In today’s digital age, adapting to the habits of younger generations is crucial for brands to remain relevant. Sports leagues and clubs are no exception, and in order to engage with younger fans, they need to consider how they can deliver their content in a way that resonates with Gen Z. One of the key areas to focus on is streaming, and using professional streaming platforms can be a game-changer for sports clubs.

Understanding Gen Z’s streaming habits

Gen Z has grown up in a world of omnipresent technology and the internet. As a result, their viewing habits are different from previous generations, particularly when it comes to sports. Gen Z sports fans are more likely to consume sports content through digital channels, and they prioritize mobile streaming over traditional TV broadcasts.

Recent studies show that more than half (65%) of younger sports fans prefer watching sports on their smartphones. This is a significant shift from older generations, who still primarily watch sports on TV or in real life. For sports leagues and clubs, this means that they need to adapt to the preferences of Gen Z if they want to engage with this demographic.

5 benefits of professional streaming platforms for sports leagues and clubs

Using professional streaming platforms like Jet-Stream can help you stay relevant and better serve your younger fanbase. Some of the benefits include:

1. Improved quality and reliability of streams

With 29 years of experience in streaming and working with the most demanding sports clubs and leagues, we know what your viewers expect from the game broadcast. That’s why our platform is designed specifically for high-quality streaming, with minimal lag or buffering. We support up to 60fps 8K streaming, 360° virtual reality streaming, surround sound, multi-language streaming and more. Thus, ensuring that your viewers get the best possible experience regardless of their connection or device.

2. Accessibility

Attract Gen Z viewers by providing mobile-friendly streaming options as this demographic prefers watching content on their smartphones. By utilizing a professional streaming platform like Jet-Stream, any contemporary device, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, and smart TVs, can be transformed into a virtual grandstand.

3. Customization options

Our advanced streaming technologies enable you to create personalized and interactive experiences for Gen Z viewers. Dynamic overlays, call-to-actions, and opportunities for ticket purchases, subscriptions, paid services, and merchandise are all possible. Customize our HTML5 player with your brand or sponsor’s logo for an immersive video experience. Create custom controls, choose branded colours, and even customize the play button.

4. Commitment to the environment

It is a well-known fact that Gen Z is deeply committed to protecting the environment. And while most of the streaming platforms are planning to become sustainable, Jet-Stream services are already running on green energy. Thus, by choosing Jet-Stream, you can demonstrate your commitment to environmental sustainability and become closer to Gen Z viewers.

 5. Monetization & Sponsorship

Collaborating with brands that appeal to younger generations not only generates revenue but also boosts engagement with younger audiences. To make the deal more advantageous for sponsors, you can customize the player to showcase their videos, logo overlays, and interactive banners with calls to action, using our Privacy Player Pro. A subscription-based model for exclusive content and live events can offer a dependable source of income and provide unique experiences for dedicated fans. To attract Gen Z, create short previews of exclusive content on social media to encourage them to visit your website and become members. Finally, consider an eLearning platform where existing sports heroes and trainers connect with the younger athletes, offering training videos for a fee.

We can assist you in achieving all these goals. Examples of successful sports clubs that have chosen to work with Jet-Stream include Ajax, which uses our platform to stream live events and host their entire VOD library on the Jet-Stream Cloud. More information about that use case you can find here.

Challenges and considerations for implementing professional streaming platforms

While professional streaming platforms offer numerous benefits, there are also some challenges such as cost and technical expertise, which may be a barrier for smaller organizations. However, with Jet-Stream you don’t have to worry about that. Our platform offers an easier-to-use alternative to other streaming platforms, while still providing advanced customization options. You can start small with a tight budget and gradually expand your reach and capabilities alongside your audience, without requiring expensive IT staff or migrations. Moreover, you can reduce your total costs of ownership by up to 40%, while still guaranteeing global scale, uptime, and performance.

Although targeting Gen Z can be challenging, there are viable solutions that can help address this challenge. And one of these solutions is streaming, as younger fans tend to prefer mobile streaming over traditional TV broadcasts. By utilizing professional streaming platforms such as Jet-Stream, sports leagues and clubs can enhance the quality and reliability of their streams and offer interactive content, thus improving their engagement with Gen Z and catering to their preferences.

If you are looking to take your club’s online video services to the next level, we would be more than happy to assist you. Our experienced team will think along with sports marketing, branding, sponsorship, strategy and business. With our expertise, we’ll work with you to create a strategy that aligns with your goals and stands out in a crowded digital landscape. So if you’re ready to take your online presence to the next level, let’s schedule a meeting to discuss how we can assist you.

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