made for different teams offer a more in-depth experience with specialised content as compared to super apps that try to cover an entire sport.

Apart from this, stadiums are also employing technology for digital ticketing, parking assistance or simply navigating through huge playgrounds. Some stadiums also let you order food and beverages using their apps, so you can have it delivered right to your seat.

What about technology outside the stadium?

Streaming matches on your TV is old-school. However, the fourth industrial revolution has brought along its own twist — virtual reality (VR) streaming. It is the most popular use of technology with a score of 40%.

Another interesting use is the ability to choose different angles while watching a match. A great example of VR and multiple angles in sports is the IPL. The annual cricketing extravaganza introduced these two technologies in 2018. Fans get to choose from multiple angles, languages and other customization options through a super-fan feed.

The result? Hotstar hit a high 18.6 million users concurrently streaming the 2019 IPL final. This was eclipsed in the 2019 Cricket World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand, with over 25 million users streaming the match.

Match predictions, in-game chats have also been implemented in sports to bring fans closer to the game.

Unsurprisingly, young fans lead when it comes to consuming sports content

The survey also reveals that younger fans lead when it comes to consuming sports content, both in-stadium as well as via digital channels.

Fans aged between 28-35 years visit stadiums the most, at 63%. However, as fans age — this figure drops considerably.

The younger generation is also the most enthusiastic when it comes to consuming sports content via streaming services, sports websites and social media.

Adopting technology leads to significant commercial gains

While adopting emerging technologies has improved the viewing experience of fans, it has also led to significant commercial gains for companies.

According to the report, 91% fans have increased their spending on team/brand merchandise on having a good tech-enabled experience. 88% fans have increased spending on food and beverages inside the stadium. 89% fans have increased spending on apps and access to premium sports content.

Streaming services have also seen their fortunes grow with 92% fans saying that they’ve increased their spending on subscriptions.

Overall, sports organizations can continue to tap into this infinite potential of technologies in sports to convert regular fans into avid ones. Not only are avid fans more loyal and dedicated to the game, they also offer an enhanced revenue stream for the companies across sectors – retail, digital, automotive and others.

See also:

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