Call it a comeback: Sports is back in local news

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Remember how local news cut back on sports for the past decade?

That’s changing–FAST.

 

By Tim Wolff, Futuri’s VP, TV and Digital Publishing Innovation

For most of the past 15 years, local news has been cutting back on sports. I remember when I first heard that a local TV station in Colorado was dropping sports from its regular newscasts. I was shocked! 

 

But it also made sense. When looking at ratings numbers, about half the viewers weren’t particularly interested in sports. The other half were passionate fans and their interest in sports helped them to decide which station to watch.

 

The rise of ESPN and getting sports scores on your phone made local news leaders think they were going to lose those passionate sports fans, anyway. That’s why many decided to save money and cut sports.

 

But there’s another factor they didn’t know was coming: legalized sports betting. And with it, big money is coming to local media outlets that take the necessary steps to capture the sports fans.

 

 About 70% of news consumers say they go to a local broadcast, app or website for sports news weekly; that number jumps dramatically among gaming and esports fans: more than 90% say they go to local news every week, according to recent research by Futuri and SmithGeiger.

 

That’s not all. More than 60% of news consumers bet at least occasionally on sports. And news consumers generally see adding betting information during newscasts as a good thing.

 

When asked what impact adding betting information to local news would make, 36% said they would be more likely to watch a local station. Only one in five said they would not want betting information in a newscast.

 

The audience is clearly interested. And anyone who has watched a local newscast in a state where sports betting is legal can tell you that the revenue is there. When I was in Denver for the Radio Television Digital News Association conference, it seemed almost every commercial was for a sports betting app or a casino. And that’s the case wherever sports gambling is legal.

 

Futuri CEO Daniel Anstandig says, “Sports betting advertising is one of the fastest-growing revenue streams for broadcasters,” predicted to grow by $3 billion by 2023. That’s why Futuri launched TopicPulse SportsEdge, a real-time, AI-powered story discovery and social content system customized for sports, fantasy and e-sports. Futuri has worked with newsrooms for more than a decade, creating a full suite of innovative, AI-powered audience engagement and sales intelligence solutions.

 

TopicPulse SportsEdge is one tool media outlets can use as they recalibrate news planning to recapture those sports viewers who may have wandered away. Research makes it clear those viewers are ready to come back.

 

But what if you’re one of those news outlets that cut sports? Then start by looking at those who successfully re-imagined what sports content should be. Look for places that know sports news is not just the scores, highlights and game writeups: it’s new information combined with great storytelling you can’t get anywhere else. I’m partial to the great work by Frank Cusumano at KSDK and Derrick Goold at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. They invest the time to connect with the audience with great stories about people (like this one from Frank) and live interactions with fans (sometimes Derrick’s live chats go on for more than 6 hours).

 

Sports, at its core, is about people. It’s about knowing where your audience is, and where you can take them.

 

Maintaining a strong sports presence is a choice, and it is a choice that pays off well beyond the sports pages and sports segments. Most local sports fans are also local news fans, and we need to give them reasons to choose our news outlet. We can’t afford to throw away those passionate viewers, listeners and readers.  

 

The audience is ready for local news to ramp up sports again. Is your newsroom ready?

If so, be sure to learn more about TopicPulse SportsEdge right here.

eSports: Opportunities that are No Game

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Following the launch of TopicPulse SportsEdge, a version of our real-time, AI-powered story discovery and social content system customized for eSports, betting, VR, and fantasy content, we’re digging back into our recent study on The Future of Audience and Revenue from Futuri and the SmithGeiger Group to look at eSports and how they present a major opportunity for your company.

 

In particular, today we want to continue unpacking this study by looking at a prime opportunity for media companies to leverage the recent uptick in eSports activity in order to be more successful. 

 

Three Opportunities for Your Business with eSports

 

eSports is a Blue Ocean

 

Right now, eSports is a blue ocean space in the media industry: it’s unexplored and full of promise (with less competition). Our study uncovered astounding growth and viewership statistics you can learn more about right here, and all the numbers tell the same story: eSports is primed to experience explosive growth.

 

This means it’s time to claim your space in this ocean as soon as possible. If you’re a first mover into the eSports world, you have a chance to reap significant rewards. 

 

Why keep fighting all the old competition in the same old places, when you can go be an early player in the eSports media game?

 

Marketing Potential

 

The opportunities for marketing products in eSports media are not only numerous, but they also present ways to advertise brands in ways that can’t be done in other forms of media. 

 

For example, we’re all familiar with advertising with product placement. eSports takes this idea one step further by allowing the product to be placed inside a game, much like Epic does with Fortnite. 

 

Also, streamers can be great for marketing, too. They’re being watched closely by a niche market of young people for hours on end, and their “followers” develop trusting relationships with them. Products they use or recommend to their audience are instantly vaulted into consideration for the audience’s shopping concerns. 

 

Advertising Potential

 

eSports also has what it takes to be a strong force for advertising your company’s products. 

 

You already know how the strong connection between streamers and audiences can be used to market your company’s brand. Taking this one step further, specific products or offerings can be advertised through eSports. 

 

There are a few great examples of this. For one, Star Wars released an exclusive look at The Rise of Skywalker within Fortnite.  Another example is how Riot Games made Valorant only playable by popular streams prior to its release. This was a great way to advertise the upcoming game—future players were introduced to it by the streamers they so admire. 

 

Not only is the advertising potential strong with eSports, it also offers great ROAS potential compared to more traditional outlets, which we’d be happy to explain further. 

 

Don’t Save and Quit

 

There’s too much potential with eSports for you to just save your game progress and walk away. Instead, you need to plug in and get into this action for yourself!

 

If you’re ready to make that leap, visit TopicPulseSportsEdge.com.

 

And if any of this, keep your eyes on the Futuri blog and LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more insight about sports betting, fantasy, e-sports and VR coming very soon!

Get Serious Clout with Sports Betting and eSports Audiences

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We are always looking for new ways to help you to engage with your audiences through our POST and TopicPulse lines of products, so when our team heard about the recent rise of sports betting and eSports, we knew it was a huge opportunity and we could help new customers!

 

That’s what led to TopicPulse SportsEdge, a version of our real-time, AI-powered story discovery and social content system customized for eSports, betting, VR, and fantasy content.

 

To show you how powerful SportsEdge could be for our business, let’s unpack some results from The Future of Audience and Revenue 2021, done with SmithGieger. 

 

The Findings and Ways They Can Help YOU!

Demographics of Sports Bettors

 

The recent Futuri + Geiger study shone a light on what kind of people are ready for sports betting to make its way into the mainstream. 7 out of 10 sports bettors are men. Most are employed full-time and earn more than $75,000 each year. About half of all sports bettors are in their mid 20’s to mid 40’s.

 

So what? Why should your media company market to this segment? Are these people really still listening to the radio and watching television if most of their time is spent betting on sports online?

 

Yes, they are! Sports bettors are still using the radio and television, as well as web media just like everyone else. It would be a missed opportunity not to engage with this demographic on these forums. 4 out of 10 sports bettors enjoy listening to sports talk. 1 out of 4 enjoy listening to newscasts.

 

According to the Futuri + SmithGeigerGroup study, half of the survey takers said that they bet on season games, playoffs, and big events like the Super Bowl and March Madness. 4 out of 10 of the survey takers said they would see it as a positive if local news programs were to offer odds, betting lines, and best bets in their sports reports

 

Wouldn’t it be great to engage with sports bettors and always have engaging content to keep them coming back? SportsEdge can help you accomplish exactly that!

 

eSports Viewership on the Rise

Sports betters are a big market, but what about eSports viewers as well? 

 

We can answer that with a resounding YES.

 

The numbers are astounding and represent a wide market: there are slightly more men than women playing video games. 3 out of every 4 children play video games. The median age of the video gamer is 31, so half of all gamers are older than 31 and the other half is younger. Half of all video game players play seven or more hours a week, but still have time for life’s other activities and traditional mainstream media consumption.

 

Best of all, 227 million US consumers played video games in 2021, an increase from the 214 million who played in 2020. Furthermore, there were 26.6 million monthly eSports viewers in the US in 2021. That number is projected to grow to 31.4 million in 2023.

 

That’s a lot of people, but what about the money? There is $1.8 BILLION anticipated eSports revenue by 2022. 69% of this eSports revenue will come from sponsors or ads. Media rights, ticket sales, and merchandise will account for only the other 31% of eSports revenue.

 

Particularly with eSports, there are unique opportunities for advertising such as appealing to a niche audience, but best of all having a large audience for a long time period at a low cost. That sounds like a winning equation to me!

 

With such a growing interest in eSports and revenue to be gained in this area, why would you want your company to get left out of all the action?

Sports Betting and eSports: Key Takeaways

 

Now you know why sports betting and eSports are two key audiences in advertising that need to be capitalized on by your company. 

 

If you’re ready to take advantage of this, we’re ready to help.

 

If you’re read to elevate your game with TopicPulse SportsEdge, visit TopicPulseSportsEdge.com.

How Sports Betting Could Be a Safe Bet for Your Business

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We’re back today with some more insight into what  The Future of Audience and Revenue study from Futuri and SmithGeiger Group uncovered about maximizing your audience for increased revenue. 

 

So far we’ve talked about the ways in which the modern audience has changed, and how your organization can adjust to meet their evolving expectations.If you want to see real results, you’ll need to be prepared to take some risks. 

 

Those risks often mean exploring new markets, and on that note, here’s some advice that you have certainly never heard from your financial advisors: it might be time to go all-in on betting. 

 

We’re not talking about hitting the horse track or pinning it all on a prizefighter. What we are talking about is giving your audience what they want. And the answer to what they want is simple – they want to place some bets. 

 

Weighing the Odds

 

The Futuri x SmithGeiger study found that 72% of its over 2,000 participants that were between the ages of 16 and 74 are still tuning in for the big game, whether they’re watching at their favorite dive bar with friends or at home from the comfort of their own couch. 

 

Once again, locally produced content reigns supreme. 69% of the aforementioned 16-to-74-year-olds keep up with sporting events by accessing a local news site, and 71% tracking results through their preferred source’s app. 

 

Now, consider how those numbers jump for esports and gaming. In 2020, Forbes reported that the gaming industry generated over $120 billion in revenue as opposed to football, which generated only $11 billion. But whether they’re following the score by sitting in front of the big screen, visiting the local news provider’s website, or going straight to the app, the study found that over 90% of respondents are “tuning in.” 

Baseball might be America’s favorite pastime, but for media companies, the game has changed. Some people want to watch baseball. Some people want to watch competitive Farming Simulator. How can you reach them all?

 

Go All-In

With the legalization of sports betting in 2018, betting on sports has become an attractive enterprise. The Futuri x SmithGeiger study discovered that roughly 62% of respondents are willing to bet on sporting events. 

 

The best way to meet their needs, then, is to produce content that caters to that desire. And the easiest way to do this is, once again, to reach them at a local level. 

 

Additionally, 42% of respondents expressed interest in seeing odds and betting lines presented on their local news programs, which is another potential strategic move for your company. 

 

In short, the possibilities are endless. Whether you’re broadcasting expert predictions or hosting radio contests, the “fun” part of betting is feeling like you’re part of the action. The savvy media company needs to be committed to making that desired content readily available to their audience. 

 

What’s the Next Step?

 

If embracing new content seems like a daunting task, remember that you’re not alone. 

 

Futuri’s got your back. 

 

We’re prepared to make your sports betting transition easier if that’s a route you choose to pursue. Our solutions like TopicPulse are set to drive your content to the forefront of your audience’s search. Will you be ready for them?

 

Have more questions? A good place to start would be taking a look a the results of the Futuri x SmithGeiger study to use. I’ll introduce you to some of the tools that can help you grow your content, audience, and revenue. You can learn more about the whitepaper and study right here.

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Futuri is the leading provider of cloud-based audience engagement software for the enterprise. Brands rely on Futuri to make their content more relevant, accessible, engaging, and results-driven. Founded in 2009, Futuri holds 12 published or pending patents in 151 countries. Named to the Inc. 5000 List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies for seven consecutive years, Futuri is the only audience engagement platform that includes solutions for sales, marketing, and content teams.