A whole new ball game: why sports tech is a game changer

Technology now plays a vital part in many aspects of sports – enhancing the viewing experience, encouraging fan engagement, assisting teams and players to increase performance, and more.

And as technology itself advances, so does its potential for enriching the sports experience. In our newest Capgemini Research Institute report, A whole new ball game: Why sports tech is a game-changer, we explore the topic of technology in sports in depth, with a look towards the future.

To understand more about the role of technology in sports, we conducted a global survey of 12,000 sports fans across 11 countries, as well as in-depth interviews with professional sportspeople and industry experts.

Our analysis found that fans increasingly use technology to enhance their viewing experience both inside and outside the venue. The benefits of technology are extensive and span fan engagement, news and insights, experience enhancement, and new immersive and digital experiences.

As technology continues to enhance the viewing experience, fans indicate that they will even prefer to consume sports at home or outside of the venue, marking a real change in attitudes towards sports consumption. On the professional end, technology is transforming the player experience with new tools and systems to improve training and performance, and to prevent injuries.

Importantly, we also find that technology can play a significant role in increasing diversity, inclusiveness, and environmental sustainability in sports – areas in which fans still expect teams to do more.

In order to help organizations navigate the digital future of sports, we conclude the report with a series of actionable recommendations on how technology can be employed to further enhance the sports experience for fans, teams, and players alike.

Download the report to find out more about the evolving role of technology in sports.