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SINGAPORE: While events such as the Olympics have been suspended and soccer matches are held without fan attendance, there is still a demand for sporting events in the pandemic world, experts told CNA.
To meet that demand, organizers will need to take advantage of tools like virtual reality to be successful, they said.
Speaking to the CNA, Chris Robb, author of a book on mass participation sports events, noted that the demand for sports has grown during the pandemic.
“(There is) absolutely no doubt in my mind that there is going to be a greater demand. People are eager for live sports to go see their teams, people are eager to participate in mass participation (events).” , He said.
In particular, Mr. Robb noted the “phenomenal” growth of running and cycling.
“You know, people are rediscovering these fundamental things about running and biking and I think that will carry over to this massive demand from people participating in events and the analogy I’m using is the running boom of the 70s and 80s, (when) running exploded for the first time, ”he explained.
However, he noted that the pandemic has hit the sports industry hard and there may not be enough events to support this growing demand. This is due to the ever-evolving nature of the pandemic and the lack of a ‘one size fits all’ approach to organizing events.
“I think it’s a long way back. It’s going to be a real roller coaster: business models are broken in almost every case, “he said.
“There are going to be high profile disappearances, big companies are going to fail in the sports industry, teams are going to disappear.”
As such, there is a need for innovation, and the pandemic has provided this opportunity for sports organizers and teams, Mr. Robb said.
“There are some people who say: this presents an opportunity for us to start over. If we are creating our event tomorrow, how would we do it? They have this incredible opportunity to have this blank canvas and have a hard reboot, ”he noted.
“So I think some people have been a little bit bold and brave and said let’s start over, others say we’ve always done it this way. Let’s adjust here … and see what comes to mind at the other end. “
READ: IOC gets an official look at the simplification of the Tokyo Olympics
R. Sasikumar, founder of sports marketing agency Red Card Global, said one of the ways event organizers can innovate is by making use of virtual reality technology.
“It’s a very interesting time … because really, they really need to turn around and think of new ways to replace match day revenue, because I think that’s the big missing problem. That’s the big gap, ”he said.
“What happens with human beings, we always evolve. Eventually we find a way. And that is why our species as a whole, we survive. So the business is the same: eventually, we will find a way to replace what is lost. People are already thinking about how to recreate the whole atmosphere of the stadium, in the comfort of their home, that people are now experimenting with virtual reality. “
Sasikumar gave the example of the virtual concert of the group Kpop BTS in June, which had more than 750,000 paid spectators.
“They have already experimented and shown to the rest of the world of sports and entertainment that this is the direction to go: if it doesn’t come fast or soon enough, it won’t exist,” said Sasikumar.
THINKING ‘INSULAR’
Mr. Sasikumar pointed out that it would remain difficult to have such international events in Singapore as it would involve a large group of competitors, entourages and spectators entering the country.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the cancellation of a number of sports tournaments scheduled to take place in Singapore in 2020. These include the International Champions Cup soccer tournament, as well as the annual Singapore Grand Prix.
READ: 2020 Singapore Grand Prix canceled due to ‘continued national restrictions’ triggered by COVID-19 pandemic
But he noted that the pandemic can provide countries that have handled COVID-19 cases relatively well to host “local” events, Sasikumar said.
“Thinking ‘insular’ is the way to go in the sense that if you’re catering to your demographic, that’s fine … In Singapore, I think it’s a great example, we should let people go back to the stadium, because I think have community cases under control, ”said Sasikumar.
The organization of these events should be subject to standard measures such as the use of masks and safe distancing, he said.
“I think Singapore can lead sporting events. In fact, we can give a very good example of how to do this, ”he explained. “On the positive side, I think we have a very good opportunity to create a playbook for others to follow.”
THE NEED TO BE AGILE
Despite various obstacles, some event organizers keep going. For one thing, this year’s Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon will feature a “unique alternative running format” with virtual and possibly “physical” components, its event organizer said last month.
Speaking to CNA, Mr. Geoff Mayer, CEO of event organizer Ironman Group, said that mass participation sports and events like the marathon have an important role to play in the “community fabric.”
READ: StanChart Marathon to allow virtual participation; race format to be confirmed
“As such, we seek to find innovative ways to move forward with the career and show the way forward for the industry. We have been able to work with sponsors, partners and government agencies to offer an alternative experience that would still excite and engage the community, ”said Mr. Mayer.
More than 10,000 people have already signed up for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon Virtual Club (VC) platform since its launch, Mayer noted.
The platform, which you can join for free, includes weekly races and challenges, an online store with redeemable rewards, training and nutrition resources, and performance tracking.
“In the past, SCSM has attracted a considerable group of foreign participants,” he added. “The SCSM VC platform and an alternative end-of-year race format will continue to enable and open opportunities for more runners from around the world to join the race from wherever they are, at their own time, even amidst the restrictions of travel”.
More details will be announced in due course, including virtual ways for viewers to show their support for this year’s event, said Mayer, who also noted that running has seen an “increase” in popularity as people seek an outlet for the event. manage COVID. -19 situation.
“Sporting events have been and always will be an integral part of our society, providing people with a shared common experience to bond and connect through their passions and interests,” he said.
“We are hopeful that large-scale sporting events will return after the pandemic, but in the meantime, the industry will need to be agile and adapt as the situation changes, innovate and adopt new formats and ways of delivering value to participants, viewers, sponsors and partners. . “
The CNA Leadership Summit 2020: Navigating the Post-Pandemic World will discuss through a series of television shows and webinars how companies and organizations have reacted to the pandemic and applied innovative practices.
More details are available at: cna.asia/leadership-summit.
