DATA-DRIVEN More than ever before, data and stats play a central role in the fan experience. Today fans, both young and old, don’t just want to know the basics such as the final score and the man of SPORTS the match. Instead, they want detailed team and player performance data such as expected BROADCASTS goals (xG) or the number of team presses, creating a completely new language amongst analytical fans. The soaring value of sports data seems to be Inevitably broadcasts, as the centrepiece of a multibillion pound industry, reflect the growing unassailable. Accelerated by the Moneyball fan demand for stats and insights. Whilst the box score is virtually synonymous with every revolution and more recently the incredible major basketball broadcast other sports such as rugby in the Six Nations built lengthy capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI), data is partnerships with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and other sports analytics providers to deliver critical to how modern sports are played, match insights such as kick success rates and player tackle counts. consumed, analysed, and monetised. However, where once fans experienced delays in how and when statistics were viewed, now a new innovation wave is transforming the live broadcast experience with stats overlays and visualisations delivered in real-time to unlock a wealth of new engagement and monetisation opportunities. According to Deloitte’s recent ‘immersive Sports Fandom’ report, 46% of Gen Z fans expect real-time stats and analysis to form a central part of their live sports broadcast experience. Broadcasters and streaming giants now recognise that a generation of fans who have grown up playing Madden, FIFA or similar games, expect an increasingly gamified and data-driven viewing experience. And with advancements in optical tracking technology and computer vision capabilities, broadcasters are now able to provide split-second game insights to millions of viewers.