(Sport)Tech is hot.
Also for investors.

In almost every sector of society, data is becoming increasingly important. And that offers more and more opportunities for society. With data technology, you can measure much more—and therefore also know more. The use of data technology is also becoming increasingly interesting in sporting events.

Perhaps the most popular example is the use of VAR since 2018 in the world of football. At the World Cup in Russia in 2018, the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) was used for the first time. This was still with relatively simple technology, and about half the world witnessed it. For many years, the sports world has been exploring the possibilities in the field of sports technology. For example, we know the hawk-eye system in the tennis world, and the American NBA basketball league was one of the early adopters when it comes to sports technology. Not only does it help coaches, referees, and athletes improve sports performance, but spectators of basketball games in America, for example, have also been able to use special VR glasses since 2017 to get a real-time overview of statistics from the basketball game and the athletes.

Whereas sports technology was once used only by professionals, the market is now shifting towards the consumer. And not just in sports, but also in e-sports, developments in technology are taking place in the broadest sense of the word. The data being generated is bringing the worlds of sports and gaming together. For example, you can watch people gaming via Twitch. The technology offers interested parties insight into the sport, the athlete, teams, and clubs.

At the same time, sports technology is also becoming increasingly interesting for investors. Technology is becoming more affordable, making it accessible to more people and (amateur) clubs. More and more clubs are installing multiple cameras and connecting them to smart software, and where a single camera used to cost 10,000 euros, you can now get set up for 3,000 euros including the smart software. It is a sector that is growing by 23 percent per year and has proven added value. For example, Marianne Timmer experienced firsthand what it meant to skate with different suits for a faster time with the help of technology. The proven added value and the market’s shift towards the consumer are making technologies cheaper and therefore also interesting for investors. And following the example of other countries, where many funds for investors in sports tech have already been established, the Netherlands should not be left behind.

Especially because the prices of sports technologies have decreased in recent years, investing in companies that develop sports technologies has become interesting. In addition, the market still has enormous growth potential. This offers investors long-term opportunities to build a strong portfolio. The sports tech market is expected to reach a value of 50 billion dollars by 2030, which clearly demonstrates its enormous potential. Sports tech is therefore a valuable addition to an investment portfolio.