5G Solutions: The Future of Sports Viewing
Written by Tyler Yen and Alex Cohen
The future of the sports fan experience lies in 5G technology solutions. A new kind of network built to connect everyone and everything, 5G has greater bandwidth than 4G, enabling it to process and transfer information over 10 times faster. In practice, this allows highly advanced technologies like augmented reality and synchronous streaming to operate exponentially faster on more devices at once. The sports world is beginning to take full advantage and a few companies, in particular, are leading the charge and transforming both the in-stadium and at-home fan experiences.
As 5G becomes more and more accessible, it’s being implemented in stadiums and arenas around the world and its power is being used to fundamentally improve the way fans experience the game from the moment they step through the gates. Verizon 5G Edge has been particularly active in the sector; in collaboration with Wicket, they are currently experimenting with facial recognition ticketing which could significantly speed up processing and decongest entrances. Using CrowdVision’s revolutionary technology, Verizon is also working on a system that analyzes crowd patterns to more efficiently direct patrons throughout the stadium and minimizes build-up.
With such an increase in processing efficiency, 5G is also paving the way for more powerful mobile applications. One such app, FanTribe, is an all-encompassing modern sports fan loyalty platform. The app creates an engaged and connected fanbase as well as a pool of consumers using real time gamification, socialization and a rewards system revolutionizing the way fans experience games both in-stadium and at home. Features include fan cards that track every fan engagement, the virtual currency that can be used in-stadium, live match stats, fan rewards, in-stadium flash sales, and live polls. The platform has been implemented by notable international professional sports teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Brisbane Broncos. This application makes the in-stadium experience more attractive and combats the current trend of fans preferring the at-home experience.
One piece of technology rising in popularity these days is augmented reality (AR). Companies like INDE are using kiosks at games and other events that allow fans to “take pictures” and “dance” with their favorite players by projecting realistic images on-screen that make it look like they’re actually there in real life. Immersiv.io’s platform, ARISE, is transforming the game-viewing experience. Using their phones, fans in the stadium can point their cameras towards the field or court and see live, overlayed statistics and visuals representing real-time data such as player speeds, shooting charts, and points scored. This gives them unparalleled access to all the information the modern fan could need without taking their eyes off of the action.
With live sports broadcasts holding eight of the top 10 most watched primetime telecasts of 2020 in the US, sports organizations and technology startups are also actively working to change the way fans view games at home. Utilizing 5G technologies, teams are ensuring that fans have a more interactive consumption of streaming content and thus greater engagement with their brand. Professional teams, in collaboration with various technology startups, have already begun to implement 5G technologies and revolutionize the way a spectator views and interacts with the game in their own homes.
Chicago-based video technology firm StreamLayer and Fort Worth based data-collection company Pump Jack Data Works have collaborated to create an interactive 5G run platform for fans of the MLS team Inter Miami CF. The 5G capabilities of StreamLayer allow for a revolutionary streaming experience as the platform gives fans the opportunity to participate in watch parties from the team’s app as fans can simultaneously video chat and watch games with up to eight friends in real time. Also integrated into the platform’s live stream are a private messaging feature with other fans, real-time statistics, and a live Twitter feed so fans never have to miss a second of the action to open another app. Following this initial launch, they’ll update the platform to enhance features like “gamification, e-commerce and creative sponsorship integrations” (Inter Miami CF Communications). These features create a uniform community for fans to communicate, as well as an audience for companies to target advertising towards.
Pump Jack Data Work allows teams to help collect, and deeply understand data so a team can further reach the interest of its consumers and use this intelligence to maximize revenue. Inter Miami CF VP of Digital, Content and Broadcast Jean Manuel Jimenez describes the capabilities of the 5G company as he states, “PumpJack is our key partner executing our digital strategy — building a tremendous fan experience, with a long term focus on building a data foundation to maximize revenue” (Dataworks).
This is an extraordinarily exciting time in the realm of sports technology as teams and tech companies continue to explore and experiment with 5G’s capabilities. Only the tip of the iceberg has been reached in terms of how 5G technology will revolutionize the fan experience, and the sports industry overall. It is unclear where the future will lead us, but we can be certain that the way that we currently experience a game both in person and at home will look drastically different than it does now.
If you want to learn more about any of the revolutionary startups mentioned in this article, you can find them on Winarize.
Citations
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Dataworks, PumpJack. “Home.” PumpJack Dataworks, pumpjackdataworks.com/.
“Engage The Modern Sports Fan.” FanTribe, www.fantribe.co/.
“Home.” Eyecandylab, 11 June 2021, eyecandylab.com/.
Inter Miami CF Communications. “Inter Miami CF Debuts New, Immersive Fan Video Engagement Experience.” Inter Miami CF, 17 June 2021, www.intermiamicf.com/en/post/2021/06/17/inter-miami-cf-debuts-new-immersive-fan-video-engagement-experience.
Schneider, Michael. “Year in Review: Top Rated Shows of 2020 — ‘Jeopardy! GOAT,’ ‘NCIS,’ ‘The Masked Singer,’ NFL Football Dominate.” Variety, Variety, 29 Dec. 2020, variety.com/2020/tv/news/top-rated-shows-2020-jeopardy-ncis-oscars-masked-singer-super-bowl-1234866838/.
StreamLayer, www.streamlayer.io/.
“The Future of Watching Sports with Augmented Reality.” Immersiv.io, 9 Mar. 2021, www.immersiv.io/arise/.
“The World Leader in Augmented Reality.” INDE, www.indestry.com/.
“Wicket Facial Authentication Software.” Verizon Business, www.verizon.com/business/resources/5g/wicket-touchless-access/.
