The Final Word

New technologies will continue to bring us ever closer to the game and to those transcendent moments of physical grace under pressure that we all long to witness. It’s a great time to be a sports fan, and it’s only going to get better.

But fans are now expecting more than just a better view. Technology has changed the nature of fans’ relationships with their teams and leagues. Empowered by social media and other new ways to access information, fans now expect 24/7 all-access passes, not only to the field of play but to the locker room and front office as well. They expect a seat at the table where decisions are made, and — given their increasingly active role in creating, distributing, and marketing sports content — they deserve it.

That new relationship and new level of transparency come with some risks — and potentially great rewards. Fans are drawn to sports because it represents the best of our shared humanity: honor, fair play, and the value of hard work and dedication to a team. Fans will expect to see those characteristics manifested not only on the field but throughout our organizations and leagues. If we live up to those expectations, the future holds enormous opportunities for all the stakeholders in the sports industry. Fans are increasingly becoming more than sports consumers. They are becoming true partners in our brands. Nurturing this new relationship with foresight and wisdom will be every bit as important as harnessing the accelerating wave of disruptive technology. Now — let’s get ready for the future of sports.