During the spring of 2020 FMG has been examining the possible long-term impact that the Corona crisis will have on different industries. One of the industries we believe will see the greatest changes is the sports industry, and especially at the elite levels.  

Based on research and interviews with several well-known faces in the sports industry, FMG has created a report on how the corona crisis has affected the sports industry, what the biggest changes have been and what the future might look like. 

Our main findings were that: 

1. The effects of the covid-19 crisis vary significantly depending on the kind of sport and the level, where team sports like soccer have been hit hard while individual sports where you usually keep a distance, such as tennis, could even see some positive effects 

    

2. Elite level soccer has been severely affected by cancelled games and a loss of revenue from ticket sales and audiences, while youth activities have been able to continue as usual and, in some cases, have seen a positive development with increased participation in activities such as soccer summer camps 

    

3. Elite soccer is largely dependent on the atmosphere and community created by supporters, which is why none of the clubs believe that the games played for empty arenas we see now will be a sustainable option in the long term 

    

4. We have seen some attempts at digitalising sports events, such as digital marathons and horse-riding competitions. Covid-19 is accelerating the digitalisation of the sports industry, both within the organisations and in the communication with supporters and partners. However, most of our respondents said there is much more to be done. 

    

5. The elite clubs have seen an increase in support from their fans, who have financially supported their clubs way above expectations. However, the clubs are realising that in the case of a long-term audience ban from arenas, they cannot rely on the support of the fans and need to find new revenue streams 

    

6. No matter what the restrictions might look like in the future, our respondents conclude that covid-19 will have a large impact on what the industry will look like in the future, for example in terms of the diversification of risk and revenue streams, as well as more caution while budgeting. 

 

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