This article was contributed to TechCabal Bonface Orcho via bird story agency.
A digital transformation of South Africa's cricket ecosystem could be underway, leveraging artificial intelligence and blockchain technology to increase cricket's popularity among fans and create new revenue streams for fans, players and brands. There is.
A pilot collaboration between Indian sports technology company LootMogul, Cricket South Africa and the Durban Supergiants reveals increased fan engagement on cricket gaming platforms, highlighting the potential that digitalization could bring to the sport. impact has been noted.
“This represents a huge potential for future business opportunities,” said Vibhu Srivastava, head of digital marketing at LootMogul.
The results of the month-long pilot were announced by LootMogul on February 23rd.
After deploying an AI, blockchain, and Metaverse-driven strategy, an average of 4.05 million platform visits were recorded in a single month. That's an average of 48,177 new games played per month, a 242.5% increase in the number of games played per month.
This collaboration aimed to bridge the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds of cricket and provide fans with a holistic and immersive experience.
In particular, the partnership with the duo includes the creation of digital twins of South Africa's stadiums, players and all features of the sport. The digital map is packaged as a game on his website and application, giving fans a virtual yet realistic experience of being at the heart of a cricket match.
According to LootMogul, interactive gaming platform features encourage fan engagement with sports beyond live matches, creating a year-round connection with sports.
Cricket South Africa and LootMogul announced their partnership on December 5, while the deal with Durban Super Giants was announced in January when LootMogul was announced as the official Cricket Metaverse gaming partner.
South Africa has been a major force in the world of cricket since it was first visited by England's Test team in 1888. Although subject to sanctions during the country's apartheid era, cricket became a sport for all South Africans and their people after his 1994 debut. The country currently sits at No. 5 in the World Test Rankings and No. 3 in the One-Day International (ODI) Rankings.
However, domestically, the sport has languished as a spectator sport compared to soccer and rugby, and South African Cricket is aiming to expand the sport's fan base.
The push towards digitalization, centered around the use of technology and AI, is expected to create a connection between fans and sports, increasing the appeal of sports among fans.
Opportunities for fan growth in South Africa are clear from the sport's growing popularity globally, and the addition of cricket to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics highlights its growing global influence.
“This is a leap into the future of cricket. It's not just about enhancing the game. It's about revolutionizing the fan experience,” SA Cricket chief executive Foretsi Moseki said on the program in December. mentioned during the development.
The use of AI in cricket is the latest addition in Africa, where the application of AI in sports has been growing, from player analysis to statistical evaluation and match management.
The success of the initial application of AI to cricket in South Africa shows its potential in other countries on the African continent where cricket is a major sport, such as Zimbabwe, Namibia and Kenya.
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