Mobile sports viewership dominated by Asia

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The rapid circulation of smartphone usage in Asia, parallel to the rollout of 5G networks, has resulted in a massive upsurge of sport consumption via the use of mobile phones.

The rapid circulation of smartphone usage in Asia, parallel to the rollout of 5G networks, has resulted in a massive upsurge of sport consumption via the use of mobile phones.

In this age of continual digital advancement, it has been uncovered that 19% of fans globally use mobile applications to watch sport across the world.

The news comes from a recently published report from research and data analytics firm YouGov who discovered that consumers in Asia are increasingly utilising mobile apps in order to follow and watch sport.

Vietnamese consumption of mobile sports has proven especially popular, with nearly half (48%) of the country’s sporting legion watching their sports on mobile devices, with the only minor variation occurring among age groups.

It was found also that India has a significant share of fans (44%) who watch sport via the use of mobile apps. The report cited India’s low data rates and the large number of domestic service providers as the major contributing factors in the increase of mobile streaming use in the country.

Viewership in Thailand (33%), South Korea (28%) and the Philippines (28%) was also higher than the global average of 19% of sports fans who conduct their viewing via mobile apps.

Taiwan and Japan are the notable Asian outliers in the report, as both countries recorded some of the lowest rates globally at 7% and 6% respectively.

Comparatively, the research revealed that mobile sports consumption in the United States and in Europe is low. The United Kingdom reported figures of just 12% of consumers using mobile apps to watch sport, whilst Spain had the highest rate of usage in Europe with 18% and the United States were reported to have had just 13%.

Undoubtedly, the next generation of mobile devices will see further migration towards mobile sports consumption (particularly with high-speed, low latency 5G made available across the world) as the value-for-money will be an enticing proposition for sports fans, with access to replays, custom camera angles and virtual reality just some of the opportunities presented going forward.

The new era of sports consumption will be significant for the sporting landscape, whilst providing telecom companies a lucrative chance to recoup from a heavy investment in the next-gen network.

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FMDB Pro aims to streamline football recruitment through data-driven insights

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Image Credit: FMDB Pro

Football recruitment platform FMDB Pro is positioning itself as a tool to help clubs, federations and recruiters make more informed decisions by bringing greater structure and context to the early informal stages of talent identification.

The platform has been developed by Sports Interactive, the same developers who make the Football Manager game.

Supporting, not replacing, traditional scouting

FMDB Pro is designed to support traditional recruiting departments by narrowing the pool of potential signings before traditional scouting processes commence.

Rather than replacing existing channels and scouts, FMDB Pro is intended to complement existing recruitment workflows by allowing clubs to filter players.

Using hundreds of data points, it will help clubs identify prospects that meet specific technical, physical and regulatory requirement.

Powered by Football Manager’s global database

The platform draws on Football Manager’s extensive global database, covering more than 310,000 players across over 200 nations and thousands of competitions.

Users can search by a wide range of criteria, including playing attributes, positional profiles, contract status, injury history, international eligibility and governing body endorsement requirements.

FMDB Pro Business Development Director Michael Fleming said modern recruitment departments often face the challenge of assessing thousands of players across multiple competitions before deciding where to invest valuable scouting resources.

Introducing FMDB Pro | The Starting Point for Smarter Recruitment
FMDB Pro draws on Football Manager’s extensive global database. Image Credit: FMDB Pro

Streamlining the recruitment process

The platform aims to reduce that workload by providing recruiting teams with a stronger information base on each player.

This enables more specific scouting and reducing the time spent evaluating unsuitable candidates.

In addition to player data, FMDB Pro incorporates benchmarking tools, market valuations and recruitment reports to help clubs compare players across leagues and identify prospects who best fit their recruitment strategy.

According to Sports Interactive, the objective is not to replace human decision-making, but to improve the efficiency of the recruitment process.

By giving clubs better information earlier in the talent identification cycle, the process can be streamlined and make human decision-making easier.

Growing role of technology in football

As clubs continue to embrace analytics and technology across football operations, platforms such as FMDB Pro reflect the growing role of data in modern recruitment, where combining traditional scouting with advanced analysis has become an increasingly important part of identifying and securing talent.

FMDB Pro has already partnered with a number of clubs across Europe, including Newcastle United, AS Monaco and Dinamo Zagreb.

Beyond Old Trafford: How Manchester United’s new stadium could reshape an entire district

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Image Credit: Manchester United

Manchester United’s proposed new 100,000-seat stadium is more than a replacement for Old Trafford.

It’s the centrepiece of one of the most ambitious urban regeneration projects ever planned by a football club.

Unveiled in March by architects Foster + Partners, the concept would see a new stadium built adjacent to Old Trafford, just 350 metres from the existing ground.

Supported by Trafford Council, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation the proposed development aims to transform the area surrounding the stadium into a thriving mixed-use precinct featuring housing, commercial space, public transport improvements and new public amenities.

While the stadium dominated headlines, the broader vision is about much more than just football.

Once complete, the new venue would become the largest club football stadium in the UK, increasing capacity from around 74,000 to 100,000 spectators.

 

More than just a stadium

However, the stadium is only one piece of a much larger plan.

Foster + Partners vision includes new homes, offices, hotels, retail and hospitality spaces, green public areas and improved pedestrian links.

They believe this “mixed-use” destination will attract visitors throughout the year and create a “vibrant destination” for tourists and visitors from across the world.

The proposal also places a strong emphasis on sustainability, with plans for a walkable precinct supported by public transport, rainwater harvesting and renewable energy technologies integrated into the stadium’s distinctive canopy design.

 

A major economic opportunity

The broader regeneration has been positioned as a major economic opportunity for Greater Manchester.

An independent study conducted by Oxford Economics found that the stadium and regeneration project could contribute approximately $15 billion to the UK economy.

In addition, the project would also support around 92,000 jobs while creating more than 17,000 new homes and attracting an additional 1.8 million visitors yearly.

Those figures remain projections rather than guaranteed outcomes, but they have become central to the club’s case for the redevelopment.

 

Connecting United to a Wider European Trend

A key component of the proposal is improving transport connections around Old Trafford

The British Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the project as significant opportunity for the region, with investment in rail, Metrolink and surrounding infrastructure viewed as essential to unlocking the wider regeneration potential.

The plan also includes greater pedestrian accessibility, to integrate the stadium district with surrounding communities.

Manchester United’s proposal reflects a broader trend across Europe football.

Stadium developments are increasingly viewed as catalysts for urban renewal and economic development, rather than standalone sporting venues.

Projects such as Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Everton’s new waterfront home and Real Madrid’s redevelopment of the Bernabeu have demonstrated how modern stadiums can generate revenue through hospitality, entertainment and commercial activity beyond football.

 

Transforming Old Trafford

Despite support for the proposal, significant hurdles remain before construction can begin.

Funding arrangements, planning approvals and major infrastructure upgrades will all need to be finalised before construction can begin.

If delivered, the project would represent one of the largest football-led regeneration projects ever undertaken in the UK.

The project would transform not only where Manchester United plays, but how the wider Old Trafford district lives, works and grows.

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