The proliferation of streaming platforms and the fragmentation of audiences across numerous devices present a significant challenge for sports broadcasters. How can they maintain and enhance fan engagement in an increasingly saturated digital landscape? Traditional broadcasting, focused on passive viewing, is evolving towards interactive, personalized experiences that blur the lines between consumption and participation.
The next generation of sports fans demands more than just alternative camera angles or statistical overlays. They crave immersive experiences, personalized content, and continuous engagement that extends beyond live events. This necessitates a complete rethinking of the broadcaster-audience relationship and the development of new revenue models to cater to both traditional viewers and digitally native segments.
“We’re moving into a multi-screen culture where data, interactivity, and gamification play a central role in fan engagement,” says Mark Cooke, VP of sales in EMEA at Ross Video. “Fans are no longer just watching; they want to engage with the game in real time, whether that’s through stats, fantasy leagues or interactive second-screen platforms.”
Ross Video's report, “A Definitive Guide to the Modern Sports Viewer,” reveals that while 64% of fans prefer traditional TV, almost a third watch on smartphones or tablets, and 17% follow multiple events simultaneously. Crucially, 31% of European viewers message friends during games while using social media, highlighting the importance of community engagement.
“What’s important is creating experiences that make fans feel part of the action,” Cooke emphasizes. “Whether that’s leaderboards, real-time predictions, or community-driven interactivity.” Addressing the generational divide in viewing preferences while maintaining broad appeal is key. “Traditional fans 35 and older are still committed to watching the entirety of a match or game. Whereas younger generations consume sport in shorter, varied formats,” Cooke notes. “We need to be relevant to both.”
Immersive technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, are transitioning from experimental novelties to viable commercial platforms capable of delivering premium experiences at scale. “The next generation of fan engagement is about to leap from 2D screens into fully immersive, 3D worlds where every seat is front-row,” says Lucy Trang Nguyen, business development director at Accedo. “Millions of fans will experience the action as if they’re in the stadium, with the freedom to explore, interact, and connect with their heroes.” This creates new avenues for brand integration and sponsorship activation.
“This opens the door to rich, interactive brand storytelling — turning every moment into a touchpoint for deeper loyalty, sponsorship activations, and new revenue streams,” adds Nguyen.
Ian Godfrey, CTO of TSL, highlights fan control and customization as crucial differentiators in the crowded streaming market. “The future of fan engagement is about giving viewers more control,” he says. “Not just picking from a few alternate feeds from static positions but actually being able to choose which camera angle or mic they want to follow. Essentially creating their own version of the event in real time.”
Beyond live events, always-on engagement models are crucial. “We’re entering an era of continuous streaming for leagues and even individual teams, where fans can tune in on their own time for a steady stream of content,” explains Kathleen Barrett, CEO of Backlight. “These always-on channels blend live coverage with digital watch parties, real-time chat, merch integration, behind-the-scenes storytelling, and curated archival footage.”
“Premium experiences are evolving too, with immersive AR and VR courtside offerings bringing fans closer to the action,” Barrett continues. AI and machine learning enable unprecedented personalization, tailoring experiences to individual preferences. “Leading organizations are also testing personalized recaps tailored to individual fan preferences — by favorite team, player, content style, and even preferred length — so fans can catch up in 30, 60, or 90 seconds, or dive deeper when they want more,” Barrett says. The aim is creating more relevant, frequent touchpoints maintaining engagement between major events. “It’s a new model for sustained fan connection — delivering more relevance, more often, with measurable business impact,” she concludes.
David Jorba, chief business and strategy officer at Emergent, sees AI as a creative tool for personalized content. “AI will excel as a creative augmentation platform for fan engagement,” he says. “It can generate automated, hyper-personalized content feeds by merging live video, real-time data, and visualization analytics to create unique viewer experiences.”
Accessibility is also strategic. “In today’s broadcasting, accessibility is a strategy, not charity,” states Ross Tanner, senior vice president EMEA at Magnifi. “Multilingual subtitles, inclusive UX, and culturally responsive formats unlock new audiences and overlooked revenue.” Generative AI tools are accelerating this. “With GenAI-led tools now creating instant, context-aware enhancements to content, it has never been easier to accommodate everyone,” Tanner adds.
With fragmented sports rights, flexible engagement models are needed. “Fan engagement is evolving into a deeper value exchange that extends beyond the screen — incorporating exclusive content, loyalty rewards, interactive commerce, cross-platform interactions such as video game drops and even in-venue benefits for sports audiences,” says Craig Ferguson, director of regional sales Europe at Evergent. This leads to experimentation with subscription models. “Rights holders are experimenting with match-specific passes, highlights-only tiers, and flexible pause-and-resume access to keep fans engaged year-round,” Ferguson explains.
Advanced advertising technologies offer new revenue opportunities. “Monetization is improved by introducing new inventory via advanced in-stream ad formats within live sports content and by using AI to identify high-value moments for dynamic insertion of contextually relevant ads that amplify brand awareness and boost revenue,” says Eric Gallier, vice president of video solutions at Harmonic.
The integration of e-commerce and interactive features within viewing experiences creates additional revenue streams. The challenge for sports broadcasters is not just technological but cultural: maintaining the communal experience while delivering the personalized, interactive experiences modern audiences expect. Success requires balancing innovation with the fundamental human elements that make sports broadcasting emotionally resonant. The industry’s future depends on creating experiences that feel both cutting-edge and authentically connected to the sports and stories that fans love.