SPORTS MARKETING
5 Trends In Sports In 2021
By Richard Wanjohi
The past year ended on the calendars and we thought somehow the drag and drudgery of the pandemic would end with it . Unfortunately depending on where you are living or working from , the year ’ s started with the start-stop drama of lockdowns , physical distancing , vaccines , and depressed economies .
The world of sport has not been immune to the vagaries of the pandemic too . Major events from 2020 were either postponed or cancelled altogether . A busy calendar , a muted or absent fan base , an empty stadium or bubbly bubble there is bound to be a few emerging trends in sport .
Indeed , with every major human event as has been with the Covid-19 pandemic , there are bound to be irreversible developments . In the same token , we have trends that point to the trajectory that sports will take in 2021 . Here under is my list of 5 in no particular order ! eSports
This has been a constant feature in my articles in the last number of months . With estimated revenues of $ 1.5 billion in 2020 , eSport is projected to grow in both sponsorships and advertising . Major sports disciplines are looking to develop effective business and broadcast models for their leagues . Esports have been one of the favored options .
Fan experience has been a consideration too . Factoring the initial hype of live and in-person events , esports enjoyed an even greater appeal in the past year with online coverage and digitization of platforms .
With an estimated global audience of 600 million , these numbers will grow exponentially in the year . Along with the appeal for more live content and online engagement , it will serve as the alternative for sports events which have been cancelled and postponed .
Sports marketing has moved from its mainly commercial purposes to looking at social impacts by the sport and brands associated . The campaigns emerging after last year ’ s many incidences in the US and Europe , pushed athletes and players to voice their support to campaigns with social impact .
The next few months , there will be in-game analytics and sports stats to get more audience appeal and drive engagement . Relationships between major sports brands , sports leagues and sports personalities will continue growing esports .
Sports Betting
Another trend that has been a key disrupter of sports is slowly being mainstreamed in major economies across the world . As one Andrew Cuomo - New York governor put it , sports betting has the potential of cushioning and growing the NY economy badly affected by the pandemic .
A beneficiary of mobile connectivity , mobile device availability and digitization of its platforms , sports betting has almost become a necessary evil for most sports activities across the globe .
In Kenya , the challenge of legislation , taxation , and social impact has given it a bad name and seen its growth stunted . One of the biggest sports betting firms was embroiled in tax compliance , money laundering and ownership controversies . This has created a negative sentiment to sports betting .
Critics have looked to have the trade banned altogether in the country , an almost impossible task . With the ubiquity of mobile devices and digital platforms , sports betting will still be with us for a longer time .
92 MAL40 / 21 ISSUE