Thread by @SportsProNick

Across day 1 at #SPL22, priorities and challenges for sports properties seems to be overwhelmingly consistent across the board. #Data, owned platforms (O&O), content creation.
Here's a thread with some points I've picked up:
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1) Audience data and the drive to know more about the fan. No-one seems to be happy with what they have. Is this complete picture of their fan idealistic over realistic? Seems everyone has different holes they're trying to plug.

2) It's unclear everyone knows what the 'complete' fan data picture actually looks like, or even just what they think is missing from their data mix right now.

3) Once they have that 'clear' picture, have they got the in-house infrastructure how to truly turn that into actionable insights? Teams are still in progress with both recruitment and upskilling

4) Driving audiences to owned and operated platforms seems to be everyone's focus. Not necessarily as a key revenue driver (right now), but for a better way to build that fan knowledge bank + communication channel directly with them. "Revenue will come" was heard more than once

5) #NFT 's. Everyone is looking at it, but wary, and not wanting to risk working with the wrong partners to execute poorly. Everyone is heavily investigating this right now, as big cheques being waved in front of them to make a move, making it impossible to ignore.

6) #Metaverse is not a priority right now, but they're watching first movers, and some will do more testing. Wait and see for many, and plenty of scepticism remains as to whether 'it' will be a 'thing'

7) Teams and leagues are finding going direct to consumer #d2c is hard! And all very much a work in progress. Unexpected challenge has been fans reluctance to pay for anything (!).
Those leading the project are often lacking internal support to execute.

8) There is a real blurriness around which department own the O&O platform project, as well as where wider content creation sits. I e. marketing, media, digital, content, etc
This is leading to challenges to formalise objectives.

9) Data capture or subs led businesses seem to be the clear value driver from O&O. Advertising not really on anyone's radars. Surprising given market trends that it's not being at least considered more.

10) Building a robust share of wallet not a real priority, but acknowledged as the long term goal. Audience growth first built around content almost exclusively.

Conclusion: focus on O&O important, but more examples are coming that indicate building it all yourself may be more effort than its worth.
Some of the biggest success stories continue to be partnerships with broadcasters, and advertising led. Is sport heading down the right path?

What's in store for day 2? Follow #SPLive22 and @SP_Influencers for more.