Sports trends for 2023. 8 ideas to increase value

2022 is at the end and today our newsletter brings some sports trends for 2023.

Before the trends, I want to thank the almost 28,000 subscribers who receive the material by email weekly.

In total, every post touched almost 40,000 people! That´s amazing to reach so many people in different countries at once!

Sports trends for 2023

Today the newsletter brings some trends that will be fundamental drivers for any sport project in 2023, in each country.

1. Technology in all sports dimensions

2022 was marked by the advancement of technology, both on the pitch, as in the stands and in the fan's house.

2023 will consolidate technology as a driver for leagues, teams, and sponsors. On he sports performace impacts, the best signings, the most attractive sponsorship properties, simply all depend on the technology use to achieve the goals.

Analogical and old-fashioned models will not survive without innovation. And to achieve the objectives, just with technological tools.

2. Digital as essence

2023 will require brands far beyond the digital environment use as media. Social networks play an important role, but they are not alone in building branding projects, being a sponsor or a team.

More and more brands will have to seek a digital consistency in the relationship with the fan, managing to evolve from simple posting / interaction to a relevant digital experience.

The innovation will be to convert the digital audience into sales, without losing the essence of the sport. This means allowing the digital for the fans to consume and entertain themselves, at the same time.

It will no longer be an online advertising, but offer unique and relevant experiences, in the online environment. Digital revenues, derived from the fans´ fun!

3. Digital assets, far beyond a simple token or NFT

In 2022, digital assets have consolidated as a major phenomenon of the sports industry. In 2023 the challenge will be to go beyond. It´s more than just to be an asset with some financial value or representativeness.

Exclusive experiences, many in the physical environment will convert digital assets into true sports phigital platforms.

More idols commitment and participation in physical experiences such as collective masterclasses, digital calls or simply an exclusive video will change the asset level.

Teams, athletes, and sponsors have everything to increase the tokens and NFTs values.

4. Women dominating the scene

No other trend is more relevant and striking than the women's sport strength nowadays.

The professional competition audiences’ growth, increased interest in women's sports idols and sports female practice are decisive for the current sports industry evolution.

More women practicing, consuming, and working with sports, that what we need in 2023. All investment is necessary for more gender equality to be a reality in sport.

5. ESG and clear purposes

Next year will be hard to sponsors and teams’ brands in ESG requirements. All sports brands must to find their purposes.

Doing good for society, and how it impacts the customer's life is a big challenge to 2023.

Seek the essence of the brand and align it with the current world demands, especially in issues related to sustainability and social impact. Revenues and profits must leave an effective legacy for the world.

6. Physical and mental health

According to Interbrand´s data, the global health, wellness, and wellbeing market is currently estimated at US$10 trillion.

The search for complete health is an irreversible factor of our connected and digital society.

Sport takes on a fundamental character for the health of the population, especially those who do not have the resources to be a club member, gym client or fitness APP user.

The low-income population is the one that has the highest sedentary lifestyle levels and digital & social networks use.

This population does not have access to a private health plan and turns to the public health system for preventable disease earlier and earlier.

7. Data driven sponsorship activations

All major sports sponsors are focused on increasing the efficiency of sponsorships acquired with data and concrete measurement.

Sports Value has created its own ROI model for sponsors and it is clear how data is the only way to assertive sponsorship activations. 

The data driven to define sponsorships strategies and especially the complementary activation budgets are a critical factor of successes or failure of any sponsorship strategy nowadays.

8. Excessive streaming and the industry´s future

Streaming platforms are dominating content distribution and more consumers are forced to pay more companies to gain access to everything.

The "streaming first" model boosted digital, but generated difficulty for everything to be available to everyone, as it was before. The content is increasingly fragmented and teams have the gold in their hands, which is the content complementary to the matches. Focus should be on how to monetize all this wealth.

The sponsorships impacts on broadcasts via visibility have been reduced, on the other hand, online transmission allows high interactions and deep fans knowledge.

A very challenging 2023 for the entire sports industry.