Disney enters the online streaming wars: can it thrive in an ever saturated marketplace?

The prevalence of subscription-based content in today’s media landscape has been flared up with renewed intensity this year. The US media marketplace has recently overseen the emergence of several new online entertainment services which are seeking to dislodge the more established players, Netflix and Amazon Prime. With the upheaval currently taking place in the market, …

How will defeat to Ruiz impact upon Anthony Joshua’s commercial value?

Anthony Joshua began his long-awaited foray on US soil last month at the fabled Madison Square Garden arena versus a relatively unknown quantity in Andy Ruiz Jr, in a fight that was seen by many as a formality. However, as if so often the case in sport, fortune favours the brave and Ruiz refused to …

Will TV coverage result in the end of live sports?

There was an interesting moment last week when Liverpool's chairman Peter Moore grappled with a particular question as he addressed a business audience in Merseyside. "How do we re-engage young men who have retreated to the bedroom?" he pondered and proceeded to highlight that kids in today's age prefer to play Fifa and watch games …

China’s quest for commercial supremacy is being played out at the World Cup

The 2018 World Cup so far has been rich in sporting upsets, with the demise of pre-tournament favourites Germany and Spain having been expertly sealed by minnows South Korea and hosts Russia. Beyond these tales of grand ignominy and unforeseen triumph, the tournament has also been made distinctive by a surging interest by fans and …

Amazon enters the Premier League arena

This week, Amazon made its move into Premier League broadcasting official, becoming the first digital streaming-only platform to enter the market. It will join linear TV regulars Sky and BT in screening 3 seasons, commencing from the 2019/20 campaign through its Prime Video subscription service, which also boasts the rights to show men’s tennis world …

Are we seeing the emergence of a new advertising model?

The dismissal in March of a once omnipotent Sir Martin Sorrell felt like a truly symbolic moment. In the lead up to his departure, WPP had failed to meet revenue estimates in the last three quarters of 2017 and questions over the effectiveness and sustainability of his methods were mounting. “The company feels like it’s …

Is there a place for Virtual Reality in sport?

The propulsion of new technologies has reshaped the nature of practically every sector of global industry. To see evidence of this, you needn’t look further than the great technological disruptors of our society, who have worked to empower consumers by facilitating seamless and reliable services. Amazon turned retail on its head by offering a delivery …

Why does Shahid Khan have his heart set on Wembley Stadium and would it be wise from The FA to cash in?

By the time the auto parts tycoon Shahid Khan made his foray into British sports official, purchasing Fulham Football Club from Harrods’ boss Mohamed al Fayed, he had already established a compelling legacy. He arrived in the Unites States in the 1960s as nothing more than an ordinary member of Pakistan’s emerging middle class, having …

Bridging the gap between online and offline

In the visual world of today, the success of a campaign can increasingly be measured against a brand’s capacity to create a meaningful and long lasting experience. That being so, bespoke campaigns have been springing up at a fast pace on the UK high streets and which are taking a myriad of forms, from immersive …

Russia 2018: A World Cup overshadowed by assassinations, scandal and politics.

The World Cup, ahead of the Olympic Games, is set to be the largest global sporting event to take place this year. During the 2014 edition, recorded levels of TV viewers surpassed expectations of broadcasters, with a total of 3.2 billion viewers amassed in Brazil, while an audience of over one billion saw Germany overcome …