The convergence between sports betting and sports media is nothing new, and in the US broadcasters have been more than keen to integrate wagering into programming to enhance engagement with sports consumers.
This has raised questions about over-saturation, however – something which the US betting has had to increasingly contend with as domestic and international companies compete to cut off their own slice of the pie.
Stuart Simms, CEO of sports betting-focused media group FairPlay Sports Media (FPSM), shares his experience with betting-media integration in North America with Insider Sport, a topic he will also discuss in depth at the SBC Summit Americas this May.
Insider Sport: How can betting data and stats be effectively integrated into and complement existing sports programming?
Stuart Simms: Less pundits and more visual data… consumers will want the choice on what information and data they see based on their preferences.
Today’s consumer demands richer data, more statistical analysis, and generally more insightful information around their sports experiences. Betting, as well as fantasy sports, are increasingly a key component of the sports entertainment ecosystem, and by their very nature, are the source and reason for much of this demand.
We’ve already seen broadcasters supplement their analysis with prediction tools – WinViz has been a mainstay of the cricketing experience for almost a decade now – and the US is leading the way in tying in real-time odds into its programming, either indirectly or with their own dedicated shows.
Whether it’s the addition of live odds at a break in play during an NFL match, or a prediction tool that plays out implied probabilities for a March Madness bracket, this betting-related information is already there, and it will continue to play an increasing part in the sports viewing dynamic.
IS: Is there a risk that betting related content in sports media can become oversaturated and overstimulating for the average consumer? How can this be mitigated?
SS: I doubt it, as I believe that personalisation, powered by behavioural data will play a greater role in giving consumers choice in what level of information and data they receive, either through their own choice or automatically. And by this I do not mean just odds, I am thinking of visual data and predictive punditry, with commentators (human or bots) more familiar with machine driven insights.
Streaming platforms already can personalise the content on display for the individual. Just as viewers can pick from simultaneous match streams or from commentary preferences, so they should be able to decide whether they want a betting-aligned, data-led experience, or one that’s more raw and pundit-led, for example.
With the increasingly functional personalisation capabilities and the boom in streaming services looking to sports for content, any over-saturation can be dealt with easily. Plus, do not forget the growth in short form content continues, offering further personal experiences.
IS: How can stakeholders work to ensure this content remains informative and engaging and does not become just another repetitive breakdown of shifting odds?
SS: Simple – do not focus just on odds, that is the past not the future. Much of the technical barriers are being removed that stopped more compelling experiences, also sports data rights are changing which also opens new ways of using data.
Streaming providers are becoming better and better at delivering broader more engaging experiences, powered by these changes. Shame on us if we do not innovate and accelerate using machines to do the heavy lifting.
IS: Is there a risk that proliferation of betting content on sports media could lead to a backlash from viewers?
SS: Only if the consumer does not have a choice. We are arguing that consumers will have more choice, and that data visualisation will become more and more integral to the live sports experience, no matter where or how they watch it.
Regulators, federations and the media companies themselves will all have a say on what is possible and appropriate, but ultimately consumer demand and action will determine the right amount of information and data.
IS: What lessons can US stakeholders learn from more established markets like the UK when it comes to media-betting engagement?
SS: Not much!
The US market is already open to maximising media-betting engagement. Betting is deeply integrated in UK/European tradition and sports viewing, and this can mean behaviours and perceptions are hard to change. The US, on the other hand, is reaping the rewards from best practices elsewhere and its own maturing betting market that’s seen very much as a complement to the entertainment at hand.
There’s a visible hunger of the US consumer for betting insights and data to drive their decisions, and a willingness to spend time and money to access this. With the added historical national exposure to fantasy sports and similar offerings, the US should continue to pioneer its own relationship with betting content, I am excited to see what is possible.
Also remember the US has fewer restrictions on consumer data capture and usage, and potentially less restrictions from a regulatory point of view, so have more options to experiment and innovate. However, I see some of the main limitations being the large media companies and networks and their tardiness to harness new technology and ways of working.
IS: What role do you see FairPlay Sports Media playing in the integration of betting into sports media?
SS: We have been working with sports media companies for many years, whether under the ownership of Flutter or more recently Bruin. Historically our real-time, low latency odds have been a key part of our services and more latterly we have enhanced this with predictive AI. Beyond this FairPlay AI has many non-betting user cases that are in flight and yet to launch.
Two key areas drive our future thinking, how to personalise fan experiences and increase the relevance and therefore engagement, secondly how do we fully utilise and evolve new user experiences using large language models and our proprietary data sets.
IS: How can AI effectively enhance sports media, and by extension betting content, without losing creativity?
SS: I do not buy the whole losing creativity argument. Human creatively stands on machine driven insights, therefore by definition potentially amplifying creativity not losing it. Also this argument typically looks at AI through a simple lens / set of uses.
AI is already transforming sport and has done so for many years, whether it is PE firms using it to identify which team to buy, teams on which players or capturing data and showing stats. Therefore, sport media by association has already been positively impacted by AI in many forms, as has betting – player prop’s, more markets. The future will be how to use AI and data to drive more personalised, engaging experiences – real-time.
However, I think a broader concern should be how AI is changing sport as a product and its potential to damage interest levels of consumers. Federations will have to be cognisant of ensuring that AI does not ruin what consumers love best about live sport, but this is a whole different discussion and I would need more time to explain these ideas.
IS: In your view, what will be the main talking points around sports media and betting that SBC Summit Americas can expect from the event?
SS: How can AI, data and technology improve fan engagement and experiences, as mentioned before the US has a free hit on much of this and culturally the US fan is a lot more data driven than most European consumers.
What are the roles of machines and humans in the new sports media world, what should sports media companies focus their workforce on.
What are the best ways to make money from media rights, who should own what data and how should sports media transform, what got them to this point will not work in the future.
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