As augmented and virtual reality evolve, sports fans are getting a more participatory experience.
Crisp, high-definition pictures, close-ups and replays of important moments, on-demand statistics – televised sport has come a long way in the past decade or so.
It’s no surprise, then, that in a 2023 study by Capgemini, the IT consultancy found that younger generations tend to prefer watching sports fixtures at home to attending the stadium.
It’s a preference that emerging, immersive technology is progressively catering to, enhancing the sports-watching experience, both at home and in the stadium.
Sports fans are open to a more immersive experience
- 76% of US Gen X, 63% of Millennials and 65% of Gen Z agree that sports commentary is more engaging when virtual studios are used.
- 59% of Gen Z and 65% of Millennial sports fans said they would pay to watch a sporting event in VR from the seat of their choice at a venue.
- 62% of Gen Z and 66% of Millennial sports fans said they would pay to watch a sporting event in real-time from an athlete’s point of view in VR.
François Ribeiro is CEO of Enterprise at Infinite Reality, an immersive technology company that “collaborates with Fortune 1000 companies and governments to create bespoke virtual experiences such as immersive websites, apps, games, digital twins, content, and more.”
Immersive technologies combine the real world with the virtual world. Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term for these technologies, which include augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR).
Ribeiro joined Infinite Reality in 2023, bringing with him a successful 25-year career in the sports industry. His portfolio includes organizing over 1000 sporting events across five continents and spearheading the creation of sports events divisions from scratch.
Already an authority on shaping the sports landscape, here’s what Ribeiro thinks about how immersive technology is set to transform spectatorship.
How are immersive technologies currently being used in sports?
AR, VR, and mixed reality (MR) technologies are rapidly transforming sports by offering fans more engaging, personalized experiences. Sprinkle in AI, and then you’ve layered high degrees of personalization and real-time feedback for something that’s truly captivating.
AR can enhance live broadcasts with real-time info, as well as bring sports IP straight into your living room, while VR allows fans to “attend” games in immersive 3D spaces, regardless of where they are, bringing them to the action.
At Infinite Reality, we’re harnessing these emerging technologies to build interactive virtual environments where fans can experience behind-the-scenes content, virtually walk through stadiums, and interact with digital avatars of their favorite players, and each other.
How strong is the appetite for more immersive tech in sports?
It is significant and growing, especially as younger, tech-savvy audiences demand more interactive and engaging ways to experience games. Not to mention, its cost and time prohibitive to physically attend every game. Immersive tech can make you feel like you’re really there, at a fraction of the cost and with all the benefits of convenience.
In one survey by Deloitte, 58% of sports fans said that when watching live sports, they wished they had the access to the same statistics, analysis, and replays they get while watching at home. That number jumped to nearly 70% for Gen Z and millennials.
What kind of experiences are fans looking for?
Fans want to feel closer to the action, but they’re also seeking more participation, personalization and real-time information. With immersive tech, we can offer gamified experiences before or during the event, real-time interaction with other fans, enhanced statistics, and 3D graphics sports analysis. It’s an exciting way to bridge the gap between IRL (in real life) and purely digital – XR has the power to occupy the middle space with one foot in both worlds.
What sports experiences are you working on? Your recent acquisition of digital twin-specialist Landvault raises some interesting ideas.
Our acquisition of Landvault has unlocked new capabilities for us to create highly detailed digital twins of stadiums and sports arenas, providing an immersive virtual layer over real-world venues.
With this technology, we can bring fans directly into the venue, with an interactive gameday experience that can connect international fans to their favorite club – even from thousands of miles away. This opens up a totally new way for clubs to interact with their global fanbase.
What are the commercial benefits for broadcasters, leagues, and teams of building these kinds of experiences?
The commercial benefits are significant. It’s no secret broadcasters are increasingly challenged to bring younger demographics to viewing sport on linear TV.
We can build a bespoke, geoblocked, immersive experience, embedded in a broadcaster’s website or smart TV channel – giving fans an alternative way to watch live action, and an interactive moment they can share with friends.
Leagues and teams also benefit from increased fan engagement, loyalty, and global reach. Plus, we can layer in new monetization opportunities e-commerce. With AR and VR, fans become more than passive viewers – they become active participants.
For example, during an immersive stadium experience, fans can directly engage with branded content, merchandise, and limited-edition items.
Going immersive is a gateway to collecting first-party data on a large scale, which will eventually help leagues and teams monetize their fan base through sponsorships and targeted advertising.
You recently signed a partnership with Google Cloud. What capabilities does this deal offer Infinite Reality for building better sports experiences?
Our partnership with Google Cloud provides us with infrastructure and AI capabilities that enhance our immersive SaaS solutions.
This partnership supports our ability to scale, positioning Infinite Reality as a leader in immersive fan experiences that meet the evolving demands of today’s digital-first audiences.
There’s a sense that immersive tech is at a tipping point. Can you paint us a picture of what the immersive fan experience will look like in two, five, and ten years?
In the next two years, I anticipate we’ll see more integration of AR in live sports broadcasts and a progressive rise in VR viewership. Fans will be able to watch games from multiple angles, switch perspectives, and access in-depth data in real time.
By five years, these technologies will be commonplace, with fans not just watching but participating in virtual sports gatherings.
Ten years from now, the line between physical and digital attendance will blur – fans might attend games in fully immersive digital replicas of stadiums, interact with AI-powered avatars of players, or even co-create content, making sports a more collective experience than it’s ever been.
How do you think immersive experiences will change fans’ relationship to the sports, teams, and players they love?
Immersive experiences will deepen fans’ connections with the sports, teams, and players they love by giving them unprecedented access and involvement.
Fans will feel like insiders, with opportunities to interact with players and coaches or see behind-the-scenes action. This will build a more emotional, invested fanbase, one that feels part of the team’s journey rather than just spectators.
For younger fans especially, these interactive elements will make sports a more participatory, engaging experience.
As a sports fan yourself, what XR experiences are you most excited about?
I’m simply excited to turn any 2D sport website into a more engaging 3D space, and particularly excited about the opportunity to attend events virtually and feel like I am physically there.
It’s an unprecedented opportunity for fans, but it also opens up so many new revenue streams for rights holders.
Find out more about Infinite Reality here.
