Multinational professional services company PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) says digital stadiums are playing a key role in Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 project.
The London-headquartered firm has established a strong foothold in the Middle East, providing organisations with advice about economic transformations, digital innovations, infrastructural advancements and more.
Investing in sports is on the Middle East’s bucket list amid the longstanding goal to diversify revenue streams, and the region has become a go-to destination for major sporting events.
With Saudi Arabia poised to host more high-profile events, PwC Middle East has released a report detailing how digital stadiums could be a game-changer for the Kingdom’s sporting sector.
How Digital Stadiums Fit into Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030
Sports is an important part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and the Kingdom has already hosted some of the biggest tournaments in recent years.
The 2027 AFC Asian Cup and 2034 FIFA World Cup are among the future events set to be staged in Saudi Arabia which will attract interest from a colossal number of fans at home and abroad.
With that in mind, the country has taken a proactive step to invest heavily in world-class facilities, including digital stadiums, which have become a highly lucrative sector.
According to the report from PwC Middle East, digital stadiums are crucial to the Kingdom’s strategy towards revamping its sports infrastructure.
The goal is to make sure fans enjoy an unprecedented experience at these stadiums by leveraging advanced technologies that ensure everything runs smoothly.
Investing more in digital stadiums will be a massive tech upgrade on what’s currently on offer, and it aligns with current global trends, allowing the Kingdom to kill two birds with one stone.
One of the most eye-catching features of digital stadiums is connectivity. Providing access to reliable, high-speed internet access is crucial for improving the fan experience.
It allows them to enjoy a wider range of activities during events, especially sports betting. Fans can make quick transactions, place bets and access live odds through the sportsbooks featured on the reputable Arabswin sportsbook comparison website.
They can also react to in-game happenings and process bets within seconds – all of which adds to the excitement of watching their favourite sports.
Numerous Middle East stadiums already set the bar in connectivity infrastructure high. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, 5G tech was a game-changer. According to the PwC report, video streaming start times on 5G networks reduced from 2.3 seconds on 4G to 1.7 seconds.
The Growth of the Digital Stadium Market
The digital stadium sector is expected to grow at an impressive rate of 20.6 percent annually between 2025 and 2037, when it is projected to hit $191.7 billion.
This comes down to the need for more efficient stadium operations and the increasing demand for better fan experiences.
An Intel survey also revealed that 77% of sports fans are willing to spend more on tickets to a digital stadium, while 88% believe that technology improves their viewing experience.
The report sends a message about the importance of prioritising digital infrastructure while the stadium design is being mapped out, considering that retrofitting the venue with new technology costs more.
Investing in digital stadiums will drive the cost of tickets down, but that is not the only economic benefit.
Advertising solutions driven by artificial intelligence (AI), data-driven fan insights and smart facilities powered by the Internet of Things (IoT) create new revenue streams and reduce operational costs.
The success of digital stadiums during the World Cup in Qatar is further proof of their economic impact, contributing to an 8% increase in the country’s real gross domestic product (GDP) in the fourth quarter of that year.
AI and IoT are the backbones of any functional digital stadium. AI-powered analytics help with crowd management, security surveillance and predictive maintenance, ensuring smooth stadium operations.
IoT sensors keep an eye on how much energy is being used up, regulate climate control and conduct routine maintenance checks – all of which help to reduce costs.
Analysing data from IoT sensors can also help AI to spot potential flaws in equipment and schedule maintenance to get ahead of it. That reduces the risk of downtime and improves efficiency.