E-sports, a market valued at around $900 Million in 2018 and estimated to be worth $1.65 Billion in 2020. Streaming platforms like Youtube and Twitch growing substantially. Classic entertainment platforms like TV or Radio struggling to maintain their customer base. E-sports and gaming are the future of entertainment., sports teams are not paying enough attention to this growing trend and consider their e-sports department too much as an add-on on the Marketing team. and mentioned gaming, especially Fortnite, as a threat to sports entertainment in the future. He is right in saying (Moore is a former executive in the gaming industry) that younger generations are not interested anymore in 90-minutes football games without any interaction or gamification attached to this.

However, sports teams are not paying enough attention to this growing trend and consider their e-sports department too much as an add-on on the Marketing team. Liverpool CEO Peter Moore confirmed these statements and mentioned gaming, especially Fortnite, as a threat to sports entertainment in the future. He is right in saying (Moore is a former executive in the gaming industry) that younger generations are not interested anymore in 90-minutes football games without any interaction or gamification attached to this.

Moore identified correctly that a club like Liverpool FC should embrace all new technologies that will arise in the upcoming years. Take a look at the Youtube and Facebook page of Liverpool FC and you will notice that they are doing a great job. Diverse content, interactive posts and enthusiasm from the Liverpool FC players to cooperate in their media obligations (often underestimated). To continue on this positive path, Liverpool FC should also take a closer look at e-sports and other technologies like AR, VR, and AI.

https://www2.deloitte.com/gh/en/pages/technology-media-and-telecommunications/articles/tmt-pred16-media-esports-bigger-smaller-than-you-think.html

I genuinely believe that older generations (except Peter Moore) do not understand the potential/threat of the actual gaming environment. I notice every single day that it is underestimated by every single industry. Millennials are not watching TV anymore and are spending this time gaming or interacting with their friends online. Ask a hundred executives across different industries, I am sure at least 30% has never heard of Fortnite. Sports organizations should have a much bigger e-sports and innovation department to solve questions like; how will you keep the younger generation interested into watching 90 minutes of football; how can you connect and create unique experiences to passive fans that are not watching games in the stadium; how can you position your organisation in the gaming industry, etc. It frustrates me to see that sports organizations are not paying enough attention to all these developments that will be a big threat for them "in the nearer than they expect future."

Let me know how you feel about technologies that could impact the sports industry. In my opinion innovations like the HoloLens and other augmented reality devices could become a game changer for the consumption of sports content. Check out my last post where I go over the different technologies that will impact the sports industry.

PS: I will certainly write more about this topic in the near future. Just writing about these unexplored opportunities frustrates me.