How Technology Has Changed Sports
How Modern Technology has Changed Sports
Bryan Sweet
Intro to Sports Management
In the recent decade, technology has played a giant role in almost every aspect of our society. The world has changed tremendously, and people are now starting to gain information more quickly, communicate more directly, and grow ideas. Technology has impacted every corner of today’s society in areas such as healthcare, government, education, business, and sports. While it is not always obvious to the casual fan or viewer, the impact that technology has had on sports is immense. Many processes are now easier and quicker, and the industry has seen an increase in attention and profits as a direct result of it. Here are just a few ways that technology has changed the modern sports industry.
Not too long ago, buying tickets for a sporting event was a complete hassle. If you had extra tickets or you wanted to buy some, your only option was scalping. Trading or otherwise obtaining tickets was a costly process that took time and was not very efficient. Now,sports fans are able to buy tickets online and they are sent straight to your phone with no other work needed on your end. New online websites like Ticketmaster have made it easy and convenient to check in and coordinate the entire ticketing process, which in returns makes more people want to attend sporting events since it is not difficult to do. Other companies focus on getting cheaper tickets last minute, allowing for you to choose if you want to plan your trip to the stadium months in advance, or decide last minute that you want to catch a game. This is much easier than attempting to find cheap tickets outside the stadium being sold by some shady person you would rather not talk to. Thank modern technology next time you go to a game and simply pull up your tickets on your phone that you bought completely stress free.
Because of improvements in technology, sports coverage is more extensive than ever before. In the past, viewers had to choose between a few channels to catch the game. Today there are a multitude of options. Coverage is available practically everywhere, all the time. Coverage is now available live and full-replay allowing you go to go back and rewatch a play you might have missed or just really want to see again. Not too long ago, missing the big game meant having to wait until then following morning when you could read about the results in the newspaper, or hear them from your friends. Now, however, people are able to record, save, and replay any footage, or simply get updates on your phone and save the hassle of sitting around for hours.
The media channels that broadcast sporting events are now able to use technology to share information at a pace quicker than ever before. News and updates are sent almost instantaneously to smartphones the moment the news occurs. In addition, social media is creating opportunities for connecting with athletes that we never would have been considered possible. A few years ago if you had suggested that you could "tweet" Lebron James and that he might "tweet" back , it would have sounded like nonsense. Twitter, Facebook, and other social media have provided access to an incredible platform for fans and athletes to connect. This connection raises fan enthusiasm and contribution to the sporting events. Instagram and other social media sites have connected the sports community. However the connections are not always positive as fans and athletes can sometimes post inappropriate and hurtful things towards each other. Not a huge deal for the fans who can not be punished for their freedom of speech, but more often than you might think, a professional athlete gets in trouble over what he or she said on social media. Another social aspect technology has given us is fantasy sports. Fantasy sports are based off of actions of the real athletes. Fans are able to join leagues where they draft real life players and receive points for things they do during their games. This allows for more social connections and is very popular in today’s society.
` Arguably the most important thing modern technology has brought to sports is the entirely revolutionized the manner in which we are able to design apparel and equipment. From shoes and uniforms to gloves, helmets, and pads, sporting equipment is now more high-tech and high-functioning than ever. For example, the new Nike jerseys for the National Basketball Association are very lightweight and sweat wicking to help keep the athletes fresh over the course of their game. The same goes for baseball and their equipment. Batting gloves and gloves in general have never been more shock resistant than they are today. Not that it’ll ever be able to eliminate the pain from a 95 mph fastball hitting you in the palm of your glove, but anything helps.