Five for 2025: Tinkerlist’s key sports broadcasting trends for the year ahead
By Simon Meers, CMO at Tinkerlist.
In 2025 sports broadcasting will be defined by personalisation, efficiency, accessibility, and sustainability. Technologies such as AI, cloud-based workflows and remote production are not just reshaping how content is delivered; they’re setting the stage for a more engaging and inclusive viewing experience.
It will be crucial for broadcasters to embrace these innovations if they want to lead the way, meet the demands of modern audiences and open up new business opportunities. As the industry continues to evolve, one thing remains clear: the fan experience will always be at the heart of sports broadcasting’s transformation. In this article, we explore the key trends for 2025 in sports broadcasting and where the industry is headed.
- Hyper-personalised viewer experiences
With more content available than ever, consumer demands also grow. Traditional broadcasters now compete with on-demand platforms, which offer their audiences personalised content. The challenge for the broadcaster is to do the same, and quickly. To keep fans engaged, broadcasters can find new ways to tell unique stories. New initiatives, like a fan-focused track league created by Olympic legend Michael Johnson, are quickly emerging to address the issues of inconsistent TV coverage and fans missing out on key sports events. Unlike traditional formats, this league aims to provide better engagement to the fandom through a TV-friendly product that Runner’s World says promotes “the sport’s biggest stars and draw new audiences through unique storytelling”.
Broadcasters might also divert to using highly advanced tech to deliver top-quality content to fans. For example, Red Bull and the Dutch Drone Gods UAV racing team have revolutionised the way we view Formula 1, capturing Max Verstappen’s full-speed lap around the Silverstone Circuit with an advanced FPV drone. Such immersive footage could significantly enhance the fan experience, providing a closer and more thrilling view of the racing action.
Industry leaders also highlight AI’s role in driving the hyper-personalisation of content. By analysing user behaviour and preferences, AI can recommend content tailored to individual tastes, enhancing viewer engagement and satisfaction. Broadcasters are now leveraging AI to predict what audiences want before they know it themselves, offering everything from suggested TV shows to personalised news bulletins and adapted viewing experiences based on individual preferences, i.e. camera angles, in-depth stats, real-time replays, etc.
- Effective content creation with AI
From editing highlights to player performance breakdowns, AI can soon prove to be an irreplaceable assistant in the gallery. This shift in production is an important step for the industry because adapting to the changing technological environment is essential to keeping viewers satisfied.
AI offers a wealth of opportunities for broadcasters to enhance their services and stay competitive. Despite initial concerns that AI may disrupt traditional workflows, the potential benefits far outweigh the challenges. AI is now seen as a tool to drive operational efficiency, automate content creation, and offer more tailored user experiences. Some experts point out that AI “should be viewed as an enabler of creativity, not a replacement for human ingenuity” [ATxEnterprise, 2024].
Rather, it assists broadcasters in managing labour-intensive and repetitive tasks. AI-powered technologies allow broadcasters to automate studios and produce content with more precision and speed. In turn, that also helps production teams to cut down on costs. This is a great opportunity for small-scale broadcasters to do more with less, while still producing professional-grade content.
- Remote integration model (REMI)
Since 2020, remote live productions through IP networks and the cloud have grown exponentially. REMI has since become a major focus for many broadcasters, allowing them to centralise production while covering on-site events and cutting costs associated with transporting the equipment and personnel.
In 2024, for example, at major events like the Paris Olympics, broadcasters such as NBC already leveraged REMI workflows to optimise their resources. By splitting teams across locations (eg, Paris and Stamford, CT), they minimised logistical costs and complexities. That meant coverage of more sports with fewer staff compared to previous years.
This approach to live sports coverage continues to grow hand in hand with the sustainability efforts within the industry. REMI is especially beneficial for big international events and multi-location tournaments, where travel costs often result in inflated budgets and a huge carbon footprint. This trend will continue to evolve with more broadcasters diverting to remote workflows that can offer more flexibility in numerous regards.
- Sustainability through cloud-based solutions
The environmental impact of the media industry has long been a hot topic of discussion. Since 2022, the overall media production (TV and film) industry’s carbon footprint increased to 16.6t CO2 per hour. This means, on average, an hour of screened content produces 16.6t CO2 — an increase of 30% since 2022. According to the BAFTA albert Annual Review, this is equivalent to driving around the world twice in the average diesel car [BAFTA albert, 2023]. What is even more striking, is that 51% of all emissions originate from travel and transport.
The numbers are truly shocking. The sports production industry is, no doubt, a huge contributor to those numbers. However, where there is impact, there is also change. Cloud-based solutions are gaining popularity among sports broadcasters as they allow them to reduce the number of staff and the amount of technical equipment needed on site. Cloud-based workflows allow for the allocation of resources in a more sustainable way, reducing the impact on the planet. Cloud technologies can be the new answer to smaller broadcasting houses that want to scale up their production with fewer resources and more sustainable solutions.
Sure, the cloud is not a perfect solution. However, it is a step towards a greener production. Cloud-based workflows can reduce the need for physical infrastructure and travel, enable flexibility and reliability of working remotely with less commuting and lower individual carbon footprints.
- Expanding multi-channel streaming options
With rising demand for flexibility, viewers demand the ability to watch broadcasts on different devices. Broadcasters have been increasingly prioritising multi-channel experiences, expanding streaming options for their audiences. For many sports, big and niche, fans can now watch their favourite matches and games from their smartphones, smart TVs, and other devices. Publishers will prioritise content discovery with ideas borrowed from social media’s playbook.
The focus on multi-channel streaming options also translates into new interactive features the platforms offer, such as live polls and social media integration, enhancing engagement.
2024 was a year of rapid transformation for the sports broadcasting industry. The growing demand for more personalised content and immersive viewing experiences coincided with ever-present concerns about cutting costs and making the industry more sustainable. Emerging technologies like AI, cloud-based tools, hyper-personalised content and sustainable solutions seem to be the new answers that equip broadcasters with the right tools to deal with industry challenges head-on.