SportBusiness.com

Mobile Apps for Sport: Exploiting new mobile media revenue opportunities 

It is hard to talk about the iPhone and the applications launched for it without quoting telephone number figures.
But they are absolutely huge. From a standing start in the summer of 2008 there have been:

• 75,000 new apps launched for the iPhone and…
• Close to 2 billion downloads from the Apple App Store

What is clear is that this phenomenon is here to stay, presenting a huge new opportunity for sports content.

In the US, where the iPhone and iPod touch launched, it is now possible to see the impact both on consumer behaviour and on sports media and this vital market intelligence is brought to you in this new report from SportBusiness. Mobile Apps for Sport tracks who is using this new mobile technology and for what. We report how their habits are changing and where they are spending money.

In the space of a few short months, the promise of mobile media has finally arrived and has changed the game for everyone.

“12 months ago we hadn’t heard of iPhone applications: now you have to have them in your offering”
Lucien Boyer, CEO, Havas Sport and Entertainment speaking at Sports Marketing 360

Mobile Apps for Sport reviews available sports applications from the media, sports teams, federations and event organisers. We present prevailing business models and winning ideas for engaging a new generation of fans and tapping new commercial opportunities. The great news is that it is a wide open market and apps are proving complementary not competitive to existing ways of consuming sport both live and on TV.

The report then outlines a strategic framework for conceiving and launching new apps for both the iPhone and other mobile devices. We suggest ways of targeting particular groups around sport and show how apps can be both useful and commercially successful. Finally we look to the future and plot what the evidence would suggest will be happening. There are both opportunities and challenges.

WPP Chief, Martin Sorrell, speaking to the IOC recently, warned of the risk of missing a generation if content is not put into the hands of young people. All the evidence suggests that this advice should be taken literally and everyone with sports content should get it to a mobile device. Mobile Apps for Sport are the way to do it.