Welcome to the blog of Dr. Lisa Burns' Sports, Media & Society class at Quinnipiac University. If you're looking for in-depth analysis of sports media issues, this blog is for you!
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Sports TV Blog 4, Question 2 (Feb. 22)
What will the future
of televised sports look like? Discuss three trends that you think will shape
sports television in the next 5 years. Limit: 13
responses
The future of televised sports has the potential to look completely different. We are already seeing streaming services taking over linear TV. The NHL recently made a deal with ESPN+ to stream over 1000 games this season. With this new change, It Is only a matter of time until all NHL games will be exclusive to streaming services once current media deals expire. We are also seeing a change in the NFL. Next year Amazon Prime will be the exclusive platform for Thursday Night Football. What this will do for Amazon is bring in a lot of revenue as football fans will be willing to pay for a subscription if it means they can watch Thursday Night Football, especially if their team is the one playing. In the article titled “With $100B NFL Deal, TV networks Keep One Foot in The Bundle and Another in Streaming,” Alex Weprin says, “Amazon has over 100 million U.S. subscribers to Amazon Prime, all of whom will have access to Thursday Night Football. That’s more than the entire traditional pay-TV ecosystem, which is now made up of approximately 82 million households.” (Weprin). Everyone knows that the NFL is king when it comes to ratings, so these streaming services are willing to pay so much to gain exclusive rights. With streaming services becoming more popular, it is no surprise that televised sports face an issue as “there are so many formats and distribution channels present and emerging.” (Mons). Televised sports are about to get flipped upside down and potentially disappear in the coming years.
One trend that will shape sports television in the next five years will be the streaming wars. Each streaming service wants to be the best and is willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. Apple is coming up the rear in the streaming wats as Owen Poindexter says that “Apple is in serious talks to secure a weekday game package from Major League Baseball” and “The company has reportedly shown interest in “NFL Sunday Ticket,” which could garner $2.5 billion per season in broadcast rights.” (Poindexter et al.). If Apple secures NFL Sunday Ticket, they will without a doubt see the most significant rise in revenue as a result of live streaming sports. Viewers continue to migrate to digital platforms, which is why these streaming platforms are trying to take advantage of the opportunity to secure new viewership. Another trend that will shape sports television in the next five years is that the current landscape of sports television will be disrupted. Traditional TV operators are under pressure to generate the most revenue they can as they know the inevitable will happen when streaming services take over the sports industry. A third trend that I believe will shape sports television in the next five years is that once the current deals with these linear networks expire, they will not attempt to retain the rights as they know streaming services will outbid them. With Streaming services already having so much prominence, it is just a matter of time until liner TV gives up.
Mons, Jan Kees. “6 Powerful Trends in Sports Media and Broadcasting.” Sport Tomorrow, 10 Mar. 2021, https://sporttomorrow.com/6-main-trends-in-sports-media-and-broadcasting/.
Poindexter, Owen, et al. “Apple Ready to Spend on Live Sports.” Front Office Sports, 17 Jan. 2022, https://frontofficesports.com/newsletter/apple-ready-to-spend-on-live-sports/. Weprin, Alex. “With $100B NFL Deal, TV Networks Keep One Foot in the Bundle and Another in Streaming.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2021, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/nfl-tv-streaming-analysis-4153564/.
Danielle Price Professor Burns MSS420 20 February 2022 Blog 4 The future of televised sports will revolve around streaming and will most likely start to drift away from linear television. We have seen the impact technology has on our society, and the constant evolution of it all. There has even been a noticeable change in the way people consume music currently due to digitalization. For example, many consumers have access to streaming services such as Spotify or Apple music, which means the radio is not much of a priority anymore. Further, this had a positive outcome, so the sports industry would find success in this change as well. The idea of streaming seems to be parallel to the sports industry in the sense that this will take over. We can also assume this is true due to the trends that have already started forming. The goal is to increase opportunities by giving more and more access to consumers. The more accessible this content is, the more likely it is to increase the number of viewers. Adding various forms of distribution to the consumers in a way that is convenient to them will increase the number of people watching (Weprin). There are many trends on the rise regarding the concept of streaming within the sports industry. This involves companies such as Netflix and Amazon, along with organizations such as the NFL and the NHL. Netflix does not broadcast live sports the way other programs do, but they are attempting to expand themselves in ways that suit them. The way this will primarily happen is through sports documentaries. For example, “Netflix and Box to Box Films” have been collaborating for a program to present the “behind-the-scenes look at the PGA Tour and feature a number a number of high profile golfers” (Owusu).
The filming for this has already started and will continue throughout 2022. Documentaries like this one will present authenticity to the viewers and will add another platform for sports to be distributed. This can also pave way for the future because if Netflix is doing this now, then they are only going to continue to expand their sports content. Another trend is Amazon’s expansion. Currently, “Amazon has over 100 million U.S. subscribers to Amazon Prime, all of whom will have access to Thursday Night Football” (Weprin). This platform has more subscribers than ESPN+, Paramount+, and Peacock combined (Weprin). In 2017, Amazon made a “$50 million deal with the NFL to simulcast Thursday Night games on prime video” (Weissbrot). Since there are already a huge number of subscribers, then consumers will most likely become aware of the changes Amazon eventually makes, such as streaming Thursday Night football. This will pave way for a large number of views for their platform and for the sport while attracting even more consumers. Further, some amazon users may not typically watch football, however they may start to if they see it is being streamed on a platform they frequently use. The NFL teaming up with Amazon will make significant changes and can turn televised sports upside down. Lastly, the NHL is also gearing toward this change. For instance, the NHL “has recently signed a deal to stream more than 1,000 games per year on ESPN+ with cross extensions on Hulu” (Weissbrot). There are many trends that are up and coming for streaming sports. The NFL specifically was entering the streaming world slowly, but with the pandemic, streaming services soared (Weissbrot). Therefore, with Netflix’s plan to dip into sports, Amazon’s plan to connect with the NFL, and even the NHL wanting to make moves within the streaming world suggests that the future of televised sports may lean this way. Other organizations such as the MLB may also start to shift which as well will continue this significant change. Works Cited Alison Weissbrot March 24, 2021. “The Future of Sports Is Streaming.” Campaign US, https://www.campaignlive.com/article/future-sports-streaming/1710912. Owusu, Tony. “Netflix Makes Another Move into Sports.” TheStreet, TheStreet, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings. Weprin, Alex. “With $100B NFL Deal, TV Networks Keep One Foot in the Bundle and Another in Streaming.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2021, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/nfl-tv-streaming-analysis-4153564/.
With competing streaming services, new generations, and partnerships, the future of televised sports will drastically change within the next five years. First of all, there will be an increase in competition for rights which will lead to higher prices. Netflix seems to be on the path to streaming live sports as the company is producing more sports content. Rick Anderson, chief media officer of the PGA Tour told Tony Owusu from The Street about an upcoming program that features high-profile golfers and their lives. Anderson stated, “This documentary will give fans an authentic look into the real lives of our athletes, and what it's like to win – and lose – during a season on the PGA Tour” (Anderson, Owusu). Netflix is already a huge company, there is a possibility that Netflix can take over because of its power. I find it ironic because in “The Future of Sports is Streaming,” Alison Weissbrot stated how there's been a shift in power due to so many new services streaming football saying “At least we’ll always have Netflix?” (Weissbrot). This was published in March of 2021, so it’s ironic that now Netflix seems to be joining the sports wave. l Hulu and Amazon Prime are also joining the streaming service bandwagon following the “legacy broadcasters” like NBC, CBS, FOX, and ABC/ESPN. Therefore, this competition of rights will lead to higher prices. Furthermore, studies show that sports have become decreasing popular among generation Z so I predict that the future of televised sports may be in trouble. According to “The Sports Industry’s Gen Z Problem,” by Alex Silverman, “An analysis of recent Morning Consult poll results found that Gen Zers currently between the ages 13 and 23 are less likely than the general population to identify as sports fans. Fifty-three percent of the 1,000 Gen Zers surveyed considered themselves sports fans, compared with 63 percent of U.S. adults and 69 percent of millennials in a subsequent survey” (Silverman).
I think that advertisements during commercials need to appeal more to the Gen Z demographic so that this generation will become more engaged. Surprisingly, the NBA is the most popular sport to Gen Zers. “Four of Gen Z’s five favorite sports figures, based on an open-ended survey question, were either former or current NBA players” (Silverman). After Kobe Bryant’s death, he topped LeBron James’s selections as the most popular athletic icon. I believe that there will be an increase in NBA popularity within the next five years because of Gen Zers’ favoritism towards streaming NBA games and content. Additionally, being a NY Giants fan I am happy to see the Manning brothers new partnership with ESPN in ManningCast. This seems to be great for Monday Night Football. According to “Inside the ManningCast: How ESPN and Two Football Brothers Are Transforming Sports TV,” Brian Steinburg states, “The Mannings have captured on average, 13% of the total audience for ESPN’s ‘Monday Night Football’” (Steinburg). I believe this will do wonders for “Monday Night Football”.
Owusu, Tony. “Netflix Makes Another Move into Sports.” TheStreet, TheStreet, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings. Silverman, Alex. “The Sports Industry's Gen z Problem.” Morning Consult, 29 Sept. 2020, https://morningconsult.com/2020/09/28/gen-z-poll-sports-fandom/.
Steinberg, Brian. “Inside the Manningcast: How ESPN and Two Football Brothers Are Transforming Sports TV.” Variety, Variety, 10 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/sports/features/espn-manningcast-superbowl-sports-tv-ratings-1235175580/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7. Weissbrot, Alison. “The Future of Sports Is Streaming.” Campaign US, 24 Mar. 2021, https://www.campaignlive.com/article/future-sports-streaming/1710912.
The future of Televised sports is in for some drastic changes according to Serazios book and some of the class readings. Being in this younger generation of sports fans it often goes unnoticed how much-televised sports are shifting from cable to now streaming services. Part of the reason for this is how technology is drastically changing, but in Serazio's book, he also talks about the convenience factor. In the book, he mentions how “For American Sports, cord-cutting and perhaps the subsequent unbundling of the cable line-up, which digital delivery might well foretell — represents a clear and present danger to the established revenue model” (Serazio). He then goes on to talk about how young sports fans would much rather watch the important moments of a game on their phone wherever they want than the entire game live and be restricted to cable. I think that because technology is becoming more advanced sports television has to take a turn and work with these advancements. This also goes into my next point and highlights why many sports fans are choosing streaming over cable. Why watch the game on your TV when you could watch it wherever you want on your computer or smartphone. Streaming services are at the top right now and some companies are realizing it. An article titled Netflix Makes Another Move Into Sports by Tony Owusu talks about Netflix's plan and its strengths in documentaries instead of trying to compete with the top streaming services for live sports. The article quotes “Producing sports documentaries and other programming tied to sports seems to be a way for Netflix to get its foot further into a door of a room where its competitors are already operating” (Owusu) I think this is an interesting and smart approach from Netflix to leave live sports for more well-known services like ESPN and focus on something different like documentaries which have been very successful in the past few years. Also in the future, we could see changes in the way trending companies are integrated into sports streaming through advertisements and rights. It is interesting to see these partnerships between sports and these major companies like the NFL and Amazon. I think we will see a lot more of this in the future as sports and the way they are broadcasted and constantly changing. An article titled With a new Thursday Night Football logo, Prime Video is training Super Bowl viewers for fall football by Kelsey Sutton talks about how the NFL and Amazon have been working together to have Thursday night football streamed on Prime Video. It also mentions how the NFL and Amazon worked together to create an exclusive logo. The article explains “The blue shield-like logo marks the official kickoff of a branding effort to get football fans ready to watch Thursday Night Football exclusively on Prime Video. It was created in partnership with the design studio Pentagram” (Sutton). It is interesting to see these big names come together and create new ideas to help drive the sports world as well as some of the ways we view sports whether it be through cable, streaming, documentaries, or highlights.
Works Cited MarketingBrew, Kelsey Sutton. “With a New Thursday Night Football Logo, Prime Video Is Training Super Bowl Viewers for Fall Football.” Morning Brew, Morning Brew, 9 Feb. 2022, https://www.morningbrew.com/marketing/stories/2022/02/09/with-a-new-thursday-night-football-logo-prime-video-is-training-super-bowl-viewers-for-fall-football. Serazio, Michael. The Power of Sports: Media and Spectacle in American Culture. New York University Press, 2019.
Owusu, Tony. “Netflix Makes Another Move into Sports.” TheStreet, TheStreet, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings. Silverman, Alex. “The Sports Industry's Gen z Problem.” Morning Consult, 29 Sept. 2020, https://morningconsult.com/2020/09/28/gen-z-poll-sports-fandom/.
With technology trends changing rapidly, the future of televised sports might look completely different. As new generations get older and times have changed, we have to adapt to their needs. According to Alex Silverman, “53% of Gen Zers identify as sports fans, compared to 63% of all adults and 69% of millennials. Gen Zers are half as likely as millennials to watch live sports regularly and twice as likely to never watch” (Silverman). To keep these generations intrigued, there needs to be a change. The future of televised sports is now. I believe that major changes are already in the works. In the past few years, streaming services have worked their way up to the top of the charts. Streaming services offer us an easier way to access our content and give us a wide variety of things to choose from. Sports is the perfect way to add in a new population of people. This is one of the major trends that I think we will see with televised sports within the next five years. Streaming services such as Hulu, ESPN Plus, FuboTV have already jumped on the sports wave. As revenue continues to grow, the companies around them have to be able to hold their own and learn to adapt. Recently Netflix, there has been some talk about Netlfix and sports. Currently, they do not offer anything like this but believe this can help them in the future. In the article, Netflix Makes Another Move Into Sports, Tony Owusu from The Street spoke with Rick Anderson, chief media officer of the PGA Tour, about an upcoming program that features high-profile golfers and their lives. Anderson said, “This documentary will give fans an authentic look into the real lives of our athletes, and what it's like to win – and lose – during a season on the PGA Tour” (Anderson, Owusu). This is going to allow Netflix to see what works best for them.
Due to the change from TV to streaming, advertising is another significant part of sports that is going to change. Advertising is how televised sports make a considerable chunk of their money. Streaming services are known for not having advertisements because people do not want to be interrupted. In order to incorporate both companies are going to have to find different ways to advertise themselves. Either on the jerseys/field, throughout the stadiums, or brand deals. Another trend that will change sports television in the next five years is new technology. According to Sport Tomorrow, Jan Kees Mons believes that drones will make a significant impact on the way we see sports, “Drones are able to fly with the action, offering some amazing angles (which the flycam can’t) as the video above clearly shows” (Mons). In order to keep this generation interested, they are going to need to update the way they film the games because of the technology they grew up on.
Mons, Jan Kees. “6 Powerful Trends in Sports Media and Broadcasting.” Sport Tomorrow, 10 Mar. 2021, https://sporttomorrow.com/6-main-trends-in-sports-media-and-broadcasting/. “The Sports Industry's Gen z Problem.” Morning Consult, 29 Sept. 2020, https://morningconsult.com/2020/09/28/gen-z-poll-sports-fandom/.
Owusu, Tony. “Netflix Makes Another Move into Sports.” TheStreet, TheStreet, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings.
The future of televised sports is going to look much different than it has looked in the past. With streaming services outweighing cable television, the streaming wars that are arising because of that, and the generational shift that is occurring, in the next 5 years we are going to see a major change in how sports media is consumed. The broadcast television networks have been looking at decreasing users as people decide to cut the cord and move to streaming services. Although sports have been able to survive the dreaded cord cutters, it seems as though they are just putting off the inevitable. According to Jeff Kotuby in an article on The Streamable, “By 2026, Graybo’s data suggests that the broadcast TV market will only have a 28 percent customer share of global sports fans” (Kotuby). Kotuby further represented the idea that this shift was going to happen by providing examples of the switch to streaming that has already happened by saying, “We’ve seen this already start to occur with the recent NFL and NHL broadcasting deals including much in the way of streaming content. The MLB also lessened its schedule on ESPN’s linear platform in favor of ESPN+ when they negotiated a new rights deal with ESPN. We’ll also likely see NBA’s League Pass, its own dedicated streaming platform, factor heavily into their next rights deal” (Kotuby). The switch to the streaming services is being accepted by both the consumers and the producers which is an influential trend that will shape the future of sports television over the next 5 years. Going off of the switch to streaming, comes the streaming wars that will surface. If streaming is going to take over sports, which service will become the “top dog”? These streaming wars will in turn raise the costs for streaming sports. Owen Poindexter from Front Office Sports shares an example of this streaming war future by saying, “Apple wants to challenge Disney and Netflix in the streaming wars — and is looking to live sports to do it” (Poindexter). Poindexter further explains how a streaming war between Apple, Disney, and Netflix by discussing what Apple is doing to become a contender. “Last week, the New York Post reported that Apple is in serious talks to secure a weekday game package from Major League Baseball. The company has reportedly shown interest in “NFL Sunday Ticket,” which could garner $2.5 billion per season in broadcast rights.The Premier League struck a licensing deal with Apple TV+’s hit comedy “Ted Lasso'' that allows the show to use the league’s footage, logos, club kits, and trophy” (Poindexter). The streaming wars are already starting to kick off and with the continuation of services trying to out bid one another, prices could keep rising for sports streaming in the long run, shaping the future of sports television in the next 5 years.
Lastly, although the future of televised sports through streaming services is breaking into the future and trying to grasp a younger audience, it is going to struggle with the generational shift. Sports have become less and less popular among the Gen Z population. According to Alex Silverman, “53% of Gen Zers identify as sports fans, compared to 63% of all adults and 69% of millennials” (Silverman). Just looking at these percentages, sports fans have decreased by a massive amount. With such a large deficit in fans, the sports television industry may be shaped in a negative way, with less viewers. So, maybe the future of televised sports, even through streaming, will be in trouble because without fans, there will not be a reliable streaming market to draw money from.
Works Cited Kotuby, J. (2021, July 23). Pay TV is losing even more sports fans to streaming services, survey says. The Streamable. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://thestreamable.com/news/pay-tv-is-losing-even-more-sports-fans-to-streaming-services Poindexter, W. by O., Poindexter, O., Gentrup, A., Byers, J., & Christovich, A. (2022, January 17). Apple ready to spend on live sports. Front Office Sports. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://frontofficesports.com/newsletter/apple-ready-to-spend-on-live-sports/ Silverman, A. (2020, September 29). The sports industry's Gen z problem. Morning Consult. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://morningconsult.com/2020/09/28/gen-z-poll-sports-fandom/
Live sports have been a staple across the globe since the middle of the 1900’s when they first came to fruition and American sports have created a massive money-making market to go along with them. Enticed viewers and sports fans across the country have been seeing the same types of games in the same types of ways on TV for over 50 years and now the future of live sports on TV is somewhat uncertain as streaming services begin to take a larger share of the live sports market which has always been owned by linear TV networks in years prior. Companies like Amazon have already won the rights for NFL games on Thursdays and will begin to offer these games as well as others on their streaming platform Amazon Prime, while Hulu, owned by Walt Disney already has a variety of live sports offered on their premium subscription-based service (Owusu). Other streaming platforms are following suit and beginning to bargain for a larger share of live sports as they are one of the highest earning industries in the U.S. each year (Owusu). The NFL has recently signed a deal for 11 years and $100 billion in media rights to broadcast their games and streaming platforms are soon to swallow up some of the revenue initially generated by linear TV networks like CBS and FOX by offering live sports direct to consumers through a variety of streaming services that already have massive numbers of viewers and draw in the younger generations better than cable television. Even though new platforms will be offering live sports soon it will be quite hard for them to take the majority of the market away from linear TV networks that will still hold almost 94% of the NFL’s game inventory (Weprin). We have seen previously live sports move from broadcast to cable, cable to satellite and now satellite TV being moved into an age where internet streaming services may take a larger share over the net decade or so. Live sports are moving towards being readily available by all people through platforms different from the current and traditional networks that have grown to be household names throughout the country because of their longevity in the sports economy (Weprin). Live sports are basically the last thing that linear TV owns to keep a strangle hold on the market which is huge because they are the highest earning industry in TV every year. With streaming services developing their own ways to view traditional TV programs and shows, it is only a matter of time before they gain more rights to sporting events which will likely allow us to see the end of linear TV all together (Herman). I think that live sports will be offered solely on streaming services within the next 20 years if not less and Hulu is already ahead of the game by offering live sports already. TV networks will continue to struggle and try to adapt to consumers changing preferences and will likely fall to the big tech media companies who chose to invest in live sports in the coming years.
Herman, Alison. “Live Sports Are the Next Great Battle of the Streaming Wars.” The Ringer, 15 Apr. 2021, www.theringer.com/sports/2021/4/15/22385705/live-sports-streaming-wars-future-industry.
Owusu, Tony. “Netflix Makes Another Move Into Sports.” TheStreet, 13 Jan. 2022, www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings.
Weprin, Alex. “With $100B NFL Deal, TV Networks Keep One Foot In the Bundle and Another in Streaming.” Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2021, www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/nfl-tv-streaming-analysis-4153564.
The future of televised sports is surely interesting, as it can look very different. In the next number of years televised sports can become very reliant on streaming rather than typical linear television. The NHL made a new deal just before the 2021-2022 season began with ESPN+ to stream 1000 of their games for this season. The NFL has also made changes towards relying more on streaming. Amazon prime will be a main platform to Thursday Night Football viewership.
A trend that is occurring for the future of sports television and consumption is Netflix. Netflix is one of, if not the most popular streaming services in the world but they don’t stream any live sports. Netflix recently however has been using sports documentaries as a way of attracting sports fans. An example of this is “Netflix and Box to Box Films” have been collaborating for a program to present the “behind-the-scenes look at the PGA Tour and feature a number a number of high-profile golfers” (Owusu 2022). This is a different and unique way for sports fans to consume sports content and could even help grow sports viewership due to the popularity of the streaming service.
With streaming platforms becoming more consumed by Gen Z than any other generation it is vital for sports to start making deals with streaming platforms. There seems to be a trend of declining sports fans among Gen Zers as it is stated the next generation of consumers isn’t following in the footsteps of sports-hungry millennials (Silverman 2020). In a study done by Brookings Institution 47% of Gen Z consider themselves to not be a sports fan. This is a larger number than previously seen in the past. Gen Z are about half as likely to watch sports often than millennials, and twice as likely to never watch. This is a scary trend for the future of sports, and this is why moving towards streaming platforms is extremely important to capture the attention of Gen Zers.
Another trend that will shape sports television in the next 5 years is an increased competition for rights will lead to higher prices. There is a battle for content, there are so many formats and distribution channels present and emerging. There are so many questions to go along with this, Will it be the social media networks broadcasting live sports events to attract viewers and leveraging their platforms? Will it be the pure video on demand players? Will it be the sports federations, leagues and clubs starting their own platforms? Will it be the content generators aiming on becoming the Netflix of sports? (Mons 2020). the battle for content will intensify with all these parties competing. As a result, from this, prices will raise for rights/content.
Works Cited Mons, J. K. (2021, March 10). 6 powerful trends in Sports Media and Broadcasting. Sport Tomorrow. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://sporttomorrow.com/6-main-trends-in-sports-media-and-broadcasting/ Owusu, T. (2022, January 13). Netflix makes another move into sports. TheStreet. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings The sports industry's Gen z problem. Morning Consult. (2020, September 29). Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://morningconsult.com/2020/09/28/gen-z-poll-sports-fandom/
Televised sports are a highly profitable and consistently evolving industry, as media companies look to innovate new methods of presenting the most comprehensive and exciting sports broadcasts possible. With a massive and passionate audience to cater to and an industry that necessitates constant production of high-quality content to cover a fast-paced news cycle, new trends are beginning to emerge that may provide a peek into the future of how televised sports will be presented.
One trend that has emerged is the untraditional approach to forms of commentary and in-game broadcast presentation. This trend sees a departure from the traditional form of in-game commentary, with play-by-play and color commentary, and instead experimentation with expert analysis, in a similar vein to a podcast. According to an article published in Variety, ESPN experimented with this concept throughout the 2021-22 NFL season through the introduction of the ManningCast on ESPN2, a simultaneous broadcast of ESPN’s flagship show Monday Night Football, but featuring commentary, game discussion, and special guest segments from former NFL star quarterbacks and brothers Eli and Peyton Manning (Steinberg). The ManningCast, which some broadcast executives have dubbed as a new genre of broadcasts called “alternacasts” or “megacasts” (Steinberg) has been a highly successful venture for ESPN2, as the company will be expanding the “megacast” concept further into other sports, such as mixed martial arts, golf and college football (Steinberg). With executives stating that sports will “in some way, shape or form include a ‘megacast’ model” (Steinberg) in the future, this trend will continue to grow and expand to all types of sports, offering an alternative experience to viewers.
Another trend that broadcasters have begun implementing in broadcasts is the integration of new visual technologies such as VR and interactive statlines. According to Variety writer Todd Spangler, the NFL has begun implementing viewer experiences that are more stat-heavy and interactive, such as Amazon Prime Video’s presentation of Thursday Night Football, which uses an “X-Ray” feature to let fans optionally view live game statistics, user polls and enhanced replays (Spangler). Additionally, the NBA has announced intentions to integrate Canon’s new Free Viewpoint system, with more than 100 cameras generating 3D renderings of games to simulate a multi-angle and video game-like broadcast (Spangler). If sports broadcasters can continue to integrate new technology into presentations, it will enhance the audience’s engagement with a broadcast and keep their attention for longer periods of time as social media continues to grow and influence viewer habits.
A third trend in sports broadcasting has been the integration of live sports betting, as commentators update users on the current odds and betting lines throughout broadcasts. According to the Los Angeles Times, ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, and Turner Sports have been seeking to integrate sports betting elements into NFL broadcasts following the league’s new 1 billion dollar deal with sportsbooks such as Draft Kings, Caesars, and FanDuel to use the NFL name and logo in marketing (Faughnder and Battaglio). For example, ESPNews has begun place live betting information on the side and bottom of screens during flagship programming such as “SportsCenter” and “Get Up.” (Faughnder and Battaglio) This exposure helps to legitimize sports betting and expose the activity to new viewers, who can find ways to further invest themselves mentally and monetarily into the game day experience, which in turn brings attention back to viewership of the overall sports broadcast. With these new trends, sports broadcasters can continue to influence viewers to tune during a highly tumultuous time in linerar television history, as more people cut their cords and turn to alterative means of viewing content.
Faughnder, Ryan, and Stephen Battaglio. “ESPN and Fox Bet on Sports Wagering. but Will They Go All in?” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2021, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2021-10-11/why-espn-and-others-are-placing-bets-on-sports-wagering.
Steinberg, Brian. “Inside the Manningcast: How ESPN and Two Football Brothers Are Transforming Sports TV.” Variety, Variety, 10 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/sports/features/espn-manningcast-superbowl-sports-tv-ratings-1235175580/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.
Televised sports has shaped our lives for as long as we can remember, ranging from the Super Bowl to the Olympics that are held every four years. With this all being said, television is shifting from linear tv to the streaming wars and live sports is right in the middle of it. I for one, see the future of televised sports going down a similar path of streaming.
The impact of streaming services was started by Netflix who came up with the idea back in the early 2010s. Netflix now has begun stepping their feet in the water of the sports media market by producing sports documentaries(Owusu). Although Netflix still doesn't show any interest in covering live sports, part of me believes that it will eventually buy a couple of games of the NFL to begin. The start of sports live streaming had to come from either NBC's Peacock or Disney's Hulu which in turn spiked the streaming wars to a new level. In the next five years one of the biggest trends that I see live sports following towards is to go on streaming services.
We are finally going to see more competition in the media market for which channel covers what sport. The main sport that draws the competition is football because it is a short season with a limited amount of games so every game is important. The best evidence to support this claim is that NBC's Sunday Night Football made so much money this past season in the NFL and that was before they had the Super Bowl(Patten). NBC saw a 10.1% increase from last season's numbers which further proves that sports is the main reason why linear television still exists(Patten). The NFL is the largest marketed sports league in the United States and since NBC proved it by showing how many people were interested in this year.
Bottom line is the sports industry in television is changing and in the next 5 years who knows where the sports tv industry is going to go. I believe that the change in sports television will happen and will have an impact on the way we view sports in the next decade.
Owusu, Tony. “Netflix Makes Another Move into Sports.” TheStreet, TheStreet, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings. Patten, Dominic. “NFL & NBC's 'Sunday Night Football' Ends Season up from 2020 & Makes Some TV History in the Process.” Deadline, Deadline, 11 Jan. 2022, https://deadline.com/2022/01/tom-brady-nfl-sunday-night-football-viewership-rise-tv-history-nbc-1234908545/. Poindexter, Written by Owen, et al. “Apple Ready to Spend on Live Sports.” Front Office Sports, 17 Jan. 2022, https://frontofficesports.com/newsletter/apple-ready-to-spend-on-live-sports/. Steinberg, Brian. “Inside the Manningcast: How ESPN and Two Football Brothers Are Transforming Sports TV.” Variety, Variety, 10 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/sports/features/espn-manningcast-superbowl-sports-tv-ratings-1235175580/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.
Matthew Miller
ReplyDeleteThe future of televised sports has the potential to look completely different. We are already seeing streaming services taking over linear TV. The NHL recently made a deal with ESPN+ to stream over 1000 games this season. With this new change, It Is only a matter of time until all NHL games will be exclusive to streaming services once current media deals expire. We are also seeing a change in the NFL. Next year Amazon Prime will be the exclusive platform for Thursday Night Football. What this will do for Amazon is bring in a lot of revenue as football fans will be willing to pay for a subscription if it means they can watch Thursday Night Football, especially if their team is the one playing. In the article titled “With $100B NFL Deal, TV networks Keep One Foot in The Bundle and Another in Streaming,” Alex Weprin says, “Amazon has over 100 million U.S. subscribers to Amazon Prime, all of whom will have access to Thursday Night Football. That’s more than the entire traditional pay-TV ecosystem, which is now made up of approximately 82 million households.” (Weprin). Everyone knows that the NFL is king when it comes to ratings, so these streaming services are willing to pay so much to gain exclusive rights. With streaming services becoming more popular, it is no surprise that televised sports face an issue as “there are so many formats and distribution channels present and emerging.” (Mons). Televised sports are about to get flipped upside down and potentially disappear in the coming years.
One trend that will shape sports television in the next five years will be the streaming wars. Each streaming service wants to be the best and is willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. Apple is coming up the rear in the streaming wats as Owen Poindexter says that “Apple is in serious talks to secure a weekday game package from Major League Baseball” and “The company has reportedly shown interest in “NFL Sunday Ticket,” which could garner $2.5 billion per season in broadcast rights.” (Poindexter et al.). If Apple secures NFL Sunday Ticket, they will without a doubt see the most significant rise in revenue as a result of live streaming sports. Viewers continue to migrate to digital platforms, which is why these streaming platforms are trying to take advantage of the opportunity to secure new viewership. Another trend that will shape sports television in the next five years is that the current landscape of sports television will be disrupted. Traditional TV operators are under pressure to generate the most revenue they can as they know the inevitable will happen when streaming services take over the sports industry. A third trend that I believe will shape sports television in the next five years is that once the current deals with these linear networks expire, they will not attempt to retain the rights as they know streaming services will outbid them. With Streaming services already having so much prominence, it is just a matter of time until liner TV gives up.
Mons, Jan Kees. “6 Powerful Trends in Sports Media and Broadcasting.” Sport Tomorrow, 10 Mar. 2021, https://sporttomorrow.com/6-main-trends-in-sports-media-and-broadcasting/.
Poindexter, Owen, et al. “Apple Ready to Spend on Live Sports.” Front Office Sports, 17 Jan. 2022, https://frontofficesports.com/newsletter/apple-ready-to-spend-on-live-sports/.
Weprin, Alex. “With $100B NFL Deal, TV Networks Keep One Foot in the Bundle and Another in Streaming.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2021, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/nfl-tv-streaming-analysis-4153564/.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDanielle Price
ReplyDeleteProfessor Burns
MSS420
20 February 2022
Blog 4
The future of televised sports will revolve around streaming and will most likely start to drift away from linear television. We have seen the impact technology has on our society, and the constant evolution of it all. There has even been a noticeable change in the way people consume music currently due to digitalization. For example, many consumers have access to streaming services such as Spotify or Apple music, which means the radio is not much of a priority anymore. Further, this had a positive outcome, so the sports industry would find success in this change as well. The idea of streaming seems to be parallel to the sports industry in the sense that this will take over. We can also assume this is true due to the trends that have already started forming. The goal is to increase opportunities by giving more and more access to consumers. The more accessible this content is, the more likely it is to increase the number of viewers. Adding various forms of distribution to the consumers in a way that is convenient to them will increase the number of people watching (Weprin).
There are many trends on the rise regarding the concept of streaming within the sports industry. This involves companies such as Netflix and Amazon, along with organizations such as the NFL and the NHL. Netflix does not broadcast live sports the way other programs do, but they are attempting to expand themselves in ways that suit them. The way this will primarily happen is through sports documentaries. For example, “Netflix and Box to Box Films” have been collaborating for a program to present the “behind-the-scenes look at the PGA Tour and feature a number a number of high profile golfers” (Owusu).
Part 2
ReplyDeleteThe filming for this has already started and will continue throughout 2022. Documentaries like this one will present authenticity to the viewers and will add another platform for sports to be distributed. This can also pave way for the future because if Netflix is doing this now, then they are only going to continue to expand their sports content. Another trend is Amazon’s expansion. Currently, “Amazon has over 100 million U.S. subscribers to Amazon Prime, all of whom will have access to Thursday Night Football” (Weprin). This platform has more subscribers than ESPN+, Paramount+, and Peacock combined (Weprin). In 2017, Amazon made a “$50 million deal with the NFL to simulcast Thursday Night games on prime video” (Weissbrot). Since there are already a huge number of subscribers, then consumers will most likely become aware of the changes Amazon eventually makes, such as streaming Thursday Night football. This will pave way for a large number of views for their platform and for the sport while attracting even more consumers. Further, some amazon users may not typically watch football, however they may start to if they see it is being streamed on a platform they frequently use. The NFL teaming up with Amazon will make significant changes and can turn televised sports upside down. Lastly, the NHL is also gearing toward this change. For instance, the NHL “has recently signed a deal to stream more than 1,000 games per year on ESPN+ with cross extensions on Hulu” (Weissbrot). There are many trends that are up and coming for streaming sports. The NFL specifically was entering the streaming world slowly, but with the pandemic, streaming services soared (Weissbrot). Therefore, with Netflix’s plan to dip into sports, Amazon’s plan to connect with the NFL, and even the NHL wanting to make moves within the streaming world suggests that the future of televised sports may lean this way. Other organizations such as the MLB may also start to shift which as well will continue this significant change.
Works Cited
Alison Weissbrot March 24, 2021. “The Future of Sports Is Streaming.” Campaign US, https://www.campaignlive.com/article/future-sports-streaming/1710912.
Owusu, Tony. “Netflix Makes Another Move into Sports.” TheStreet, TheStreet, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings.
Weprin, Alex. “With $100B NFL Deal, TV Networks Keep One Foot in the Bundle and Another in Streaming.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2021, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/nfl-tv-streaming-analysis-4153564/.
With competing streaming services, new generations, and partnerships, the future of televised sports will drastically change within the next five years. First of all, there will be an increase in competition for rights which will lead to higher prices. Netflix seems to be on the path to streaming live sports as the company is producing more sports content. Rick Anderson, chief media officer of the PGA Tour told Tony Owusu from The Street about an upcoming program that features high-profile golfers and their lives. Anderson stated, “This documentary will give fans an authentic look into the real lives of our athletes, and what it's like to win – and lose – during a season on the PGA Tour” (Anderson, Owusu). Netflix is already a huge company, there is a possibility that Netflix can take over because of its power. I find it ironic because in “The Future of Sports is Streaming,” Alison Weissbrot stated how there's been a shift in power due to so many new services streaming football saying “At least we’ll always have Netflix?” (Weissbrot). This was published in March of 2021, so it’s ironic that now Netflix seems to be joining the sports wave. l Hulu and Amazon Prime are also joining the streaming service bandwagon following the “legacy broadcasters” like NBC, CBS, FOX, and ABC/ESPN. Therefore, this competition of rights will lead to higher prices. Furthermore, studies show that sports have become decreasing popular among generation Z so I predict that the future of televised sports may be in trouble. According to “The Sports Industry’s Gen Z Problem,” by Alex Silverman, “An analysis of recent Morning Consult poll results found that Gen Zers currently between the ages 13 and 23 are less likely than the general population to identify as sports fans. Fifty-three percent of the 1,000 Gen Zers surveyed considered themselves sports fans, compared with 63 percent of U.S. adults and 69 percent of millennials in a subsequent survey” (Silverman).
ReplyDeleteI think that advertisements during commercials need to appeal more to the Gen Z demographic so that this generation will become more engaged. Surprisingly, the NBA is the most popular sport to Gen Zers. “Four of Gen Z’s five favorite sports figures, based on an open-ended survey question, were either former or current NBA players” (Silverman). After Kobe Bryant’s death, he topped LeBron James’s selections as the most popular athletic icon. I believe that there will be an increase in NBA popularity within the next five years because of Gen Zers’ favoritism towards streaming NBA games and content. Additionally, being a NY Giants fan I am happy to see the Manning brothers new partnership with ESPN in ManningCast. This seems to be great for Monday Night Football. According to “Inside the ManningCast: How ESPN and Two Football Brothers Are Transforming Sports TV,” Brian Steinburg states, “The Mannings have captured on average, 13% of the total audience for ESPN’s ‘Monday Night Football’” (Steinburg). I believe this will do wonders for “Monday Night Football”.
ReplyDeleteOwusu, Tony. “Netflix Makes Another Move into Sports.” TheStreet, TheStreet, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings.
Silverman, Alex. “The Sports Industry's Gen z Problem.” Morning Consult, 29 Sept. 2020, https://morningconsult.com/2020/09/28/gen-z-poll-sports-fandom/.
Steinberg, Brian. “Inside the Manningcast: How ESPN and Two Football Brothers Are Transforming Sports TV.” Variety, Variety, 10 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/sports/features/espn-manningcast-superbowl-sports-tv-ratings-1235175580/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.
Weissbrot, Alison. “The Future of Sports Is Streaming.” Campaign US, 24 Mar. 2021, https://www.campaignlive.com/article/future-sports-streaming/1710912.
Charlie Windels
ReplyDeleteThe future of Televised sports is in for some drastic changes according to Serazios book and some of the class readings. Being in this younger generation of sports fans it often goes unnoticed how much-televised sports are shifting from cable to now streaming services. Part of the reason for this is how technology is drastically changing, but in Serazio's book, he also talks about the convenience factor. In the book, he mentions how “For American Sports, cord-cutting and perhaps the subsequent unbundling of the cable line-up, which digital delivery might well foretell — represents a clear and present danger to the established revenue model” (Serazio). He then goes on to talk about how young sports fans would much rather watch the important moments of a game on their phone wherever they want than the entire game live and be restricted to cable. I think that because technology is becoming more advanced sports television has to take a turn and work with these advancements.
This also goes into my next point and highlights why many sports fans are choosing streaming over cable. Why watch the game on your TV when you could watch it wherever you want on your computer or smartphone. Streaming services are at the top right now and some companies are realizing it. An article titled Netflix Makes Another Move Into Sports by Tony Owusu talks about Netflix's plan and its strengths in documentaries instead of trying to compete with the top streaming services for live sports. The article quotes “Producing sports documentaries and other programming tied to sports seems to be a way for Netflix to get its foot further into a door of a room where its competitors are already operating” (Owusu) I think this is an interesting and smart approach from Netflix to leave live sports for more well-known services like ESPN and focus on something different like documentaries which have been very successful in the past few years.
Also in the future, we could see changes in the way trending companies are integrated into sports streaming through advertisements and rights. It is interesting to see these partnerships between sports and these major companies like the NFL and Amazon. I think we will see a lot more of this in the future as sports and the way they are broadcasted and constantly changing. An article titled With a new Thursday Night Football logo, Prime Video is training Super Bowl viewers for fall football by Kelsey Sutton talks about how the NFL and Amazon have been working together to have Thursday night football streamed on Prime Video. It also mentions how the NFL and Amazon worked together to create an exclusive logo. The article explains “The blue shield-like logo marks the official kickoff of a branding effort to get football fans ready to watch Thursday Night Football exclusively on Prime Video. It was created in partnership with the design studio Pentagram” (Sutton). It is interesting to see these big names come together and create new ideas to help drive the sports world as well as some of the ways we view sports whether it be through cable, streaming, documentaries, or highlights.
Works Cited
MarketingBrew, Kelsey Sutton. “With a New Thursday Night Football Logo, Prime Video Is Training Super Bowl Viewers for Fall Football.” Morning Brew, Morning Brew, 9 Feb. 2022, https://www.morningbrew.com/marketing/stories/2022/02/09/with-a-new-thursday-night-football-logo-prime-video-is-training-super-bowl-viewers-for-fall-football.
Serazio, Michael. The Power of Sports: Media and Spectacle in American Culture. New York University Press, 2019.
Owusu, Tony. “Netflix Makes Another Move into Sports.” TheStreet, TheStreet, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings.
Silverman, Alex. “The Sports Industry's Gen z Problem.” Morning Consult, 29 Sept. 2020, https://morningconsult.com/2020/09/28/gen-z-poll-sports-fandom/.
With technology trends changing rapidly, the future of televised sports might look completely different. As new generations get older and times have changed, we have to adapt to their needs. According to Alex Silverman, “53% of Gen Zers identify as sports fans, compared to 63% of all adults and 69% of millennials. Gen Zers are half as likely as millennials to watch live sports regularly and twice as likely to never watch” (Silverman). To keep these generations intrigued, there needs to be a change. The future of televised sports is now. I believe that major changes are already in the works. In the past few years, streaming services have worked their way up to the top of the charts. Streaming services offer us an easier way to access our content and give us a wide variety of things to choose from. Sports is the perfect way to add in a new population of people. This is one of the major trends that I think we will see with televised sports within the next five years.
ReplyDeleteStreaming services such as Hulu, ESPN Plus, FuboTV have already jumped on the sports wave. As revenue continues to grow, the companies around them have to be able to hold their own and learn to adapt. Recently Netflix, there has been some talk about Netlfix and sports. Currently, they do not offer anything like this but believe this can help them in the future. In the article, Netflix Makes Another Move Into Sports, Tony Owusu from The Street spoke with Rick Anderson, chief media officer of the PGA Tour, about an upcoming program that features high-profile golfers and their lives. Anderson said, “This documentary will give fans an authentic look into the real lives of our athletes, and what it's like to win – and lose – during a season on the PGA Tour” (Anderson, Owusu). This is going to allow Netflix to see what works best for them.
Due to the change from TV to streaming, advertising is another significant part of sports that is going to change. Advertising is how televised sports make a considerable chunk of their money. Streaming services are known for not having advertisements because people do not want to be interrupted. In order to incorporate both companies are going to have to find different ways to advertise themselves. Either on the jerseys/field, throughout the stadiums, or brand deals.
ReplyDeleteAnother trend that will change sports television in the next five years is new technology. According to Sport Tomorrow, Jan Kees Mons believes that drones will make a significant impact on the way we see sports, “Drones are able to fly with the action, offering some amazing angles (which the flycam can’t) as the video above clearly shows” (Mons). In order to keep this generation interested, they are going to need to update the way they film the games because of the technology they grew up on.
Mons, Jan Kees. “6 Powerful Trends in Sports Media and Broadcasting.” Sport Tomorrow, 10 Mar. 2021, https://sporttomorrow.com/6-main-trends-in-sports-media-and-broadcasting/.
“The Sports Industry's Gen z Problem.” Morning Consult, 29 Sept. 2020, https://morningconsult.com/2020/09/28/gen-z-poll-sports-fandom/.
Owusu, Tony. “Netflix Makes Another Move into Sports.” TheStreet, TheStreet, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings.
Emily Sweeney
DeleteThe future of televised sports is going to look much different than it has looked in the past. With streaming services outweighing cable television, the streaming wars that are arising because of that, and the generational shift that is occurring, in the next 5 years we are going to see a major change in how sports media is consumed.
The broadcast television networks have been looking at decreasing users as people decide to cut the cord and move to streaming services. Although sports have been able to survive the dreaded cord cutters, it seems as though they are just putting off the inevitable. According to Jeff Kotuby in an article on The Streamable, “By 2026, Graybo’s data suggests that the broadcast TV market will only have a 28 percent customer share of global sports fans” (Kotuby). Kotuby further represented the idea that this shift was going to happen by providing examples of the switch to streaming that has already happened by saying, “We’ve seen this already start to occur with the recent NFL and NHL broadcasting deals including much in the way of streaming content. The MLB also lessened its schedule on ESPN’s linear platform in favor of ESPN+ when they negotiated a new rights deal with ESPN. We’ll also likely see NBA’s League Pass, its own dedicated streaming platform, factor heavily into their next rights deal” (Kotuby). The switch to the streaming services is being accepted by both the consumers and the producers which is an influential trend that will shape the future of sports television over the next 5 years.
Going off of the switch to streaming, comes the streaming wars that will surface. If streaming is going to take over sports, which service will become the “top dog”? These streaming wars will in turn raise the costs for streaming sports. Owen Poindexter from Front Office Sports shares an example of this streaming war future by saying, “Apple wants to challenge Disney and Netflix in the streaming wars — and is looking to live sports to do it” (Poindexter). Poindexter further explains how a streaming war between Apple, Disney, and Netflix by discussing what Apple is doing to become a contender. “Last week, the New York Post reported that Apple is in serious talks to secure a weekday game package from Major League Baseball. The company has reportedly shown interest in “NFL Sunday Ticket,” which could garner $2.5 billion per season in broadcast rights.The Premier League struck a licensing deal with Apple TV+’s hit comedy “Ted Lasso'' that allows the show to use the league’s footage, logos, club kits, and trophy” (Poindexter). The streaming wars are already starting to kick off and with the continuation of services trying to out bid one another, prices could keep rising for sports streaming in the long run, shaping the future of sports television in the next 5 years.
Lastly, although the future of televised sports through streaming services is breaking into the future and trying to grasp a younger audience, it is going to struggle with the generational shift. Sports have become less and less popular among the Gen Z population. According to Alex Silverman, “53% of Gen Zers identify as sports fans, compared to 63% of all adults and 69% of millennials” (Silverman). Just looking at these percentages, sports fans have decreased by a massive amount. With such a large deficit in fans, the sports television industry may be shaped in a negative way, with less viewers. So, maybe the future of televised sports, even through streaming, will be in trouble because without fans, there will not be a reliable streaming market to draw money from.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Kotuby, J. (2021, July 23). Pay TV is losing even more sports fans to streaming services, survey says. The Streamable. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://thestreamable.com/news/pay-tv-is-losing-even-more-sports-fans-to-streaming-services
Poindexter, W. by O., Poindexter, O., Gentrup, A., Byers, J., & Christovich, A. (2022, January 17). Apple ready to spend on live sports. Front Office Sports. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://frontofficesports.com/newsletter/apple-ready-to-spend-on-live-sports/
Silverman, A. (2020, September 29). The sports industry's Gen z problem. Morning Consult. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://morningconsult.com/2020/09/28/gen-z-poll-sports-fandom/
Jason Vent
ReplyDeleteLive sports have been a staple across the globe since the middle of the 1900’s when they first came to fruition and American sports have created a massive money-making market to go along with them. Enticed viewers and sports fans across the country have been seeing the same types of games in the same types of ways on TV for over 50 years and now the future of live sports on TV is somewhat uncertain as streaming services begin to take a larger share of the live sports market which has always been owned by linear TV networks in years prior. Companies like Amazon have already won the rights for NFL games on Thursdays and will begin to offer these games as well as others on their streaming platform Amazon Prime, while Hulu, owned by Walt Disney already has a variety of live sports offered on their premium subscription-based service (Owusu). Other streaming platforms are following suit and beginning to bargain for a larger share of live sports as they are one of the highest earning industries in the U.S. each year (Owusu). The NFL has recently signed a deal for 11 years and $100 billion in media rights to broadcast their games and streaming platforms are soon to swallow up some of the revenue initially generated by linear TV networks like CBS and FOX by offering live sports direct to consumers through a variety of streaming services that already have massive numbers of viewers and draw in the younger generations better than cable television. Even though new platforms will be offering live sports soon it will be quite hard for them to take the majority of the market away from linear TV networks that will still hold almost 94% of the NFL’s game inventory (Weprin). We have seen previously live sports move from broadcast to cable, cable to satellite and now satellite TV being moved into an age where internet streaming services may take a larger share over the net decade or so. Live sports are moving towards being readily available by all people through platforms different from the current and traditional networks that have grown to be household names throughout the country because of their longevity in the sports economy (Weprin). Live sports are basically the last thing that linear TV owns to keep a strangle hold on the market which is huge because they are the highest earning industry in TV every year. With streaming services developing their own ways to view traditional TV programs and shows, it is only a matter of time before they gain more rights to sporting events which will likely allow us to see the end of linear TV all together (Herman). I think that live sports will be offered solely on streaming services within the next 20 years if not less and Hulu is already ahead of the game by offering live sports already. TV networks will continue to struggle and try to adapt to consumers changing preferences and will likely fall to the big tech media companies who chose to invest in live sports in the coming years.
Herman, Alison. “Live Sports Are the Next Great Battle of the Streaming Wars.” The Ringer, 15 Apr. 2021, www.theringer.com/sports/2021/4/15/22385705/live-sports-streaming-wars-future-industry.
Owusu, Tony. “Netflix Makes Another Move Into Sports.” TheStreet, 13 Jan. 2022, www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings.
Weprin, Alex. “With $100B NFL Deal, TV Networks Keep One Foot In the Bundle and Another in Streaming.” Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2021, www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/nfl-tv-streaming-analysis-4153564.
Blake Guerriero
ReplyDeleteThe future of televised sports is surely interesting, as it can look very different. In the next number of years televised sports can become very reliant on streaming rather than typical linear television. The NHL made a new deal just before the 2021-2022 season began with ESPN+ to stream 1000 of their games for this season. The NFL has also made changes towards relying more on streaming. Amazon prime will be a main platform to Thursday Night Football viewership.
A trend that is occurring for the future of sports television and consumption is Netflix. Netflix is one of, if not the most popular streaming services in the world but they don’t stream any live sports. Netflix recently however has been using sports documentaries as a way of attracting sports fans. An example of this is “Netflix and Box to Box Films” have been collaborating for a program to present the “behind-the-scenes look at the PGA Tour and feature a number a number of high-profile golfers” (Owusu 2022). This is a different and unique way for sports fans to consume sports content and could even help grow sports viewership due to the popularity of the streaming service.
With streaming platforms becoming more consumed by Gen Z than any other generation it is vital for sports to start making deals with streaming platforms. There seems to be a trend of declining sports fans among Gen Zers as it is stated the next generation of consumers isn’t following in the footsteps of sports-hungry millennials (Silverman 2020). In a study done by Brookings Institution 47% of Gen Z consider themselves to not be a sports fan. This is a larger number than previously seen in the past. Gen Z are about half as likely to watch sports often than millennials, and twice as likely to never watch. This is a scary trend for the future of sports, and this is why moving towards streaming platforms is extremely important to capture the attention of Gen Zers.
Another trend that will shape sports television in the next 5 years is an increased competition for rights will lead to higher prices. There is a battle for content, there are so many formats and distribution channels present and emerging. There are so many questions to go along with this, Will it be the social media networks broadcasting live sports events to attract viewers and leveraging their platforms? Will it be the pure video on demand players? Will it be the sports federations, leagues and clubs starting their own platforms? Will it be the content generators aiming on becoming the Netflix of sports? (Mons 2020). the battle for content will intensify with all these parties competing. As a result, from this, prices will raise for rights/content.
DeleteWorks Cited
Mons, J. K. (2021, March 10). 6 powerful trends in Sports Media and Broadcasting. Sport Tomorrow. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://sporttomorrow.com/6-main-trends-in-sports-media-and-broadcasting/
Owusu, T. (2022, January 13). Netflix makes another move into sports. TheStreet. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings
The sports industry's Gen z problem. Morning Consult. (2020, September 29). Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://morningconsult.com/2020/09/28/gen-z-poll-sports-fandom/
Clever Streich - part 1
ReplyDeleteTelevised sports are a highly profitable and consistently evolving industry, as media companies look to innovate new methods of presenting the most comprehensive and exciting sports broadcasts possible. With a massive and passionate audience to cater to and an industry that necessitates constant production of high-quality content to cover a fast-paced news cycle, new trends are beginning to emerge that may provide a peek into the future of how televised sports will be presented.
One trend that has emerged is the untraditional approach to forms of commentary and in-game broadcast presentation. This trend sees a departure from the traditional form of in-game commentary, with play-by-play and color commentary, and instead experimentation with expert analysis, in a similar vein to a podcast. According to an article published in Variety, ESPN experimented with this concept throughout the 2021-22 NFL season through the introduction of the ManningCast on ESPN2, a simultaneous broadcast of ESPN’s flagship show Monday Night Football, but featuring commentary, game discussion, and special guest segments from former NFL star quarterbacks and brothers Eli and Peyton Manning (Steinberg). The ManningCast, which some broadcast executives have dubbed as a new genre of broadcasts called “alternacasts” or “megacasts” (Steinberg) has been a highly successful venture for ESPN2, as the company will be expanding the “megacast” concept further into other sports, such as mixed martial arts, golf and college football (Steinberg). With executives stating that sports will “in some way, shape or form include a ‘megacast’ model” (Steinberg) in the future, this trend will continue to grow and expand to all types of sports, offering an alternative experience to viewers.
Clever Streich - Part 2
ReplyDeleteAnother trend that broadcasters have begun implementing in broadcasts is the integration of new visual technologies such as VR and interactive statlines. According to Variety writer Todd Spangler, the NFL has begun implementing viewer experiences that are more stat-heavy and interactive, such as Amazon Prime Video’s presentation of Thursday Night Football, which uses an “X-Ray” feature to let fans optionally view live game statistics, user polls and enhanced replays (Spangler). Additionally, the NBA has announced intentions to integrate Canon’s new Free Viewpoint system, with more than 100 cameras generating 3D renderings of games to simulate a multi-angle and video game-like broadcast (Spangler). If sports broadcasters can continue to integrate new technology into presentations, it will enhance the audience’s engagement with a broadcast and keep their attention for longer periods of time as social media continues to grow and influence viewer habits.
A third trend in sports broadcasting has been the integration of live sports betting, as commentators update users on the current odds and betting lines throughout broadcasts. According to the Los Angeles Times, ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, and Turner Sports have been seeking to integrate sports betting elements into NFL broadcasts following the league’s new 1 billion dollar deal with sportsbooks such as Draft Kings, Caesars, and FanDuel to use the NFL name and logo in marketing (Faughnder and Battaglio). For example, ESPNews has begun place live betting information on the side and bottom of screens during flagship programming such as “SportsCenter” and “Get Up.” (Faughnder and Battaglio) This exposure helps to legitimize sports betting and expose the activity to new viewers, who can find ways to further invest themselves mentally and monetarily into the game day experience, which in turn brings attention back to viewership of the overall sports broadcast.
With these new trends, sports broadcasters can continue to influence viewers to tune during a highly tumultuous time in linerar television history, as more people cut their cords and turn to alterative means of viewing content.
Clever Streich part 3
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Faughnder, Ryan, and Stephen Battaglio. “ESPN and Fox Bet on Sports Wagering. but Will They Go All in?” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2021, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2021-10-11/why-espn-and-others-are-placing-bets-on-sports-wagering.
Steinberg, Brian. “Inside the Manningcast: How ESPN and Two Football Brothers Are Transforming Sports TV.” Variety, Variety, 10 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/sports/features/espn-manningcast-superbowl-sports-tv-ratings-1235175580/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.
Spangler, Todd. “Are Tech-Enhanced Sports Livestreams Game-Changers or Niche Gimmicks?” Variety, Variety, 11 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/sports/news/sports-streaming-espn-nba-pga-nfl-amazon-1235176639/.
Gage 1
ReplyDeleteTelevised sports has shaped our lives for as long as we can remember, ranging from the Super Bowl to the Olympics that are held every four years. With this all being said, television is shifting from linear tv to the streaming wars and live sports is right in the middle of it. I for one, see the future of televised sports going down a similar path of streaming.
The impact of streaming services was started by Netflix who came up with the idea back in the early 2010s. Netflix now has begun stepping their feet in the water of the sports media market by producing sports documentaries(Owusu). Although Netflix still doesn't show any interest in covering live sports, part of me believes that it will eventually buy a couple of games of the NFL to begin. The start of sports live streaming had to come from either NBC's Peacock or Disney's Hulu which in turn spiked the streaming wars to a new level. In the next five years one of the biggest trends that I see live sports following towards is to go on streaming services.
Gage Kilborne 2
DeleteWe are finally going to see more competition in the media market for which channel covers what sport. The main sport that draws the competition is football because it is a short season with a limited amount of games so every game is important. The best evidence to support this claim is that NBC's Sunday Night Football made so much money this past season in the NFL and that was before they had the Super Bowl(Patten). NBC saw a 10.1% increase from last season's numbers which further proves that sports is the main reason why linear television still exists(Patten). The NFL is the largest marketed sports league in the United States and since NBC proved it by showing how many people were interested in this year.
Bottom line is the sports industry in television is changing and in the next 5 years who knows where the sports tv industry is going to go. I believe that the change in sports television will happen and will have an impact on the way we view sports in the next decade.
Gage Kilborne 3
DeleteOwusu, Tony. “Netflix Makes Another Move into Sports.” TheStreet, TheStreet, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.thestreet.com/investing/netflix-expands-sports-offerings.
Patten, Dominic. “NFL & NBC's 'Sunday Night Football' Ends Season up from 2020 & Makes Some TV History in the Process.” Deadline, Deadline, 11 Jan. 2022, https://deadline.com/2022/01/tom-brady-nfl-sunday-night-football-viewership-rise-tv-history-nbc-1234908545/.
Poindexter, Written by Owen, et al. “Apple Ready to Spend on Live Sports.” Front Office Sports, 17 Jan. 2022, https://frontofficesports.com/newsletter/apple-ready-to-spend-on-live-sports/.
Steinberg, Brian. “Inside the Manningcast: How ESPN and Two Football Brothers Are Transforming Sports TV.” Variety, Variety, 10 Feb. 2022, https://variety.com/2022/sports/features/espn-manningcast-superbowl-sports-tv-ratings-1235175580/#recipient_hashed=62dfc0b27ad1de67d64a0c44fb55f17fe8a7cd610e9d3f50edf2cced899812f7.