How sports have changed for better UX
Three key areas have been identified of how sports have changed…
1. Technology
2. Rules (limited to the past 50 years)
3. Fan Experience
Key UX Points:
1/User like to know where they are contextually — in real time
2/ Listen to your users
Soccer
Technology
VAR (video assisted review) for fouls/goals
(new to world cup (2018) penalty v. no penalty, goal v. no goal, penalty kick v. no penalty kick)Turf instead of grass
Rules
Offside — attackers inline with defender — considered onside (1990)
Goalies unable to handle back passes (1992)
Aggressive play in penalty area — red card (1998)
Fan Experience
Debatable — some hoped VAR it would deter diving, while it has done the exact opposite.
For all of the content viewed on televisions — HD and 4K — have only improved the tv viewing experience.
Turf is generally regarded as a faster surface than natural grass.
Basketball
Technology
Video Review
(for 2 or 3 pt shots, clock expiration, shot clocks, out of bounds, foul v no foul)Break away rims & glass backboards
Better hardwood floors with more bounce and less slippery
Rules
Shot clock (1954–55)
3 pt shot (1967 — FIBA) and eventually moving the line to be more inline with FIBA regulations
No dunking (1967–1977 — the Lew Alcindor rule)
Alternating possession arrow (1981)
Restricted area under basket (1997)
Defensive 3 seconds in key(2001)
Fan Experience
More points and excitement
Quicker pace of the game, largely in part due to the shot clock.
More timeouts and automatic ball advancement mean for closer games and buzzer beaters, creating more emotion and excitement.
Fans love to see dunks, great crossovers, blocks, passes and lots of points.
Implementing the defensive 3 seconds in the key actually helped open up the key area for perimeter drives, making for more dunks and open shots.
Football
Technology
Video review
(for good catch or not -crossing the goal line -whether guy is down or not -spot location)Turf
Helmets
Better equipment
Rules
Hash marks moved inline with goal posts(1972)
Goalposts moved back to endline (1974)
Offensive linemen engaged in pass blocking (1978)
2pt conversion (1969)
Elimination of chop blocks (1996)
Fan Experience
Debatable with the video review of the catch/no catch rule. Was difficult to distinguish last year to the frustration of everyone up to and including the Superbowl.
Better helmets is likely a good thing, but just because a player has a good helmet, it does not take away from the fact that he just ran full speed into another man. The impact/energy has to go somewhere.
Equipment improvements are supposed to limit or prevent injury, while in some cases they do the opposite. I would be curious to see how the knee braces for lineman has helped or hindered the overall number of knee injuries.
Baseball
Technology
Video Review
(Instant Replay for HR (fair or foul) Out vs not out on a tag)Camera angles
Overlays on broadcasts, showing pitch location, count and speed
Rules
Protective helmets (1971)
Designated Hitter (1973)
Slides on double plays requiring runners to attempt to reach base (2016)
Fan Experience
Baseball has long been coined “America’s game”, but they have had to make some adjustments to keep and grow their base. The technology from watching at home, to watching in the ball parks, impacts the overall experience. Seeing the massive big screens at the park, to every statistic imaginable — it’s been done to cater to a wider audience.
Overlay graphics while watching on television makes the game more intriguing and always keeps you aware of velocity, distance and impact which gives you an appreciation for the game that you don’t get, while watching on television.
Hockey
Technology
Video Review
(Goal vs no goal -crease infringement-goalie interference)Bigger and better equipment
Boards and glass that actually moves when hit
Rules
5 minute overtime added to regular season games (1983)
Video replays to assist in goal/no goal situations (1991)
Goalie crease violations (1991)
Hybrid — No touch icing (2013)
Touch up offsides (2005)
Goalie equipment size regulations (2005)
Centerline removed for 2 line passes (2005)
Shootouts introduced to settle ties after OT period played (2005)
Fan Experience
From the debacle of the red and blue pucks (thanks Fox) to ‘Cooperalls’, to the crease violations, the game has had its share of changes.
The reduction and almost full removal of clutching and holding (except for playoffs!) has opened up the game and made it more fan-friendly.
Shootouts — which fans seem to love, and leave the rink either happy from a win or sad from a loss (despite teams being awarded 1 pt for an overtime or shootout loss)
Universally, I believe that better, smaller video cameras have made the fan experience better. When you get to see clips of a gopro camera from an umpires helmet cam, you see that the pitches are coming like rockets! When you see a referee cam for an NHL game, you realize that the speed of play is 10X what it looks like on tv. When you see a 360 cam, or rim camera for an NBA basketball game, I get awestruck by the speed and power of some of the players. These elements make the game and players more intriguing, by giving you some context and a feel for being right there!
The major sports have to continue to evolve to grow their user bases, while protecting the integrity of the game, and the safety of their players.