Tag Archive for: sports betting

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.

Futuri Launches TopicPulse SportsEdge, AI-Driven Story Discovery for the Growing eSports and Betting Space

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Futuri officially announces TopicPulse SportsEdge, AI-driven audience engagement and sales intelligence solutions for broadcasters and publishers that is customized for eSports, betting, VR, and fantasy content.

 

TopicPulse SportsEdge empowers news media and content creators who cover eSports, betting, fantasy sports, and VR content by providing 24/7 access to insights on the sports-related stories and topics audiences are talking about right now, what’s losing traction, and what engaging stories they can cover before their competition. It’s an evolution of the TopicPulse system used by thousands of radio and TV content creators nationwide.

 

TopicPulse SportsEdge insights provide a content compass for articles, video script content, social posts, and even marketing decisions. Its IdeaStarters™ content delivers pre-written copy points on the day’s top stories for use in blogs, social posts, and on-air copy. And its companion Instant Video product delivers dozens of fully licensed short videos daily that can be easily branded, customized, and used on websites, apps, and social platforms.

 

The eSports, betting, VR, and fantasy content has never been more lucrative for content creators. Our recent study The Future of Audience and Revenue 2021, done in partnership with research firm SmithGeiger, revealed new insights on the growth opportunity sports, eSports, and sports betting content represent. Of the more than 2,000 U.S. consumers surveyed:

 

  • 92% of sports and sports betting fans go to a local news program on TV for information on their favorite sports, teams, and athletes.

 

  • 90% of sports and sports betting fan go to a local news website and/or a local news app for that content.

 

  • 61.5% bet on sports, with 32.5% betting on both regular-season games and playoffs, and 29% betting on big events like the Super Bowl and March Madness.

 

  • 36.5% would be more likely to watch a local news program if they included sports betting information in their content.

 

The market for esports and sports betting is poised to explode. If you’re ready to get in on the excitement and this software sounds like it’s right for you, visit TopicPulseSportsEdge.com.

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.