Football – or soccer, depending on what part of the world you’re from – is the biggest sport globally in terms of players and fans. It is claimed to be watched by more than 3.5 billion people worldwide, meaning almost half the population watches.
While the game is played by many at various age levels and in various ways as a form of exercise, a social activity, or just out of love, technology has had a huge impact on the way that we are able to watch the beautiful game. In fact, fans have more ways than ever when it comes to availability, as they can watch a match pretty much on-demand and wherever they are in the world.
Tech’s Transformation of Football
As recent as a few decades ago, football fans would have found it difficult to find many of the matches that they wanted to watch. Not every game would have been available to watch live, and fans would have to rely on either spoken word through the use of a radio or read about the game the next day in the newspaper. Some TV broadcasters would be able to provide highlight packages, but this was not as common as they are today.
Nowadays, broadcasters are able to provide several matches on a near-daily basis because of the technologies available. They can provide games in crystal-clear definition, making it possible for fans to see every minute detail that might happen during a game and making them feel as though they are there in the stands cheering on.
They can use multiple high-quality cameras to provide incredible shots of the action. At the same time, they can use the footage captured to provide fans with new and alternative ways to look at the game. Reverse camera angles can be provided that can show different perspectives of a key moment. Cameras can be focused on one player at all times, or they can capture moments that happen in the crowd and bring added excitement for viewers.
Not Only TV Broadcasters have Benefitted
Tech’s continued evolution has also benefited fans in other ways when watching the sport. Football betting has always been a widely popular activity for many supporters, with many of them incorporating it into their matchday routines. They like to place a bet on the game they are watching or attending, adding a little more excitement to the proceedings.
Sportsbooks have recognized this and have introduced new ways in which football can be watched with the technology that they have available. They have incorporated bet features like a bet builder where it is possible to add various bets together or live betting alongside live streaming of matches. These features allow bettors to make the bets they want in real-time, as they can watch the game and make the wagers they want as they see certain things materialize.
Streaming platforms have also emerged, transforming how fans watch and enjoy football. Platforms like Amazon’s Prime Video has become one of the most notable for the sport, as they can often have exclusive rights for Premier League, Serie A football and other leagues (depending on a person’s residence).
The availability of these platforms allows fans to achieve a different type of experience compared to traditional TV broadcasters. They can often be more interactive and can sometimes provide more features that are possible to engage with compared to traditional cable and satellite options. They also allow fans to watch on-demand and stream over their internet connections, which can sometimes be more stable.
The Way We Watch Football Will Continue to Change
With new technologies continually being developed, it’s only normal to understand and recognize that the way we watch football in the future will be different from what it is today.
It’s already vastly different from what it was just a decade or so ago, but what we can do today will be nothing like what we may be able to do in the future. Broadcasters will look for new ways to provide football coverage to viewers, as they will want to make it more immersive than ever and make it feel like the fan is getting the best experience.
One way that this could potentially be achieved is through virtual reality, and with this tech continuing to evolve, perhaps it will not be too long before it is available for football viewing when at home or in the pub.