Watching a sporting event used to work very different to the way we do it now. As technology has advanced, fans have started to view games in new ways that add fresh appeal to the genre. By looking at a few examples, we can find out how the latest changes have added to our enjoyment.
Live Sports Betting
Betting has been a part of the sports industry since ancient times, with the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians being among those early civilisations who enjoyed wagering on the events that they watched. The way we place bets hadn’t changed much over the centuries, but the introduction of online bookmakers has added a new angle by allowing us to find the latest odds at any time while following the game live or on a mobile screen.
Live betting has increasingly become a popular way to bet online in recent times. This gives fans immediate access to the latest odds, which change constantly as the game is played and the action is analysed. Tennis, basketball and golf are among the many sports for which wagers can be placed in this way, with some games offering the chance to cash out early to lock in a win or to minimise losses.
This has allowed the actual process of betting to become a much more complex field than ever thought possible for most of history. It’s now not just a single part of the sporting experience, it’s a field unto itself.
Immersive Viewing Experiences
The days of having to visit a stadium to get the full sporting experience are long gone. Now, fans can hook up to a live stream and see the action as part of a comprehensive, immersive experience from anywhere in the world. It’s often carried out using virtual reality (VR) to transport fans directly into the centre of the action using a VR headset.
We can see how this area is growing with the latest news from Cosm, a tech company planning to open shared reality venues in different parts of the US. These immersive experience venues have giant LED domes where immersive visuals are beamed onto. They plan to move into various global markets like Asia and the Middle East in the future.
Smart Stadiums
Unlike the venues in the previous point, smart stadiums are the places where sporting events actually take place. Here, technology is also starting to play a bigger part in keeping spectators on their toes.
Different interrelated bits of technology like the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G WiFi networks, are used to ensure that fans get to feel the full sports experience as soon as they take their seats. This can take the shape of personalised content on their smartphone apps, augmented reality information and other digital elements.
Atletico Madrid’s stylish Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium has recently added the Sky Ribbon, which is a 360° LED screen that covers close to 2,000 square metres. It has helped the Metropolitano become the first fully digital stadium in Europe, with an intelligent control room at the heart of the operation and over 1,000 screens.
These upgrades are all starting to spice up our collective enjoyment of sports across the globe, and we’ll be keeping a watchful eye on their progress in the near-future.
