This is definitely a weird year for those of us who have anything whatsoever to do with professional sports.
Even for an athlete to train properly in 2020 has been an immense challenge. We’re all scrambling to find our way in this not-so-brave new world. And our brains are filled with compelling questions. These are questions that don’t go away easily, nor do they have any easy answers.
We know, for example, that going to a casino site has never been more popular, and that’s not a surprise, really. Also, e-sports and virtual sports seem to be doing better than ever.
However, where traditional sports are going is still one big question mark. Hopefully we can make some sense of this. Here are our best predictions as of the 27th of May of 2020:
Traditional Sports is Going to Have to Learn
One thing is for sure. If traditional sports are going to survive in any way shape or form, it’s going to have to adapt at least somewhat. It’s going to have to quickly re-vamp itself and modernize.
One of the best ways for traditional sports to do just that would be to take a page from their e-sports cousins. E-sports has been the Johnny-come-lately for the past several years and has had to evolve quickly to survive. The competition is fierce, and, frankly, they have done a great job of going head to head with entrenched traditional sports and even winning big. And this was before the pandemic hit!
Now, traditional sports are in many ways finding themselves in that same boat. This means they are going to have to figure out some way to hold on to their fan bases by innovating.
Social Media Are Key
Research shows that millennials and zoomers have a deep-seated disdain for traditional broadcast media, and these are the only potential growth segments in society right now. These two groups are heavily into social media, and platforms like Twitch.
Twitch is a prime example of what we are talking about. E-sports has an extremely strong presence on Twitch, and traditional sports is frankly nowhere to be found anywhere on Twitch or similar sites. Other platforms popular with the under-40 crowd are Instagram and Snapchat, and once again, the story is the same over there.
Traditional sports have to wake up and realize that the world isn’t going to come running to their door anymore.
A Big Shock
We have to understand that there may never be such a thing as a full stadium with 50,000 plus bodies attending anymore.
In the end, this may not even be a bad thing! The advent of technologies such as fiber-optics and 5G communications networks can allow for an unparalleled experience for the spectator if done right. For example, they could have a platform where they can choose their own camera angles, audio feeds, etc.
Players will have a definite period of adjustment, as the energy from a live crowd is very different than the energy from a virtual one. But if performing artists can do it (and do it they must right now), so can athletes.
