Technological advancements in the last 10-15 years have revolutionized the world of sports by improving injury prevention, making competitions safer, maximizing performances, and so much more. However, forward-developments in the tech realm haven’t just changed how athletes train for and compete; they have also transformed how fan bases experience them almost entirely.

As a digital communications and media studies student at the University of Ontario, Daniel Faroni has taken a special interest in these shifts. As little as 20 years ago, sports fandoms were limited almost entirely to engaging with teams passively through traditional platforms like television and radio. Now, new tech developments have opened the doors for enthusiasts to engage with athletes and the teams they play for in interesting and innovative ways. In relation to the fan experience, here’s how those developments have impacted the realm.

New angles on sports coverage

Before around 2012 or 2015, fans had two choices: engage with their favorite teams by occupying stadium seats during games or engage with them passively through television or radio broadcasts. Naturally, these routes had extreme limitations when it came to vantage points. Only two viewpoints were offered: your own, or those of network broadcasters.

According to Daniel Faroni, that changed with the introduction of smartphones and the increased popularity of social media sharing platforms which soon followed in the mid-2010s. Using their sharing tools, anyone could be a commentator; any individual with Snapchat or Instagram downloaded on their phone could be a broadcaster, providing their very own angle and insight to the masses.

As a result, fans are no longer limited to content or coverage presented by large broadcasting companies and network sports reporters. Today’s coverage goes far beyond basic, uniform commentary. Instead, coaches, players, insiders, and even other fans are continually providing new angles to the game, adding depth and complexity to the experience. Video highlights appearing on networks like Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, and Facebook, for example, add valuable new facets to the coverage of any sport.

More skin in the game

Gambling is nothing new, though online platforms have made it more popular than ever before. When the NFL announced it would allow in-game wagers online through sanctioned mobile betting apps, it also became more accessible than it previously has been. The result? A new generation of sports gamblers—something which many suspect has increased fan involvement and loyalty.

For Daniel Faroni, this supposed shift comes as common sense: fans who have bets placed on a particular game feel an increased kinship with the team they’ve chosen to support. They also feel more is at stake when it comes to wins and losses. In other words, fans root more whole-heartily when they feel they have a little bit of skin in the game themselves. When your own money is resting on the outcome of a team or athlete’s performance, you’re also much more likely to pay attention and follow closely.

Online fantasy sports have created a similar outcome by allowing fans to imaginatively engage with the sport in a way that makes them feel they are something of a team member rather than merely a viewer. In other words, it allows enthusiasts the sensation of leaving the stadium seats and (in a small way) stepping onto the field themselves. This doesn’t just add a layer of interest, it also adds relevance to a team’s performance.

Increased interest in analytics

Interestingly, this overall increase in the popularity of in-game wagers, as well as fantasy leagues, has had a noticeable impact on what elements of the sports fans find most interesting. Previous to these innovations, enthusiasts mostly followed teams on a purely observational basis—the interest was largely surface level. Now more than ever; however, viewers are engaged with gameplay in a deeper, more technical sense. Fans don’t just want to watch the action; they also want to be kept in the loop in regard to the data behind the game and its in-depth analysis.

Sports coverage, in response, has adapted to meet these demands. Now, teams lean into the increased desire for game data by providing live statistics, leaderboards, and engaging infographics into the coverage experience—something Daniel Faroni believes will only become more consistent in the coming years.