Mass Diffusion of Modern Digital Technologies as the Main Driver of Change in Sports-Spectating Audiences

Abstract

The rapid uptake of digital technologies is constantly transforming the modern culture of sports spectating; however, relatively little is known about the impact of digitalization on the changing face of global sports-consuming audiences, particularly from a qualitative perspective. In this article, the relationship between modern mass digital technologies (i.e., mobile applications and big data) and audiences of sports spectators is described and explained by taking a customer-centric approach to grounded theory using a literature review and in-depth qualitative semi-structured interviews (N = 12) with sports marketing, management, and technology professionals. The qualitative approach permits the gathering of in-depth insights into a problem, generates new concepts through data synthesis and analysis, and captures changing attitudes within the sports industry. Moreover, the qualitative approach to research is not bound by the limitations of quantitative methods and focuses on the primary questions of “how” and “why” digital technology’s mass deployment and diffusion have transformed content consumption in the sports industry. The analysis first systematizes and codes the collected data. Second, all the materials are iteratively read and the key points are outlined. Using the iterative analysis, the theoretical and empirical insights and findings are synthesized in order to achieve the results. Finally, dimensions of the transformation of sports spectators’ consumption are identified and explained. The research implications highlight “how” and “why” modern digital technologies have changed the sports-consuming audience by making it more inclusive in terms of age, gender, demographics, social and health status. These findings are useful for sport managers to better understand their audiences and processes in an ever-changing global society.

Artificial intelligence development and dissemination impact on the sports industry labor market

“…AI-powered voice assistants can also be used to create more immersive experiences, allowing fans to engage with sports content in new and exciting ways. Also, AI can help optimize scheduling, logistics, and other operational aspects of sports events, including parking, concessions, and security ( 11 ). By analyzing data on historical attendance and other factors, AI can help venue managers optimize staffing levels, queue management, and other key aspects of the customer experience and CRM.…”

“…In marketing, AI is able to analyze customer data and develop targeted campaigns ( 6 ) that resonate with sports fans. By analyzing factors such as demographic data, social media activity, and past purchase behavior, AI helps sports organizations tailor their messaging to specific audiences, increasing engagement and revenue ( 9 , 11 ). AI is helpful in sports betting by analyzing data and making predictions about game outcomes and player performance.…”

“…While AI has created new job opportunities ( 1 ), it has also led to the displacement of some jobs in the sports industry ( 4 ). A number of tasks that were once performed manually, such as data entry, can now be automated using AI, for example, ticket sales from a physical ticket office and “manual” control at the stadium entrance has been replaced by online digital ticketing and stadium access with QR codes ( 11 ). As a result, some lower-skilled jobs in the industry may be replaced by automated systems.…”

European Public Service Media, Disability Sports and Cultural Citizenship in the Digital Age: An Analysis of Agenda Diversity in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

“…In the current cross-media ecosystem, which is characterized by technological disruption and the proliferation of digital channels and platforms (Glebova et al 2022;Zheng and Mason 2022), the core relationship between public service media (PSM), sport and cultural citizenship is undergoing a profound transformation. In contrast to private sector media, PSM refers to organizations that are "publicly funded, less commercially driven and have a distinct public service mission" (Sehl andCornia 2021, p. 1470).…”

“…New destinations can help PSM to provide "variation in content" (Morlandstø and Mathisen 2022, p. 2) and make various "societal groups visible" (Steiner et al 2019, p. 102). In the field of sports, modern digital technologies have significantly altered the way in which sport is globally transmitted and consumed, offering new opportunities for flexibility and inclusivity (Glebova et al 2022). Particularly, digital technologies can bring "less prominent professional or even recreational sports to the forefront" (Zheng and Mason 2022, p. 8) and "make it easier to give visibility to groups or initiatives that previously did not have access to distribution channels" (Glebova et al 2022, p. 5).…”