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State of the global industry (fans, revenue, technology)

State of the global industry (fans, revenue, technology)

This course is part of Future of Sports Specialization

Instructor: Marisa Sáenz

Included with

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Explore how the global sports industry evolved from traditional business models to diversified, data-centric ecosystems.
Understand how fan behavior, generational change, and connected consumption are reshaping sports business strategies.
Discover how technology, tracking systems, and AI are transforming performance, fan engagement, and industry growth.

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Future of Sports Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

This course examines the current state of the global sports industry through the lenses of fans, revenue models, and technology. Learners will explore how sport evolved from traditional business foundations into a complex, diversified, and data-driven industry shaped by media, sponsorship, digital platforms, and new consumption habits. The course explains how historical models based on ticketing and media rights are giving way to hybrid and data-centric approaches. It also analyzes how fan profiles have become more fragmented, connected, and demanding across generations, creating new challenges and opportunities for sports organizations. Finally, learners will discover how technology is reshaping both on-pitch performance and off-pitch business transformation, from Moneyball and tracking systems to AI-powered fan engagement and decision-making. By the end of the course, participants will have a clear understanding of the major structural shifts transforming sport today and the forces likely to define its future evolution globally.

Module details

Trace the journey of sports from local recreation to professional enterprise. This module examines the commercialization timeline from the early 20th century through today, exploring how media and sponsorship money transformed sports into a lucrative industry, and why the sector remained resistant to technological change despite rapid evolution in other entertainment industries.

What's included

6 videos4 readings3 assignments

6 videosTotal 30 minutes

From Amateur Pastime to Professional Enterprise5 minutes
Revenue Revolution and Business Model Innovation5 minutes
The Television Revolution - How Broadcasting Transformed Sports Economics4 minutes
The Sponsorship Pivot - From Tobacco Restrictions to Marketing Revolution6 minutes
The Conservative Nature of Sports Institutions5 minutes
The Anatomy of Sports Innovation Resistance5 minutes

4 readingsTotal 100 minutes

Welcome Reading10 minutes
Complimentary ressources on Sport industry – History of Business Models (20th century foundations)30 minutes
Complimentary ressources on Sport became an Industry from the 1970s with Media/Telco and Sponsorship Money30 minutes
Complimentary ressources on Sport has long remained in its Bubble despite Technology Evolution and Changes30 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

Set the Scene and Intros - Current Status30 minutes
Set the Scene and Intros - Current Status30 minutes
Set the Scene and Intros - Current Status30 minutes

Understand the profound shift in fan demographics and behaviors. This module analyzes how the traditional homogeneous fan base has evolved into a complex, diversified ecosystem shaped by generational divides, digital technology, and changing entertainment consumption patterns, creating new challenges and opportunities for sports organizations.

What's included

6 videos3 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 39 minutes

The Era of Uniform Fans: How Sports Built an Industry on Assumptions6 minutes
When One Size Fit All: The Operational Reality of Traditional Fan Engagement7 minutes
Digital Natives vs. Traditional Consumers: The Great Generational Divide in Sports7 minutes
The Attention Economy Revolution: How Sports Lost Their Captive Audience7 minutes
The Rise of Fluid Fan Identity: From Loyalty to Choice7 minutes
Interactive Technology Integration: The Convergence of Go, Watch, and Play6 minutes

3 readingsTotal 90 minutes

complimentary ressources on Historically Male and Fans Were Not Categorised – One Way to Talk to Them30 minutes
complimentary ressources on The Fans Complexity – The Divide Between 2 Generations (Because of Tech and Entertainment Consumption)30 minutes
complimentary ressources on The Connected Fans30 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

First Change - How Fans Are Becoming More Diversified and Complex?30 minutes
First Change - How Fans Are Becoming More Diversified and Complex?30 minutes
First Change - How Fans Are Becoming More Diversified and Complex?30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

First Change - How Fans Are Becoming More Diversified and Complex?10 minutes

Examine the evolution of sports revenue models from ticketing dominance to media rights dependency and beyond. This module explores how organizations are diversifying income streams through sponsorship, merchandising, hospitality, and real estate, while ultimately transitioning toward data-centric business models that leverage fan insights for competitive advantage.

What's included

6 videos3 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 35 minutes

When Stadium Gates Ruled Sports Business6 minutes
The Media Rights Bubble and Its Inevitable Burst6 minutes
Beyond Broadcasting: The New Revenue Revolution5 minutes
The 365-Day Sports Business: From Seasonal to Year-Round Revenue4 minutes
Data as the New Currency of Sports Business6 minutes
The Analytics Revolution: Measuring What Matters in Modern Sports7 minutes

3 readingsTotal 90 minutes

complimentary ressources on From Ticketing to Media Rights — The Historical Business Model30 minutes
complimentary ressources on The Hybrid Model & Diversification (2000s Onward)30 minutes
complimentary ressources on The Data-Centric Model — The Endgame30 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

Second change - A shaken business model30 minutes
Second change - A shaken business model30 minutes
Second change - A shaken business model30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Second change - A shaken business model10 minutes

Discover how technology is revolutionizing sports both on and off the field. This module covers the transformation from early analytics and GPS tracking to AI-powered performance optimization, immersive fan experiences, and intelligent operations, revealing how artificial intelligence is becoming the next major disruption in the sports industry.

What's included

6 videos3 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 35 minutes

The Data Revolution That Changed Sports Forever6 minutes
From Data to Technology - The GPS and Wearables Revolution6 minutes
The Digital Revolution in Sports Entertainment5 minutes
Personalization and the Connected Fan Experience6 minutes
AI Transforms Athletic Performance and Safety6 minutes
AI-Powered Content Creation and Fan Engagement6 minutes

3 readingsTotal 90 minutes

complimentary ressources on Technology on the Pitch – From Moneyball to GPS & Tracking30 minutes
complimentary ressources on Technology off the Pitch – Fan Engagement & Business Transformation30 minutes
complimentary ressources on The AI Revolution in Sports – From Performance to Fan Experience30 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

Third change - The underpinning element for a shaken industry: technology (and so new consumption habits) transforming sports today30 minutes
Third change - The underpinning element for a shaken industry: technology (and so new consumption habits) transforming sports today30 minutes
Third change - The underpinning element for a shaken industry: technology (and so new consumption habits) transforming sports today30 minutes