http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1216/p13s01-stct.html
Okay, this article is three years old, but brings up some interesting points. It discusses whether technology could possibly ruin sports as we know it today. While reading the article, you discover the author is more so saying the way we consume sports is changing due to technological advances (i.e. satellite radio, ESPN mobile, etc) Personally, I do not believe this ruins the integrity of sports. If a marketer is worried about their marketing dollars going to waste in the age of TiVo, DVRs, ESPN mobile, etc, then I could understand the argument that technological advances will ruin this aspect of sports. As far as sport itself, I do not believe it will affect anything. I think advances in technology get more people involved in sports and gives an opportunity to consume sports in whichever way is best for them.
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4 comments:
I agree with ya CJ. Technology will probably hurt the marketing people, but in no way will this "ruin" sports. The fans will still be there for their teams. Giving somebody highlights and whatnot on their cell phones will just wet their appetite for the real thing. There will always be something electric about going to a sporting event that technology cant provide. Maybe some fans will stop going to as many games, but the new fans that technology brings in will make up this difference. Granted, we might see professional uniforms looking like NASCAR automobiles one day because of TIVO, but the game will still be played in front of people.
I agree with Pick. I don't think technology will ruin any aspect of sports. The act of technology is just another marketing ploy. Having access to scores or even actual games on a cell phone or an ipod is just another way to satisfy the need of a fan.
By having this kind of technology present in the world, it allows the access of sport wherever you are or whatever your doing. But in no way do I think it will harm the actual attendance at sporting events. Pick is right, there is something electric about physically being in attendance at a sporting event.
During Hurricane Francis (I think), I 'watched' the Bucs - Raiders game by refreshing the score on my cell phone every minute or so. I don't think that ruined anything :)
Today the Gator baseball team played on ESPN in front of a crowd barely over 2,000 people, a subpar crowd even by gator baseball standards. I was personally very surprised, ESPN usually has a way of giving games a bigger feel and it gets the fans all stirred up (see: college gameday for football or basketball). But in this case, no one seemed to care except for the diehard "Gator Hecklers" who were in rare form with their chants, probably because they knew they'd be heard on national TV. When I discussed this with a couple people, their initial reaction was that it made sense that no one came because they knew they could just watch it on TV. Besides the fact that most of the games are televised on SunSports, how could a game on ESPN, with your team, in the town in which you live, not get you fired up enough to attend? I think CJ's article may be on to something; if something like this can't draw fans to the park, what will?
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