The era of the “smart phone” began back in 2007 when Apple released its very first iPhone. Since then the technology has spread and advanced to the point where almost everyone has either an Apple or Android smart device, almost 5.8Bn people in total if estimates are to be believed. They have transformed our way of life, in almost all areas, and that includes how we consume and interact with the sports we follow. There is now near instant access to information that we used to have to wait for. The widespread use of social media coupled with mobile devices has made sports more interactive than ever before, reshaping sports engagement.
With your mobile device you can follow all the latest basketball news, results, and online conversations wherever you are and whenever you like. There are official league apps from the NBA, WNBA, and EuroLeague that provide extensive coverage both pre and post game as well as vast amounts of past data and statistics. It is not just in basketball, all sports all around the world have developed their own niche products and for example if you want a cricket betting app in italy then there will be one waiting for you. There are various streaming services available for supporters to watch games live and that is no matter where they are or what they are doing. You could be it at home but also at the beach, in a coffee shop, or commuting to work. That never used to be possible.
The engagement is often enhanced by fans being more aware of the teams and players past performances, compared to how they are performing live during the current game. It has become known as a “second screen experience” where perhaps the main TV in the room is showing the game and on their mobile the fan will be using their favorite sites to check on the current shooting percentages, other relevant data, or what other fans are saying on the social media sites, all while watching game. Previously watching a game at home could be a solitary activity, but that is not the case anymore, when you can join the discussion with thousands of others watching the same match, from all over the world.
It is probably the widespread use of social media, and its accessibility from a mobile device, which is one of the largest influences on how sports engagement has evolved. As already mentioned it brings people together from all over the world and allows for real time debates over referee decisions, the last foul, or last 3 pointer made.
Previously to get news about your team it would often involve watching the evening news and getting scores of every other team as well, waiting for the information relevant to you. With advances in mobile technology news can be obtained from any number of mobile apps and these can be customised to deliver only info relevant to you. Notifications can be set to only be delivered when it involves your team or chosen leagues. Each sport has its own dedicated news sources, often several, and so if you want sports news there are basketball betting sites, football betting sites, cricket betting sites, you name it, there are sites out there specialising in the sport you want news about. One thing they will all have in common is that they track what you watch and read. They will then automatically recommend content based on previous viewing. You will have noticed this from the Facebook and YouTube algorithms, it automatically makes it easier to keep up to date with the teams and leagues that are of interest.
Advances in technology and the availability of information have not been universally positive. There are some drawbacks, and some would say the 24/7 nature of having constant news notifications and never ending social media conversations can be a bit too much. Even worse is the widespread misinformation which has the ability to spread quickly online which it never did before. With so much extra content around the game and on social media generally, it is important to balance how much time is being spent on social media and how much time are you actually just sitting down and enjoying watching the game itself.
It is clear that mobile technology has fundamentally changed the way all sports fans watch, follow, research, and enjoy following the action. Smartphones have been the main driver in providing the anytime and anywhere nature of things but it is social media which has revolutionised the content itself. Things have not stopped moving forwards yet though, there are currently new trends and developments from artificial intelligence and it will be interesting to see where that takes us, but without a doubt mobile technology has changed and will continue to change how we enjoy the sports we follow.
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