As part of SportsBusiness Journal's 20th anniversary, many sports execs shared their predictions for Sports Business 2038. THE DAILY will roll out some of these remembrances over the next few days.
* AEG Sports COO KELLY CHEESEMAN: “In 2038 MLS will be 32 teams in North America and will have had a club win two FIFA Club World Cups, pushing MLS to globalize with the other major soccer leagues. Esports will have four or more ‘major leagues’ and will have pushed all North American leagues to have integrated competitions with those leagues, maybe not playing their actual sports in those leagues. Growth in esports will have allowed broadcasting to completely transform to an interactive holographic experience for replays inside the stadium or wherever you may be. Teams will be accepting two or more forms of ticket payments in cryptocurrencies.”
* Timbers President of Business MIKE GOLUB: "AI, AR, VR and some acronyms not yet invented will continue to transform the delivery of the fan experience, how stadia operate and how fans connect with content. But the essence of sports -- moment-making live drama -- plays an even larger role in the social fabric and community building. And the beer will still be cold.”
* NBC Sports Boston Senior VP & GM PRINCELL HAIR: “Esports will be just as popular as today’s traditional sports and all pro sports leagues will have fully embraced the esports model -- the disparity between the two will barely exist. And where will we consume this content? On TV? Online? On our mobile device? My guess is on some yet-to-be-introduced platform that will take the media world by storm and once again change the landscape dramatically.”
* Look Left Media Founder MELINDA WITMER, who was previously Time Warner Cable Exec VP, COO & Chief Video Officer: “As we see the rapid evolution of eGaming, we may well see other ‘sports’ emerge. ‘Iron Chef’ brought us the ‘sportification’ of an atypical athletic competition -- highly skilled food preparation, but with ‘sports like coverage’ -- with commentators, close-ups of technique and energetic coverage -- champions and challengers. Who knows what new ‘sports’ will emerge in the next 20 years? AR and VR will open the door to new types of competition and participation we have not yet imagined. The ‘sports’ business will be bigger, broader and more successful than today.”
* Overwatch League Commissioner NATE NANZER: “The best part about esports right now is that in 20 years, we’ll have an entire generation of fans who have grown up watching esports competitions who will be able to share their love and passion with their kids. Esports will be so commonplace by then that taking the family to see your hometown Overwatch League team play will feel the same as going to a baseball or basketball game today.”
