Technology and non-live content will have the biggest impact on the Indian sports landscape according to a report from ESP Properties and SportzPower.
“Two things that will significantly change the face of Indian sports – first is the way technology is used in our business. It will bridge the gap between multiple stakeholders coming together, a fan watching a sporting event at a stadium, then the one watching at home or the one watching on the move on OTT. It will help in enhancing the viewer experience,” said Vinit Karnik, Business Head, ESP Properties, as reported by Best Media Info. “India is not very mature [in the non-live sports segment]. We believe [Indian Premier League] teams being profitable this year, a significant amount of focus is going to be on non-live content.”
Here’s what you need to know:
-According to the India Sports Sponsorship Report, industry sponsorship grew by 14% in 2017. That growth is the result of two major factors, among others. First is an increased reliance on technology and second is the creation of non-live content — content extending beyond the field of play like documentary-style features that follow the athletes off the field.
-Sports in India have become more competitive than ever before, which has led many athletes and teams to use analytical devices like wearables to gain a competitive advantage.
Get The Latest Sports Tech News In Your Inbox!
-An overview of the Indian sports tech landscape by SportsTechX, a European-based facilitator of startup-investor relations, reported that 63.4% of sports tech companies in India were founded over the last three years.
-Cricket, and the IPL in particular, is by far the largest sport in India. But it’s not just cricket. Soccer sponsorships grew by 64% according to the report. And leagues built around non-traditional sports, from table tennis to boating, emerged in force, including five new franchise-based leagues: Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), Super Boxing League (SBL), Super Fight League (SFL), Cue Slam and P1 Power Boating.
SportTechie Takeaway:
We’re not surprised that technology was one of the two most important factors driving India’s sports growth (for obvious reasons). What’s slightly surprising is the report’s conclusion about the importance of non-live content, i.e., content taped and produced about the sport and the athletes that can be aired at any time. We recently reported on Tennis Channel’s partnership with Verizon, which had a non-live content component. And plenty of teams and leagues in the US already produce substantial content that supplements the live sports, much of which is streamed on mobile and OTT channels. We’re so often bombarded about the value of live sporting events, a value that we don’t think is going away any time soon. Last year Facebook placed a losing bid of $608 million for IPL rights; Star India won those rights with a bid of $2.55 billion. Those numbers dwarf the value we should expect from non-live content. Nevertheless, it’s notable to see a report stress that value, however small it is compared to that of live content.