Technology has transformed almost every sector including sports. The increased penetration of the internet across the world has created numerous opportunities in different areas. Sports marketing is one of those areas where a lot of innovations have been witnessed.

The sports industry is one of the most active in the world. This is probably why several inventions and innovations have been made. Although marketing sports may seem easier, not everyone can succeed in creating perfect content without the appropriate technology.

Here are five major innovations in sports content consumption:

1. Over the Top (OTT) Content

Perfect examples of OTT offers include Amazon Prime, Facebook, or Netflix. OTT is an acronym for “Over the top”. It basically implies the content can be obtained independently from the terminal device. But how does that connect with sports? Social media platforms such as Facebook and Amazon generally turn the rights market upside down. For example, Spain’s best professional league known as Primera exclusively runs on Facebook in India.

The internet has made it easy for people to watch different kinds of sports online without the need for a TV set. This has given media house owners sleepless nights not knowing how to counter their online competitors.

2. AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the world in a way that no one anticipated. But what drives AI technology? Data and nothing else. Chatbots are examples of artificial intelligence when as far as sports marketing is concerned. Different clubs have created their own chatbots that are used to interact with fans through various social media platforms.

There are several advantages or benefits that come with the use of chatbots in sports. The first one is that chatbots can easily reach a larger targeted group and strengthen the loyalty of fans towards a particular team. Besides, chatbots also gather information that can be used to understand certain behavior among players and fans.

3. Wearables

This is another major innovation in sports content consumption. The wearable market has proved to be an important niche in the whole sports industry. According to a recent study, wearables are projected to exceed 95 billion US dollars by 2021 in terms of sales. Companies such as Nike have created an exciting product called Hyperadapt, a self-lacing shoe.

4. eSports

Any marketer understands the importance of eSports. There’s no doubt that video games are becoming popular every day. More and more people are getting interested and involved in eSports. It is estimated that the number of global sports lovers will grow to more than 500 million in the next three years.

5. Heart-monitor training

This is probably one of the best innovations in the sports industry. Heart monitors are designed to help athletes and average joggers manage their workout plans. Without this device, it would have been almost impossible for athletes to monitor their progress.

Technology has transformed the sports industry in many ways. There are numerous innovations that serve different purposes. For instance, you can pay a Cricket prepaid bill online from the comfort of your home through services such as Cellpay.