By Hannah Thompson

The metaverse is the marketing industry’s current favorite repository of dreams, as brands and their agencies alike continue to hope that it will bring transformative possibilities in every sector. For The Drum’s Sports Marketing Deep Dive, Hannah Thompson, group media director at agency Tug, tells us that sport is no different: hopes of major transformation are real, and supported by genuinely exciting developments. But smart brands will proceed gradually.

Settling down in your living room to watch football on a virtual TV screen is the very definition of ‘meta.’ It’s also increasingly looking like the future of sports viewing. Metaverse buzz is going beyond hype, with sports activations driving predictions of lucrative possibilities ahead for broadcasters, streaming platforms and brands.

Digitized events such as the Roblox Lil Nas X concert have sparked enthusiasm that’s blazing across sports teams and clubs globally. This year alone, we’ve seen the Atlanta Braves recruit Epic Games to virtually recreate the Truist Park stadium; Manchester City unveil similar plans for the Etihad football grounds; and AC Milan test out immersive broadcasting. Combined with the already-escalating popularity of esports, the potential for greater engagement across online fan bases is rising fast. But how should brands be tapping into it?

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Continue reading here: As Sports Enter The Metaverse, Could Brands Win Big?