ording to VentureBeat, “IMG distributes more than 19,000 hours of TV sports programming to major broadcasters around the world every year.” This means that alongside their conventional sports programs they will be showing competitive gaming broadcasts.From a business perspective, this could potentially mean better visibility into the young male market, in which gaming is the #1 activity of choice. Additionally, this exposure for individual competitors could mean larger competitions (bigger prize money) and even endorsement opportunities.
I am decidedly opposed to the notion that gaming is a sport. According to Dictionary.com the actual definition of sport is, “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature…” However this article is relevant to this sports technology blog because it illustrates once again an example of leveraging technology to improve the business of sports via marketing.
Why would IMG (a sports-fashion-media) company select gaming as a complement to their sports broadcasting? Some key demographics come into play, with marketing potential sitting at the center of the decision. Young males make up the overwhelming majority of gaming fans, and make up a fair share of sports fans as well. Therefore marketing gaming during sporting event broadcasts and vice versa targets a similar demographic market. No doubt there are gaming and sports fans that are not in that 18-24 male profile…but since so many are, the marriage of the two has great potential to maximize profits and popularity for each (with gaming having the bigger potential for growth).
Therefore while gaming is in no stretch a sport, the aspect of using the popularity of sports to market events that leverage this technology (gaming is after all some of the most popular technology out there) all in the name of capital fits this blog theme quite well. Ref. dictionary.com and venturebeat.com
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