Could digital media be a game changer for sport broadcasting?

The choice of television and film viewing has grown massively – in both format and choice – but what about that giant of the small screen: Sport?

To date the way in which the millions of sports fans keep up to date with matches and events has remained largely unchanged since Sky joined the arena.

Yet there are suggestions that changes could be on the way for sport, with newer platforms choosing to get in on the action.

Premier League TV rights

This February sees media companies bid for the rights to show Premier League football matches from 2019, and while it seems likely that BT and Sky will retain the key packages, there has been a lot of speculation that digital channels were considering upping their game.

Facebook, Amazon and YouTube have all been mentioned in news article pondering the future of sports broadcasting – with some already having made initial inroads. Amazon has bought rights to show the ATP world tour, while Facebook joined forces with FOX Sports to stream UEFA Champions League matches.

Broadcasting from a digital platform obviously makes sports accessible from wherever you are – although that is already an option with Sky Go.

The draw of live TV

However there is a unique character about televised sport that may hold the current format in place for longer and that is the live element.

Televised sport has a very short window, hence the enduring popularity of watching live matches. It’s actually hard work to avoid being told the result of a football match, particularly when 24-hour news and social media are taken into account. Unlike television dramas, sports matches do not lend themselves to being added to watch lists for the coming weeks.

There is also the joy of watching the end-to-end action of a football match unfold on the big screen – and the social aspect that brings added atmosphere.

While technology will no doubt have much to offer sports broadcasting in the future, the excitement of watching the match on the big screen should be here to stay.

To find out more about Sky TV contact Aerial Services.