Communication service providers (CSPs) and rightsholders are collaborating to offer bundled services combining 5G and live sports events, a market expected to grow to $2.6 billion in global revenue in 2024.
These sports bundles are part of a larger market for combined 5G and over-the-top (OTT) services that will deliver $4.9 billion in media revenue in 2024, providing an 81 percent boost to total telco-OTT bundling revenue.
With an eye on this lucrative opportunity, major players will make the intersection of 5G and sports a key theme at MWC20, especially given the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
The 5G standard and sports will make for a timely fit in 2020, technically and commercially. Live streaming video of events is already one of the most popular and demanding applications on 4G networks. The arrival of 5G promises to enable more people to watch at higher quality and experience sports in new ways, such as via augmented and virtual reality.
Sports will also provide a powerful platform to win consumers over to 5G. At MWC20, expect operators and rightsholders to detail how they plan to harness international competitions like the Olympics and the UEFA Euros to promote their products. More than 70 percent of operators said the timing of major sporting events had influenced their 5G-rollout decisions.
Partnerships with operators will also enable sports rightsholders to attract subscribers to nascent direct-to-consumer video apps, enhance in-stadium experiences, and more deeply engage with fans, at a time when competition for consumer attention and spend has never been greater.
Vendors will pitch an array of 5G technologies to support sports at MWC20. Key focus areas will include solutions for brokering and monetizing telco-OTT partnerships, delivering high-quality live mobile video at unprecedented scale and enabling more interactive and immersive experiences of live sports, both within stadiums and out of the home.
Source:Omdia
