The landscape of sports entertainment is undergoing a profound shift, diverging sharply from the existential crisis facing Hollywood cinemas. While the film industry grapples with the implications of streaming giants like Netflix acquiring major studios, the world of live sport is witnessing a surge in stadium attendance alongside a digital revolution in how fans consume content.
The Rise of Immersive and Personalised Viewing
For years, streaming services have changed how we watch films and sports. However, unlike traditional cinemas, live sports venues continue to draw crowds. Even the struggling Colorado Rockies baseball team sold 2.4 million tickets in 2025, despite a poor performance record. The parallel between film audiences and sports fans lies in their growing appetite for customised, on-demand experiences.
A significant 2023 Deloitte survey of 3,000 US sports fans revealed that younger generations crave greater control over everything from content to how it is delivered. This demand is now materialising in various forms, from high-tech communal spaces to personal devices.
Venues like the year-old Cosm Los Angeles offer a 'shared reality' experience, projecting televised sports onto a vast 90-foot LED dome while providing full hospitality. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies promise deeply personal, immersive viewing from home or anywhere with an internet connection.
Virtual Reality: A Courtside Seat at Home?
The journey for VR in sports has been gradual. Meta (formerly Facebook) launched the Oculus Rift CV1 in 2016, but it wasn't until 2020 that the NBA became a true league partner. Basketball fans had to wait until 2023 to experience live games in VR.
Today, fans can buy Oculus headsets priced between $250 and $649 for a 180-degree courtside view of 52 NBA games via the Xtadium app. Separately, the Los Angeles Lakers partnered with Apple and Spectrum SportsNet to stream select games on the premium $3,499 Apple Vision Pro headset. These platforms often include social features, allowing fans to interact via avatars, and integrated gambling applications.
Yet adoption remains niche. The 2023 Deloitte survey indicated only 5 percent of fans currently use VR for sports viewing. Critics like digital engagement advisor Matt Stagg argue that the isolating nature of headsets contradicts the communal essence of sport. "You want to be able to interact with other people. You can't do that if you're sitting there with an Oculus on," Stagg told The Athletic.
Augmented Reality: The Pocket-Sized Big Screen
Augmented Reality glasses may present a more accessible and social alternative. Cheaper and less cumbersome than full VR headsets, AR glasses resemble a regular pair of sunglasses. They plug directly into a phone or computer, requiring no separate charge, and project a large, virtual screen in the user's field of vision.
Models like the XREAL One Pro, priced around $650 with similar versions from $299, effectively give users a portable, life-sized television. This allows for comfortable viewing in unconventional settings without cutting the user off from their physical environment. Features like custom prescription lens inserts and attachable fisheye cameras for recording video enhance their practicality.
"That's why the smart glasses are better — they keep that community vibe," Stagg explained. "They will eventually take off. They'll be like AirPods... They augment your experience, not replace it."
Changing Fan Behaviour and the AI Future
The evolution of sports viewership isn't solely about hardware. Fan behaviour itself is changing. A report by Axios in September highlighted a notable trend: roughly 13.3 percent of ticket sales in 2025 were for single attendees, a 3 percent rise from 2022. This shift towards solo attendance may be driven by rising ticket costs and the allure of premium, personalised experiences.
Stadiums are responding by offering more customised engagements. This includes digital signage showing queue times and location-based offers sent to fans' phones when they near a club shop.
Artificial Intelligence is also poised to play a larger role. An IBM study from August 2025 found over half of fans desire AI-driven commentary and insights for events, both at home and in the stadium.
The central theme unifying VR, AR, solo attendance, and AI is clear: the modern sports fan values choice and personalisation. The future of sports entertainment lies not in replacing the roaring crowd, but in providing the tools for every fan to craft their own perfect viewing experience.
