More than four in five (81%) operators in Asia-Pacific plan to deliver 5G services to major live sports and esports event organizers, according to research conducted by Ovum for Amdocs.
The research found that operators in the region view sports events such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as an opportunity to create new enterprise services grounded in 5G communications.
As well as 5G, 81% of APAC operators plan on offering IoT-related technology and services to stadium owners and tournament organizers to create efficiencies in stadium management, and 56% plan to offer services that will improve fan experiences, such as introducing the ability to order food and beverages over mobile devices.
Operators anticipate new commercial opportunities from supporting major sporting events with 5G. Around 44% of operators in the region believe 5G will drive growth in terms of ARPU and 32% believe it will boost their enterprise business.
Meanwhile 50% of Asia-Pacific operators believe that 5G will drive growth in sports TV subscribers, and 43% believe it will drive mainstream adoption of virtual reality services.
To capitalize on these opportunities, 81% of operators plan on creating new partnerships with broadcasters and OTT service providers.
The same proportion are planning to create new partnerships with device manufacturers, 64% are seeking direct partnerships with sports venues, and 56% want partnerships with social media and video game companies.
But operators are also anticipating network related challenges regarding new 5G services for sports and esports. When asked about the biggest expected challenges, 69% cited issues with delivering the required levels of capacity and connectivity to support live HD video, and 56% cited indoor coverage to stadiums.
“Operators see both short-term benefits in supporting sports with 5G, including growth in ARPU and their media business line, as well as longer-term benefits, such as enhanced brand appeal among younger demographics,” Amdocs CMO Gary Miles said.
“Furthermore, working with new types of partners on 5G and sports will give operators a vital role in a new digital business ecosystem. Out of a multitude of potential 5G use cases, our research shows that sports and esports is certainly among the most compelling.”
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