【 Sports × Solutions 】Big Business Opportunities Brought by Expanding the Value of Sports

The SPOLUTION team, a solutions unit, is attempting to create new business opportunities by viewing sports content not just as media space but also as a solution. Team members will introduce future sports-related business opportunities from their respective perspectives in a relay column format.

Hello everyone. I'm Noritaka Obuse from the SPOLUTION team.

For this first installment, I'd like to discuss "Why Sports, Now?"

The Sochi Olympics have just concluded. When we talk about the sports business, since the 1980s Los Angeles Olympics—often called the "commercial Olympics"—the business of trading sports content as "media properties" has rapidly developed and is now a highly mature industry.

Amidst this, I actually had a conversation with a prominent business leader last year where this topic came up:

"People haven't realized it yet, but sports will definitely make a comeback. Companies should invest as soon as possible."

Why sports now, specifically?

Certainly, the excitement surrounding the decision to host the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is a powerful factor.

However, we believe that's not the only reason.

One factor is technological evolution.

Our research data shows that the younger the audience, the more common it is for them to watch using both TV and smartphones – a dual-screen viewing experience that's becoming the norm. Furthermore, sports are actually a treasure trove of big data. Supported by improvements in tracking technology, it's easy to imagine huge opportunities emerging for new viewing experiences that leverage this big data.

(Our team is researching this under the term "augmented viewing.")

Then there's the emergence of wearable devices, like Nike's FuelBand and Google Glass.

Many prototypes were exhibited at this year's CES (Consumer Electronics Show), and this physical technology market represents a previously unexplored frontier. As wearable devices, closely tied to human movement, advance, new businesses and solutions leveraging sports logs (behavioral data) will be sought after, presenting enormous business opportunities.

Next is lifestyle.

A Chinese acquaintance mentioned that the habit of running hasn't really taken root in China yet, suggesting it might be a habit of more mature countries.

In Japan, however, lifestyles centered around physical activity are beginning to take root as eco-friendly and stylish choices. Recent trends include the popularity of running around the Imperial Palace and the growing acceptance of bicycle commuting.

As societies mature, people increasingly seek inner beauty that radiates from within, not just external makeup. This trend, coupled with organic eating habits, should further embed active lifestyles into society.

Our data indicates that the generations who have become more active in recent years are women in their late 20s to early 30s and men in their 40s and 50s. We've named these two target groups: "Sports-Fulfilled Women," who use sports to project a "real-life fulfilled" image, and "Second Self-Searchers," who seek joyful third places.

Both groups are highly influential socially and growing in numbers, making them extremely promising target demographics for marketing.

And it's global.

Sports content, like idols or musicians, is inherently less susceptible to trends, making it a low-investment-risk asset from a business perspective.

At the same time, the emotion evoked by sports is universal, making it a non-verbal global language.

Therefore, it is undoubtedly an attractive investment content for companies aiming for global expansion.

Furthermore, as Japan continues to lead the world in aging, demand for active, healthy lifestyles—the desire to stay youthful and fit—will only increase. Moreover, initiatives in this area hold the potential to become something Japan can export globally in the future.

In this context, sports sponsorship as a means to gain competitiveness in that market should hold significant value going forward.

Conversely, the power of sports is also gaining attention at the local level, the opposite of global.

Many regional areas actually have underutilized sports facilities, and from the perspective of city dwellers, they offer attractive elements like fresh air, water, and abundant local ingredients.

Sports tourism and sports-based town revitalization, which have recognized this potential, are now emerging as major trends, creating new business opportunities.

Furthermore, in the field of education, sports kindergartens emphasizing physical activity over rote learning are booming, while triathlons are gaining popularity among the affluent and executives. Many sports-related phenomena are gaining momentum.

Perhaps underlying all this is the shift from

• Developing countries → Physical labor (blue-collar focus)
• Developing countries → Moving the body (primarily blue-collar)
• Mature countries → Moving the body to move the mind (rise of the creative class)

This could be a major regressive trend in society.

In any case, amidst these major societal shifts, it is undeniable that sports are now entering a new phase.

【Sports × Technology】

【Sports × Women in Their 30s】

【Sports × Big Data】

【Sports × Aging Society】

【Sports × Education】

【Sports × Global】

【Sports × Local】

【Sports × Beauty】…

And so on. By expanding the value inherent in sports and combining it with peripheral markets, significant business opportunities are emerging.

That's precisely why we at the "Sporolution" team aim to help seize these business opportunities. As an advertising agency with established relationships across diverse stakeholders, we can provide solutions uniquely suited to this purpose.
In future posts, we'll delve deeper into each theme with more concrete examples.

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★What is the "Sporolution" Team?
We are an internal unit within Dentsu Inc. that approaches sports content not merely as "media assets," but as "solutions" to address business challenges and project objectives.
Our team brings together diverse talents including strategic planners, promotion planners, copywriters, art directors, technologists, consultants, and producers, all with extensive experience in sports planning. Through our Solution Director system, we provide not just "ideas for expression," but also "ideas for solutions" in a one-stop service.