Trends and Predictions Around Live Video and Events for 2022

With 2021 in the past, we here at Kiswe have been discussing some of the changes and shifts that we’re starting to see unfold within the live video industry. With uncertainties still looming around the pandemic and continuous advancements in technology, we’re foreseeing some compelling trends that will take place around in-person events, live fan engagement, e-commerce and more. Here are some of the trends we’re expecting to see come further into fruition this year and beyond. ‍

NFTs will see more applications in the live events space with ticketing‍

Music and sports have huge opportunities to take advantage of the exploding NFT market with their fans. In particular, with virtual platforms that complement the live broadcast, look for exclusive NFT tickets to become a standard offering. Long ago people would collect the physical ticket stubs of the events or concerts they went to and could frame them and look back at them. In the virtual age of paperless tickets and online concerts, NFTs can recreate that nostalgia and unlock the digital memories of these events that mean a lot to fans.‍

Sports betting will alter the way people watch live games‍

Sports betting is one of the hottest topics going into 2022; we think it will also have a huge impact on the live-streaming industry. Major sports leagues have already partnered with sports books to allow fans to place live bets during matches which looks to increase viewership with fans wanting to watch until the final seconds. Alternate broadcasts featuring sport betting professionals will become an important part of the game, with fans looking for advice and information, creating lots of new content opportunities for sports leagues. One area of sports betting that we see taking off in 2022 is in the Esports world, with Esports betting opportunities increasing exponentially. ‍

More artists will experiment with hosting concerts in the Metaverse

As virtual concerts continue to rise, more artists will take them one step further with experimenting with live events taking place in the Metaverse. We’ve already seen major artists like Ariana Grande and Lil Nas X transforming into avatars and interacting with fans in digital worlds via Fortnite and Roblox respectively. As both the technology for immersive experiences improves and consumer adoption increases, artists will also have the opportunity to take risks with emerging mediums and find newer and innovative ways to connect with fans outside of the physical world. ‍

Hybrid events will become the new normal‍

It was evident during the pandemic that live streaming and video were crucial to keeping people connected. With in-person events slowly making a return, broadcasters, event organizers and media companies are all discovering the added value of live streaming to scale audiences and reach people that cannot attend physically. At this year’s CES, the latest technology reveals and companies that attend the event affirmed that the way people live and work has fundamentally adapted to a hybrid model. With sporting events, we see this trend going one step further by finding ways to add remote fans at home back into the venue and stadium.