An Olympic and Paralympic year always brings elite sporting performance into sharp focus. In the dynamic landscape of sports science, the 2024 Paris Games are poised to highlight performance trends such as cutting-edge technology, personalised analytics, and holistic athlete well-being. The wide-scale adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning might have come too late to substantially influence outcomes in Paris, but its use will continue to revolutionise performance analysis, offering coaches and athletes unprecedented insights into strategic decision-making.
The Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place between 26th July - 11th August and 28th August - 8th Septmeber
Wearable, performance-tracking and athlete monitoring technology will evolve as will the trend towards a comprehensive and holistic approach to athlete health and wellbeing. As sports science advances, this year will see a convergence of technological innovation to elevate athletic excellence to new heights. This will have a knock-on effect for the sports marketing industry,
So here are five trends to be looking out for as the year progresses…
Individualised data opportunities
Integrating technology to share performance and training data offers athletes a relatively untapped avenue to enhance their marketing and commercial endeavours. By leveraging platforms and apps to disseminate real-time data, athletes and clubs can provide fans with an immersive and transparent experience, fostering a deeper connection. This engagement not only cultivates a loyal fan base but also opens avenues for enhanced sponsorship and endorsement opportunities. Brands seek authenticity, and the ability to share precise performance metrics and training insights allows athletes to showcase their dedication and professionalism, strengthening their marketability.
In the era of data-driven decision-making, brands increasingly value the quantitative aspects of an athlete's prowess. Athletes collaborating with technology to share comprehensive performance analytics bolsters their personal brand and provides sponsors with valuable content. The interactive nature of sharing training, recovery, and competition statistics creates a narrative around the athlete's journey, captivating audiences and amplifying the athlete's marketability.
This data-driven storytelling is yet to be truly exploited by athletes, sponsors or teams. Whilst the benefits for the athlete and sponsor are obvious, for teams and other organisations such as leagues or NGBs the elevation of individual athletes and the ability to tell a new story about them can help drive other forms of commercial revenue including merchandise, tickets and their sponsorship sales.
AI
The impending influence of AI on elite sports performance and training heralds a transformative era where precision and personalisation converge to optimise athlete capabilities. AI, fueled by large datasets that have been built over several years, can now be used to revolutionise performance analysis, providing coaches with unparalleled insights into player strengths, weaknesses, and strategic nuances.
The benefits of enhanced performance are not limited to the pitch, court or track. From a sports marketing perspective, the integration of AI-generated performance insights offers a goldmine of content. Personalised performance data including behind-the-scenes glimpses into an athlete's training routine provides a compelling narrative that resonates with fans.
Imagine an adaptive training programme that starts in pre-season and can track player and fan progress. An elite athlete session can be easily personalised to fit a fan’s progress, time and fitness goals. This authenticity cultivates a deeper connection, making athletes more marketable. Sponsors will be increasingly drawn to the data-driven narratives, seeking partnerships with athletes and clubs that leverage AI to optimise their performance and subsequent fan and sponsor opportunities. As AI begins to shape the future of elite sports, its potential to enhance athlete visibility, engagement, and marketability will allow brands to align with innovation and athleticism across a host of new performance stories.
Sports documentaries
The burgeoning fascination with behind-the-scenes sports documentaries reflects audience preferences and a craving for authentic narratives beyond the field of play. Viewers increasingly seek the human stories, triumphs, and challenges that unfold backstage. These documentaries provide an intimate lens into the dedication, sacrifices, and personal journeys. The trend underscores a desire for genuine connections and a deeper understanding of the individuals, teams and club culture, making behind-the-scenes documentaries a compelling and enduring genre.
Up until now, the narratives within these documentaries only touched upon the day-to-day performance demands of athletes and staff. From 2024 we expect to to see the integration of technology and performance data to help amplify the depth of these performance stories, offering audiences unprecedented insight into athletes' inner workings.
Wearable and tracking tech, performance analysis as well as the focus on the health and well-being of athletes, will provide a nuanced perspective, revealing the physical and mental toll of training and performance.
Away from the athletes, documentaries can begin to capture the intricacies of performance strategy laid out by coaches and sports science teams, immersing viewers in the wider world of elite performance. Data-driven storytelling enhances the narrative, illustrating the highs and lows of elite performance. These performance stories will be best told through the performance teams, who demonstrate their continued dedication and resilience inherent in the world of sports.
Performance sponsorship rights
Performance programmes and strategy remain one of the least understood topics across the sport sponsorship landscape. In 2024, this will begin to change as high-profile sporting properties look to expand their commercial revenue opportunities by developing new performance themes and categories.
The gradual shift in fan understanding around performance data will allow clubs to capitalise on the array of performance stories that take place on and off the pitch. Player performance data can now be used to enhance sponsorship rights and packages, creating a more compelling proposition for potential partners. Advanced analytics and performance metrics, which are part of sports sciences' everyday monitoring can offer sponsors unprecedented performance insight.. This data can showcase not only the individual performances but also, with correct interpretation, the tactical and strategic efficiency of a team.
By increasing the understanding of different performance programmes, sponsorship professionals can enhance the value, management and content on offer. Clubs can tailor sponsorship packages to highlight specific players or team achievements based on performance analytics, phases of the season, player performance cycles, injury, recovery and competition calendars.
Furthermore, performance data can be integrated into interactive fan experiences. Virtual reality simulations, augmented reality applications, or data-driven fan engagement initiatives deepen the connection between sponsors and the fan base, creating a more immersive and memorable association.
The transparency provided by performance data also adds authenticity to sponsorship packages. Clubs and teams can demonstrate the tangible impact of sponsorships on player development, fitness, and overall success, offering sponsors a compelling narrative to share with their audiences. As sport becomes increasingly data-driven, clubs that effectively harness performance metrics stand to elevate the appeal and commercial value of their sponsorship rights.
Women's research
The burgeoning realm of sport science research within women's sports presents a vast reservoir of untapped potential, poised to reshape not only athletic performance but also unlock lucrative marketing opportunities. As scientific inquiry delves deeper into the physiology, biomechanics, and psychology of female athletes, a wealth of insights emerges, challenging traditional assumptions and highlighting the strengths and challenges within women's sports.
This expanding knowledge base offers a platform for authentic storytelling, enabling marketers to craft compelling narratives around female athletes that resonate with their audiences. This authenticity not only fosters a deeper connection between athletes and fans but also creates a powerful marketing tool.
Furthermore, the data-driven approach in women's sports science can be utilised to dispel stereotypes and promote inclusivity, attracting a broader range of sponsors. Brands are increasingly recognising the potential of aligning with women's sports, tapping into a market segment that has historically been undervalued.
As research continues to unravel the intricacies of female athleticism, the marketing landscape is poised for a paradigm shift. This will be driven by opportunities to celebrate the achievements of women in sports and redefine societal perceptions, thereby cultivating a more inclusive and commercially viable sports industry.
Conclusion
The Olympic and Paralympic Games always act as performance catalysts but with enhanced technological developments, 2024 is set to see this trend continue. Technology will be at the heart of 2024’s performance stories. For athletes, clubs and teams, the opportunity to embrace new performance technologies and transition their benefits from training and on-field success into credible, commercially attractive performance stories is enormous.
Sport Science Agency is working with a host of brands, broadcasters and rights holders to help them maximise the opportunities Sport Science offers as part of their marketing and sponsorship strategies. If you would like to know more about any of the trends identified, and discuss specific examples or needs areas you would like to explore then please don't hesitate to get in touch via info@sportscienceagency.com.