The way football is watched has changed immensely over the last decade or so, with technologies playing their role in providing a more engaging, interactive, and immersive viewing experience.
Football – and other sports – were traditionally broadcast through cable and satellite services. These services and providers still remain a dominant force as they continue to have the rights to be able to show the games they purchase in the countries they operate, but they do not have a complete monopoly on the industry anymore.
Through the rise of streaming platforms, including DAZN and Amazon Prime, the world’s population is able to access and watch many of their favorite football matches. These platforms have managed to provide numerous benefits and advantages that traditional broadcasting is not easily able to mimic. Nonetheless, there have been ways in which they have been able to stay relevant and continue to offer the best viewing experiences possible.
What effect has online football streaming had?
The most notable effect to have been experienced by traditional broadcasters through the emergence and rise of online football streaming platforms is in terms of viewer numbers. With internet-based subscription platforms typically featuring a lower monthly fee, cable and satellite companies have seen their expensive offerings become less appealing. Naturally, with money being hard and financial crises being experienced, many will typically look to save costs by cutting their expensive TV bills.
Networks have started to implement online streaming platforms into the services that they provide. As these have gained popularity, and to try and get as many to subscribe, they have started to include sports such as football in order to obtain the customer numbers they want.
The rise and proliferation of new streaming platforms has also had an effect on traditional TV broadcasting. There are numerous streaming services that can be found online that are dedicated to simply showing sports and nothing else. For viewers who want to only watch sports, this has proven perfect as they do not have to pay for channels or shows that they do not want to watch. Additionally, streaming platforms can now be built into other offerings across multiple industries. With sports betting a huge component of the matchday experience for so many, they can now use a site like Ball7m to watch football online while adding excitement to the match through the placement of a wager. Traditional broadcasters have not been able to allow this to happen, although they have started to make changes by adding odds to the programming.
The flexibility and crossover that has been experienced through online streaming has been one of the biggest reasons why traditional broadcasting has declined. Many like to use portable devices to watch their teams in action, as they can do so anywhere they want and when they are on the move. It provides them with a greater level of convenience and something that traditional TV viewing is unable to offer.
Traditional TV broadcasting continues to improve
As a result of the impact that online football streaming has had, the traditional TV broadcasting industry continues to evolve as it looks to move with the times. The industry continues to find new ways to bring an interactive viewing experience to its audience. This has been achieved by offering new features to keep viewers engaged, or by trying to differentiate the product and provide something completely new.
It could be argued that traditional TV broadcasting will never cease to exist, especially as it has been the norm for so many football fans. Older generations of fans will only ever want to watch the matches on TV as it is what they are used to. They may not be as technologically advanced as the younger generation, or they may want to watch on a bigger screen that can be used in a social environment, such as down the pub or in the living room.
One area that traditional TV broadcasters are going to need to consider is in terms of price, though, if they are going to remain competitive. As highlighted, streaming platforms have provided affordability with their subscription model. Traditional broadcasters are still extremely expensive and not many always have the disposable income to continue to fork out huge amounts each month. If the hard economic times that are being experienced continue or get worse, then they may get left behind if they do not address the cost of their packages or provide services and features that can make the cost more attractive.
Final Thoughts
Though traditional TV broadcasting will likely remain relevant for decades to come, online football streaming has certainly had an enormous impact. Industry players have had to adapt quickly in order to stay ahead of this shift and remain relevant. While some aspects have already taken shape as part of that mission, more will need to happen for it to remain a viable player in this market.