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All Things Insights

All Things Insights Blog

Live Sports Insights

Seth Adler w/Mitch Rosen | 4 April 2023

The Takeaway ➔

Seth Adler w/Mitch Rosen

Programming across the board is looking to develop content that appeals to an audience that engages increasingly with user-generated content (UGC) and relevant online communities. Innovation in live sports programming is an interesting space to watch, as engagement in the “real world” has been a part of how fans enjoy it for decades – from Fantasy Football to traveling to watch sporting events.

Even fair-weather fans who don’t have cable will gather at a bar to watch the game with their community. During the height of the pandemic, live streaming brought sports into more households. The BetQL network, however, has found yet another way to capture the engagement of the audience.

Since the legalization of sports gambling (currently in 22 states), BetQL has revolutionized the way fans enjoy their sport of choice. Predictions and forecasts can be found on any sports network, but BetQL offers so much more – as Rosen puts it, the fans want “more insight.” Fans don’t want to be told how to bet, they want access to the same information that sports forecasters have. They are interested in making their own assessments based on the data, and that’s what BetQL provides. They call it “Wager-tainment” – as Rosen puts it, “We’re going to help you, we’re going to entertain you.”

BetQL’s success relies on a fanbase that enjoys watching the odds and responding in real-time, but that’s not the only thing that drives engagement. Like other networks that are currently experiencing success, they are capitalizing on the modern consumer’s desire for connection. The way the stats are presented matters to the audience - as Rosen puts it, fans want “a relationship with on-air hosts… they build trust.” Just as we see with UGC, consumers are interested in the content AND the creator. This is just one great example of how a thriving form of entertainment can take the changing landscape of media and use it as an opportunity to innovate to great success.