Digital transformation in sports: Cricket and football

Abstract

The role of digitalisation in every industry, be it Health, Education, Sports, Banking, etc., has been on the rise over the last two decades. From solving complex medical operations over the video to being able to order food with a single click, digital advancements have significantly improved the quality of life. The penetration of smartphones, low mobile data costs and increasing middle-class income in India have made it easier for people in India to be online and extract the benefits of the internet. Organisations no longer have a choice but to have a digital presence to be able to enter the playing field. What started as a mere source of entertainment, the sporting industry today has evolved into a complex mesh of business, entertainment and a symbolism for pushing the human body to extremes. Digitalisation has transformed almost every aspect of the sporting industry and plays a key role in increasing the consumption of the sport, both in terms of playing and viewing (the two main cornerstones of any sport). The diversity in the different stakeholders and the impact of digitalisation in each stakeholder’s role prompted us to choose this industry for further analysis.