The world is changing. So is sports. Thanks to the rise of new technologies, the lines between sports and entertainment have blurred. New marketing strategies have emerged, and new sports have been created. If you’re a sports enthusiast, you know what this means: It’s time for an upgrade!
It’s always been a dream of mine to attend the World Cup, the granddaddy of them all. Sadly, I wasn’t born during one of the games’ golden eras. But even if I had been there, I wouldn’t have known what was going on because we didn’t have television back then. Plus, my parents won’t let me spend money on frivolities. So I never got to experience the thrill of supporting my favorite team while watching the world’s best players strut their stuff on the big screen.
But now that I’m living in the modern day, I have the opportunity to attend matches using live stream services such as fuboTV, which offer all the World Cup matches for free. I can also follow my team, Colombia, via their official website, colombiaworldcup.com, which provides live scores and stats as well as podcasts, video blogs, and more.
It’s About More Than Just Watching Soccer
Television viewing is becoming less of a luxury and more of a necessity for fans. Thanks to the rise of TikTok, which is now owned by TikCorp, a media company valued at around $16 billion, content creators are able to reach a global audience with their entertaining stories and witty banter. And while most sports fans might turn off their screens during the games, keeping up with the trends on TikTok is more important than following the score.
For instance, Germany’s defeat of Argentina in the 2014 World Cup semi-final was one of the most-watched matches ever, with around 200 million viewers. But did you know that Germany’s triumph in the same year became one of the most-discussed matches on TikTok? The German national team dominated the conversations, with almost 70 million views on the platform. And did you see the viral success that followed Portugal’s capitulation against the Netherlands in the 2018 World Cup? The two teams’ fight for second place was talked about for weeks after the match.
Live streaming services such as fuboTV allow fans to attend matches and keep up with the trending topics via a single source. And with the 2022 World Cup in China, you’ll be able to follow the action live in HD. So, in short, while watching ESPN for the World Cup might be old school, staying informed of the news and gossip on TikTok is the new hotness.
It’s All About Marketing And Engagement
Whether you love the game or you just want to know what’s going on, you can find all the World Cup scores and results on Twitter. But that’s not exactly what I mean. While Twitter is a great place to find information, it doesn’t always give you a complete picture. And what’s more, the information might not even be reliable. So, rather than looking at one place for all my World Cup needs, I turn to websites such as yahoo.com and espn.com for up-to-date scores and results as well as for news articles and blog posts about the tournament.
On the marketing side, this is where you’ll find the most reliable information. Companies such as Eyebrow Media Inc and Octagon Strategy partner with leading sports organizations to create engaging content that encourages fans to engage with brands. And what’s more, they offer content aimed at potential customers that might not even be sports fans. For example, in 2020, Colombe Sport created an original series, Leagues Apart, which explores the lives of pro and amateur athletes. But while the majority of their content is non-sports related, it’s designed to attract Nike customers looking for inspiration in their daily lives. So, in short, rather than just a place to follow sports scores, Yahoo! Canada’s Global Marketing executive, Jillian Dempsey, says sports fans should expect to see more from their favorite teams in 2021 as they try to repeat as champions.
Money
Money is always a factor. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the wealthiest countries’ teams perform the best. Money can buy you everything, including the best sporting equipment and expert coaches. So while you might not be able to attend the World Cup in person, you can be sure that your club will be well-represented (and probably even win some trophies).
The bottom line is this: Now more than ever, sports are a source of entertainment and a way for fans to stay informed about what’s going on in the world. With so much content to choose from and so many options for how to consume it, fans have never had so much choice when it comes to sports. And that, my friends, is a beautiful thing.
If you’re interested in following the World Cup in person, you have a couple of options. You could subscribe to one of the many sports channels that broadcast the games, or you could invest in a personal computer and download the fuboTV app. With fuboTV, you’ll get the best of both worlds: the ease of streaming and the convenience of being able to follow all the games in HD on your phone. What do you think? Is watching the World Cup on TV still your favorite way to follow the action? Why or why not? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. And if you have a topic you’d like me to cover, please feel free to suggest it in the comments as well.