Sports are increasingly shifting from stadiums to screens. Whereas televisions once dominated living rooms, smartphones now reign supreme as the primary device for consuming sports content through social feeds and streaming apps. This trend is driven by advertising, in which sponsorships and branding have become integrated into everyday digital life and are permanently changing users’ consumption habits. Today, those who consume sports also consume digital brands. However, without these brands, many of today’s sports experiences would not exist in their current format.
How Digital Brands Determine the Game Plan
Digital sponsors play a crucial role in determining when, where, and how fans consume sports and entertainment. Streaming services, social media platforms, and gaming apps are changing viewing habits, and the classic Saturday night game in front of the TV is becoming on-demand content, with highlight clips replacing entire matches. Companies are benefiting from this change in consumer behavior and are using it to better position their brands.
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Brands that understand user behavior and place their advertising accordingly attract the attention of fans. In this way, brands determine when, what, and how people consume. Whether scrolling through social media, streaming, or watching on TV.
Content is Evolving Rapidly
In the past, ratings set the tone and were key to the success of sports content. Today, however, it’s the attention span that counts. A fan who watches a 30-second clip on TikTok is often more valuable to brands than someone who watches an entire game without interacting.
According to the Deloitte Sports Industry Outlook 2024, the overall economy of the sports sector remains strong, but commercial models are changing. The traditional sources of revenue, like sponsorship, ticket sales, licensing, and merchandise, are increasingly evolving. The rise of AI and machine learning is also transforming the scene. According to Deloitte, this general-purpose technology is expected to see rapid and pervasive adoption in the sports industry and will have a lasting impact on content creation and management, live reporting, player evaluation, sports betting, and fan engagement.
These changes are also altering consumer behavior. Short, interactive formats are increasingly preferred over traditional broadcasts. This has a lasting impact on the entire industry: content is becoming shorter and optimized for “shareable moments” on social media. The way content is consumed increasingly determines how games are staged and affects production, presentation, and marketing across the industry.
How Fans‘ Media Consumption Affects Digital Branding
1. Athletes Influencers
The media content offered and the consumption behavior of fans are mutually dependent: what is offered is consumed, and what is consumed is offered. Today, fans are no longer just passive viewers but want to actively shape the entertainment landscape. This demand is bringing about major changes, particularly for athletes, who are increasingly taking on influencer-like roles, sometimes sharing intimate details. This directly addresses fans who are increasingly demanding closer connections to their teams or athletes.
2. Media Strategy
Changing consumer behavior, especially among younger generations, is proving to be beneficial for social media and streaming services. According to TV Tech, younger viewers prefer the viewing experience on streaming. In addition, they are more likely to view games on mobile devices, social media is especially important for these viewers, and their willingness to integrate betting into their sports viewing experiences is higher. These changes require broadcasters and sports organizations to realign their media strategy, platform selection, and content, and adapt them to the changed behavior.
3. Fan Loyalty
Fan loyalty is no longer tied to match days. Constant engagement, even outside of game days and the high season, is becoming increasingly important. Media consumption is on the rise, and with it, the value of off-season content, including athlete content and throwback moments. Brands that engage fans year-round are better able to leverage revenue potential, for example, through merchandise, digital content, and memberships.
4. Fan Data
Changing consumer behavior means that organizations need accurate data on fan behavior, preferences, and engagement in order to tailor content accordingly. The Deloitte report shows that almost 70% of users are more likely to purchase from a brand that personalizes its customer experience compared to brands that don’t. Accordingly, fan data is increasingly becoming an important commercial asset for enabling personalized content and targeted advertising, and thereby generating new and differentiated sources of revenue.
The Future Challenge for the Sports Industry
The digital offering is greater than ever, and fans have numerous channels, services, and formats to choose from. Sports organizations are no longer just competing for viewers, but for attention, experience, and relevance. This means that sports broadcasting will have to offer content in a way that reflects changing habits. Content must be adapted to mobile use, short formats, and interactions. At the same time, however, physical events in stadiums and live streams must remain attractive.
