How food, travel and tech sites are encashing big sporting events

In a world where hearts beat with every ball bowled, where the adrenaline rush is at its highest on every boundary hit, where you hear roars of excitement at every goal scored, where each serve is celebrated with outbursts of joy, where sports run in the blood of people, the fact that brands win big during the sports season, as online traffic spike across multiple sites during major sports event, is no big surprise. Almost all categories try to reap the benefits of this season but food, travel and tech are the three ones which play the game really well. According to various sources, traffic on cooking and recipe sites more than doubled (up 105%) during this year’s Champions League Final, compared to the two weeks before the tournament went into full swing. The first few days of the 2018 French Open saw an increase in traffic for technology and computer sites by as much as 113% and 158% respectively. The Silverstone’s British Grand Prix inevitably drove motor heads online; traffic on travel-related sites rose 36% during May’s Monaco Grand Prix.

However, the question that arises is why do such increases happen when major sports events take place.

The impact of technology on sports is vast. The rise of on-demand entertainment has revolutionised the entertainment industry. There is a growing, global, content-hungry audience that will consistently carve out a few hours for a big game. Because of this advertisers and media companies have been forced to adjust to modern viewing habits, whereby audiences watch what they want, when they want, where they want. Streaming packages for sports clubs at every level of competition are allowing fans to stay connected to their beloved teams more than ever before. Media companies and leagues are increasing their streaming options to make their content accessible on more devices, and teams are leveraging their own content channels to satiate fans who can never get enough.

Social media is creating opportunities that never would have been considered possible and are providing platforms for fans and athletes to connect. This connection raises fan enthusiasm and contribution to the sporting events.

Not only does this offer today’s sports fans a world of options and convenience, it also creates a huge opportunity for brands to build deeper relationships with even more supporters. Fans are treated to incredible picture quality, whether they are in front of a mammoth screen or a mobile device. Fantasy sports are another new digital innovation for the sporting world. In addition, social media is creating opportunities that never would have been considered possible and are providing platforms for fans and athletes to connect. This connection raises fan enthusiasm and contribution to the sporting events.

Imagine for a second, no Coke and a pizza slice to munch on as you make yourself comfortable on the sofa set to watch your favourite match; would you miss even a ball to grab something to eat? Thus, food sites come to the rescue. According to research, people eat more when in front of the TV or their mobiles watching a favourite show or favourite sport. The option of online ordering and home delivery makes watching the game that much more exhilarating.

Experiencing 80,000 soccer enthusiasts supporting their team… what an experience that would be! Although we do watch our favourite sport in real time, living the experience is simply out of this world. There are millions and millions of fans who travel across the globe to live the moment thus giving travel sites an opportunity to make their dreams come true. Once more the technology saves the day. People will not stop playing and people will not stop watching their favourite teams and players in action, thus, sport events will continue throughout the year. Major sporting events can have a knock-on effect on a number of different categories. With the season of sports dominating our screens, if brands use the opportunity offered by the huge inflated audiences created by these occasions online, this can be a game changer for them.

Sumaira Mirza is Creative Director, Spectrum Y&R Pakistan. sumaira@spectrumyr.com