After a long COVID-induced break, sports events have resumed across the world. Exciting times ahead with the Tokyo Olympics set to begin on July 23.
The sports industry, however, will never be the same again — it will only be far better. Uncertainties are always overcome by survival instincts. And a motivated generation is training in sports schools.
Modern Olympics was cancelled four times, including an earlier one in Tokyo. But unlike earlier Games, huge investments are made for contemporary Olympics to project the image of the host country. Cancellation of the Olympics will cost Japan more than $12.6 billion. A year’s postponement now means additional billions to keep facilities in shape till the Games start.
The main challenge is to ensure that the Games do not become an international super-spreader event. Tokyo cannot host spectators and guests as planned earlier. The risk of fans catching the virus and the event being suspended midway lurks. Olympics is large in scale and intensity of participation by athletes, officials and spectators from all corners of earth.
Even assuming that everybody at the Olympics is vaccinated, precautions are essential so that the event is not cancelled midway due to a quirky variant virus. The stadiums can at best host 50% or less capacity. Empty stadiums as at the U.S. Open or English Premier League are best avoided. French Open did better with a 10-20% occupancy.
A COVID-negative or vaccination certificate was made mandatory for entry. Open stadiums pose less risk and indoor stadiums can be made safer with turbo exhausts. Both inaugural and farewell extravaganza needs trimming. Even dropping pageantries is a good idea.
Post-COVID possibilities
Coldplay declared that the band will henceforth perform only at carbon neutral events. The trend will catch on in sports.
Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton recently stressed sustainability in sports, and the event is set to revamp itself into an eco-friendly one by 2025. COVID-19 will help ramp up such processes, and stadiums will be built as environment-friendly with high hygiene standards.
Johan Cruyff Stadium in Barcelona has been declared carbon neutral, and the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta has caught the eyes of sports stadia architects across the world. Forest Green Rovers Football Club Stadium in England has become totally environment sustainable.
COVID-19 furthered e-sports in the absence of live sports events. Expect the International Olympics Committee to recognise e-sports sooner than later. E-sports need stamina, skill, focus, strategy and training on a par with physical sports. It will get treated just as another indoor sports. With players, viewers, sponsorships and advertising growing fast, e-sports revenues are growing exponentially and may surpass the revenues of leagues such as the NFL and the NHL. The easy accessibility of e-sports will always remain its glory.
Engagement with fans has to be upscaled as access to stadia will become easier but expensive. Professional sports begin and end with fans. No fans means no sports. With 5G around the corner, interactivity between fans and players and team will increase, both during matches and off the field. It will be easier to become the co-owner of a club given technologies such as blockchain.
Expect new sports to emerge as with VR/AR/AI technology, an entire range of opportunities will arise as sports industry adapts to COVID-19. E-games will become the new sports, and athletes equipped with VR goggles will battle it out. Children are likely to become more active in sports as technology will be blended into sports. Hospitality standards will rise as stadiums limit audience. Catering will be at the touch of a phone button. Buying of mementos and autographs from star players online will be easier but will come at a price.
Television coverage of sports will see a sea change furthered by the pandemic. Instead of monopoly broadcasting of mega events, expect a more democratic, lucrative set-up that brings better revenues to organisers of sports events. For a fixed price, hosts will offer feed to channels leading to revenue. This will test marketing abilities of channels to attract audiences.
Use of wearable gadgets, touch-free services, service robots and remote technologies will be on the rise.
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