The stadium, the poor relation of tech in sport

This statement may seem counter-intuitive. As France prepares to host the Rugby World Cup in September 2023, before the Olympic Games in the summer of 2024, the ticket office for the two events is full. But for how much longer? A new study published on Tuesday by the Capgemini group shows that the progression of new uses and technologies in the broadcasting of sporting events tends to keep more and more fans away from stadiums. Nearly 7 in 10 fans already prefer to watch the sport outside stadiums, a higher proportion even among young people, according to a survey carried out by the company.

In some cases, the impact is already being felt. Between 2019 and 2022, attendance at US Major League Baseball stadiums fell by 5.7%. In England, the first division of the rugby championship saw its average attendance drop from 12,636 to 11,632 spectators (about 1,000 fewer people) between 2018 and 2022. Of course…

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