23%
of sports fans use a second screen while watching sports on television
70%
Consumer Technology
Association
Cisco
of fans bring a mobile device to the stadium or arena and expect to use it during a game
60%
of fans text friends during the game
68%
of fans buy tickets from an online marketplace
1. http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/enterprise/connected-world-technology-report/index.html#~2011
2. Modis Survey 2016 – Tech that Changed the Game
3. http://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-sports-teams-are-scrambling-to-keep-millennials-coming-to-games
4. https://www.whitehouse.gov/net-neutrality
5. http://futureof.org/sports/the-fan
6. https://iq.intel.com/new-technology-in-the-nfl
7. http://m.mlb.com/news/article/161295380/rob-manfred-discusses-baseballs-technology
8. http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/sportsbiz/shaq-mark-cuban-and-other-industry-leaders-discuss-sports-and-tech-at-ces-2016
9. http://www.bicycleretailer.com/north-america/2016/05/10/smart-eyewear-maker-solos-sponsors-usa-cycling
10. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/allstar/2015/01/25/nhl-player-puck-tracking-technology/22315241/
11. http://www.thegadgetcode.com/2012/12/goal-line-technology-football
12. http://www.livescience.com/21928-london-olympic-swimming-pool-tech
13. https://www.hottopics.ht/stories/consumer/sports-tech-leaders-companies-know
14. http://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2016/01/08/sports-and-technology-riddell-pkg.cnn
Barclay's center smartphone and tablet app
Offers free high-density Wi-Fi, LTE and 3G service
8,000 square feet of LED signage, 700 HDTV’s, and approximately 100 concession menu boards
Brooklyn, NY
Power-saving solar panels
Interactive memorabilia for every player that's ever been on the team
Levi’s Stadium smartphone and tablet app
Offers free high-density Wi-Fi, LTE and 3G service
San Francisco, CA
AT&T Center stadium smartphone and tablet app
Offers free high-density Wi-Fi, LTE and 3G service
One of the world’s largest HDTVs hangs over the field
San Antonio, TX
“The balance of player, team, fans, and media has shifted. Fans no longer just watch. They participate, analyze, critique, deconstruct, fantasize and connect with their favorite players and team in real time. Thanks largely to digital innovation, being a sports fan has never been so emotionally charged, or fun, as it is today."
KYLE BUNCH
Group Director of Mobile and Social Platforms for Digital Agency R/GA
The demand for connectivity and access continues to spread at rapid paces. And the technology behind it all is changing the game of sports for the players, coaches and fans alike. Fan experiences are destined to improve as technological advances evolve over time.
Click on the states to view the data
According to respondents of the Modis Survey 2016
2.38%
Other
7.14%
Stadium Mobile Apps
5.44%
Sports Simulators
9.18%
Wireless In-Seat
Food Orders
28.06%
WiFi Services
47.79%
High-Definition Scoreboards and Jumbotron
Fan participation has altered dramatically throughout the sports world.
Even the live experience is being augmented by tech, and fans are loving it.
Mouse over the chart to view data from the Modis survey on how fans connect with other fans during games.
%
1
3
.
7
5
57.31%
in person
%
9
6
.
9
5
59.69%
text messaging
%
2
0
.
1
5
51.02%
social media
%
4
9
.
1
2
21.94%
instant messaging
%
7
9
.
4
1
14.97%
email
%
3
9
.
2
1
12.93%
internet forum/message board
48.64%
stream games online
34.01%
pay attention to social media to get play-by-play updates
53.06%
leverage a mobile app (like ESPN) to stay up to date on the score
50.85%
watch on my mobile device (phone or tablet)
12.93%
listen to podcasts to relive pivotal moments and gain perspective
12.93%
listen to podcasts to relive pivotal moments and gain perspective
Mouse over the rings to explore
Technology is permeating every sport under the sun.
Click the buttons below to hear what the people driving the games think about the changing landscape—and what it means for the players and the fans.
13
Tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Billie Jean King are among investors who recently contributed $3.5 million for the global launch of SmartCourt, a tennis-analytic system designed to measure and record playing performance.
12
Specially designed "fast pools” are engineered to minimize water turbulence.
"You see engineering everywhere when you build these pools," said Anette Hosoi,
a mechanical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
11
Goal line technology is incorporated to determine whether the ball has crossed the goal line or not in an effort to reduce refereeing mistakes that are sometimes game changers.
10
In 2015, player and puck tracking technology was incorporated into the NHL. This technology is capable of adding an extra level of analytics that is more concrete and more precise than what's out there now. Instead of measuring possession by proxy via shot attempts, the new puck can measure the actual time a team is in an offensive or defensive zone.
9
"The Solos Smart Glasses offer a cutting edge tool for the continued success of USA Cycling athletes when training, and will play an integral role in our developmental programs and the USA Cycling Team on the road and track,” said Jim Miller, USA Cycling Vice President of Athletics.
12%
of Modis survey respondents
8
SHAQUILLE O'NEAL
"Technology “substantially” increases the value of a team.”
>
15%
of Modis survey respondents
7
BOB MANFRED
MLB Commisioner
"I think what's important is that you offer our fans alternatives in how they engage with the game."
40%
of Modis survey respondents
6
BRENDAN REILLY
EON Spots VR CEO
"VR takes Xs and Os from a playbook editor, and it breathes life into them."
5
The amount of content produced by fans uploading video streams and images of live games (from smartphones inside the arena) exceeds the amount generated by official broadcasters — and is seen by more people.
A Cisco report revealed that the Internet is as important as air, water, food and shelter to one in three college students and
young professionals.¹
4
On June 14, 2016, a federal court of appeals fully upholds the FCC’s strong net neutrality rule, recognizing that an open internet is essential for innovation and economic growth.
A Cisco report revealed that the Internet is as important as air, water, food and shelter to one in three college students and young professionals.
Advanced technologies allow video footage to track player’s movement every 0.1 seconds.
This registers an average of 3,000 touches of the ball per game.
The NBA has implemented video technology in all of its basketball arenas that collect data at a rate of 25 times per second.
More than half (57%) of sports fans believe wearable tech has had the most impact on athletes’ performance, when compared to smart clothing, VR, and wearables specifically for protection against injuries.²
Wearable technology data has overtaken activities such as body weight training and high-intensity interval training. Sports technology can be used for performance measurement, feedback and scouting.
Fans use technology to watch sports anytime, anywhere on mobile apps and online videos.
Live streaming and on-demand viewing options enable fans to choose technology that will personalize their sports viewing experience.
High tech broadcasting technology and social media engagement are now a fundamental part of the fan experience, remotely and in person.
We surveyed over 500 technology professionals in the U.S. to find out how tech is changing the face of sports. Results show that professional sports teams around the country are leading the way in the challenge to add connectivity to enhance the fan experience, while athletes and coaches are bringing tech into the game to gain a competitive edge.
