With sports slowly preparing for their return and some athletes in other countries already taking the field, sports teams and fans know the upcoming season is going to look very different than it did before nationwide shut-downs. There is still a lot to be determined regarding how different leagues plan to mitigate their risk of contracting and spreading the novel coronavirus while continuing to support a multi-billion dollar industry. Questions are beginning to arise such as whether it is safer to play only local games, like the Big 10 decided earlier in July, or maybe move all the teams to one area and create a "bubble" as the NBA plans to do in Orlando. While these questions are still in the air for many league coordinators, one thing is for certain: there will be little to no fans in attendance until the novel coronavirus is under control.
While backyard football and pick-up baseball games have shown fans are not completely necessary for competitive athletics, there is no question as to whether or not they are important to the multi-billion dollar industry that is modern-day professional athletics. So, how will the sports industry manage to not only keep their fans engaged, but profit off their engagement? Well, the industry hasn't drowned yet as new and exciting tech might allow the industry to hold their head above water or possibly even begin to swim for shore. Over the past decade, companies like SMT and ESPN (Disney) have been utilizing advancements in broadcasting to engage sports fans from the comfort of their own homes, and turn a profit from doing it. This has allowed both to develop extremely broad IP portfolios in the field of Broadcast Enhancement. This long time dedication to development may just begin to pay off more than ever given the new post-COVID circumstances. Learn more about the strategic positioning of these two companies and many others by subscribing to the Magic Number® Sports Analytics Patent Forecast®
