Sports
The sports industry is changing rapidly — competition from on-demand platforms and new entrants such as e-sports are leading to fragmentation and shrinking audiences. Even the definition of sports itself is shifting and evolving. Sports brands, leagues and media rights owners risk being left behind or rendered obsolete if they fail to evolve as well.
Relying on the traditional live nature of sports is still lucrative in the short term but it creates a gap for newer fans who are growing up in an on-demand and ever-changing world.
We believe sports marketers need to create new value for fans by tapping into culture, trends and experiences that take audiences beyond the live broadcast and standard retail experiences.
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Player-led influence
Players have become bigger than ever, reaching cult celebrity status. We will continue to see athletes like LeBron and Kaepernick use their sports status as a platform to drive awareness for social activism and issues that matter. We believe there is an opportunity for brands to smartly align themselves with the athletes directly to amplify shared messages, enabling both brand and athlete to share the benefits.
Mainstream gets extreme
The definition of sports is shifting and collapsing. Athleisure is now mainstream. Rock climbing is now an Olympic sport. E-sports audiences are growing exponentially. Drake and Ninja playing Fortnite was just the beginning. When it comes to retail and apparel opportunity, brands need to empower extreme users and find the right mix of sports & entertainment to unlock even larger audiences as categories blend and merge.
![](https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/picture3.jpg?mw=325&hash=ECA4088A8B8A1AA245768AA3CBE790F4 325w, https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/picture3.jpg?mw=400&hash=22B4F3D2DAB77DB65373BEAF2E40AC19 400w, https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/picture3.jpg?mw=500&hash=60E3A49ECB73AB9C2C259644A221C22B 500w, https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/picture3.jpg?mw=750&hash=7AC4C4E338DCE703BD5EE98E85F885F0 750w, https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/picture3.jpg?mw=1000&hash=6DE3D5DE070D85E6FC5BADB5CBA46785 1000w)
![](https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/psg_mockup.jpg?mw=325&hash=2FFCE40A09A0B8CBB9AFCBBFED00C5FF 325w, https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/psg_mockup.jpg?mw=400&hash=D8818DB74F1E51142C3769784B1E66C2 400w, https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/psg_mockup.jpg?mw=500&hash=223DC527626ECC6BEFD532AA2E08F28F 500w, https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/psg_mockup.jpg?mw=750&hash=2C4F2F19196C07FA53603BE1B331FA39 750w, https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/psg_mockup.jpg?mw=1000&hash=701E4FDF317447C2BFB39EC5AAD7580A 1000w)
Tech impact on sports rights
Multi-billion-dollar price tags are the new norm when it comes to sports rights. Today’s traditional broadcasters are now competing with new digital entrants who will continue to drive up the bids while simultaneously iterating and innovating the mobile experience.
Fan-curated content
According to market data, 75% of people are watching vertical videos on their phones. Broadcasters, teams & leagues need to start thinking mobile and shooting vertical. There is a need to start disrupting current content delivery formats. We are moving from a user-generated world to a user-curated content model.
![](https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/dazn_iphone.png?mw=325&hash=545E6EBDFD5AE5CF5DB517569B5FD394 325w, https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/dazn_iphone.png?mw=400&hash=69E11C84C60AAC5A898002BA9A6B1644 400w, https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/dazn_iphone.png?mw=500&hash=F7C205E5438A23F2D41F8C3C325C03D4 500w, https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/dazn_iphone.png?mw=750&hash=31944FDAA87210C6734A141FEB722DE8 750w, https://cdn.sidlee.com/-/media/sidlee/industries/sports/dazn_iphone.png?mw=1000&hash=5FBB7ED558A716EA825B48781EB4D78B 1000w)
“I think we’re at a moment where activism is on the rise. I think that brands now have a responsibility to have a point of view. The days of neutrality are over, especially in America.”