May 8, 2023
Tech-tonic Shift: How Indian Sports Leagues Can Win New Fans and Fortune
The sports industry in India has grown tremendously over the last decade, driven by the launch of various sports leagues across Cricket, Football, Basketball, Badminton and more. While these leagues have helped increase the popularity of sports other than cricket and gained significant fan following, most are still struggling to achieve profitability. Sports tech can be a game changer to enable these leagues to become commercially viable and scale new heights.
Sports tech refers to the use of new age digital technologies such as Analytics, Virtual Reality, and IoT in the sports industry. Some examples are sensor-based player performance tracking, automated video capture and highlights creation, VR-based fan engagement, and data-driven sponsorship management.
Implementing sports tech solutions can help the sports leagues in four key ways:
- Enhanced Fan Experience: Indian sports fans, especially the younger generation, are tech-savvy and expect a highly engaging digital experience. According to a recent survey, 83% of fans under 25 would pay for access to 360-degree match videos and behind-the-scenes content. Sports tech can be leveraged to provide such immersive experiences through VR and digital innovations. An engaged fan is a paying fan, and sports leagues would be scoring an own goal if they don’t keep up with rising fan expectations!
- Advanced Player Performance: New technologies can be used to gain data-driven insights into player performance, fitness, and workload management. Metrics such as speed, acceleration, ball release points, and field positioning can be tracked using sensors and computer vision. Analysing over 2 million data points generated each match can help coaches make objective decisions and gain a competitive edge. This can reduced injury risks by over 60% as evident in studies with English Premier League teams. Higher quality of play will get more fans off the bench and into the action.
- Smart Venue Operations: In-stadia technologies are redefining the fan experience with 30% higher utilization of space and over 50% reduction in wait times as seen in leading venues across Europe. Integrating turnstile sensors, automated car park systems and connected security cameras are some examples that cut long queues and ensure seamless entry and exit. These efficiencies also open opportunities to increase venue usage on non-match days without exorbitant operational costs.
- Targeted Sponsorships: Data insights can identify key influencers, customer segments and their behaviors to provide customized sponsorships. Sports leagues can get over 15% higher sponsorship revenues by leveraging tech-based audience measurement and feedback metrics as proven by early adopters of sports analytics.
In summary, integrating sports tech solutions across fan experience, player performance, venue operations, and sponsorships can transform the sports leagues in India. While some initial investment is required, the long-term financial and operational benefits far outweigh the costs.
The future of sports is digital, and India's sports leagues need to adopt new technologies if they aim to build a sustainable and profitable sports business. Sports tech may be the driving factor that spurs wider interest and participation in non-cricket sports across the country.