Fans are increasingly demanding a personalized experience from sports organizations that may be more like the services offered by Amazon and Netflix. They may even be willing to seek out a new team if their wishes aren’t met.
Not every sports organization has begun to heed this warning, though many are paying attention. San Francisco 49ers President Al Guido, for example, has called his football franchise a media and entertainment company. And some of the most valuable leagues and teams in sports—the Dallas Cowboys, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and FC Barcelona—now all market products to a global audience, reaching new fans who might not ever make it to a live game with innovative alternatives.