The Future of the Sports Industry Will Be Shaped by Technologies and Demographics

Several factors will drive significant changes in the global sports industry over the long term. These include demographics, technology and the regulatory environment, as well as consumer habits and interests.

To begin with, a rising middle class in nations like India, China and Indonesia are likely to enjoy growing incomes that will enable them to indulge in pastimes like viewing sports on newly acquired widescreen televisions. These growing incomes will also fuel the sale of consumer sports and recreational goods, sporting apparel such as running shoes and gym memberships.

Some segments of the sports industry will have to battle changing habits and interests among younger consumers. The major sports leagues in the U.S. have recently been suffering falling attendance at live games, while TV and cable networks are facing the effects of fewer viewers of broadcasts. It’s easy for younger fans, who were raised with advanced technologies, to keep up with scores and game highlights on their smartphones without any significant to attending or viewing entire games.

Technologies will continue to have a very major impact on sporting goods. Consumers already benefit from advanced fabrics in sporting apparel (moisture wicking, for example), as well as running shoes and personal monitors that capture data on their activities and motion. Data capture technologies are also showing up in items such as golf clubs. Advanced materials, such as super-strong carbon-based nanotechnology, will be incorporated in a wide range of sports gear. These trends will accelerate broadly and may have a profound effect on the way that people enjoy sports and recreation.

Seniors in rapidly aging nations such as the U.S., Germany and China will be willing to spend on a wide range of sporting goods and services geared to their particular needs. The growing popularity of Pickle Ball, which is a slower, easier-to-play tennis-style game, is a good example. Gyms and exercise gear aimed at seniors may become popular.

eSports, that is, the advent of organized play of electronic games, is growing very quickly. Fans are clearly excited about the prospect of attending live game tournaments where they watch highly skilled pros play. Fans sit in stadium seats and watch the action on giant TV monitors. eSports are showing up in a big way on college campuses. Leagues are growing, and sponsors are eager to support the eSport trend. Special eSports stadiums can be found in several cities, including Las Vegas.

Legalized sports betting is having a significant impact on the sports industry. Major sports leagues will benefit from this trend by controlling the data generated by their teams, players and games. Smartphone-based betting will enable fans to watch a game or tournament and bet on it at the same time. Will that tennis pro win this set? Will this football team score in this quarter? Technology and smartphones will enable endless ways to make bets, large or small. For better or worse, this could revolutionize the world of sports.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Become a Plunkett Research Online subscriber to gain unlimited access to our massive amount of vital industry data and market research.

✔ 100,000 Industry Statistics
✔ 500 Industries Analyzed for Market Size, Profits and Forecasts
✔ 150,000 Industry Executives Profiled
✔ 25,000 Companies Profiled, Ranked and Analyzed
✔ 1,000 Vital Trends Analyzed, totaling 1,000,000 words

Learn More

The Future of the Sports Industry Will Be Shaped by Technologies and Demographics, Business and Industry Trends Analysis

A Representative List of Organizations that Have Used our Research and Products:

How to access Plunkett Research data.

What data challenge can we help you solve today?

Take a Tour

Contact

Testimonials