Top Trends to Watch in the Global Sports Industry

The global sports market will rise at an annual growth rate of around 6% to nearly $614 billion by 2022, the report Sports Global Market Opportunities and Strategies from The Business Research Company shows.

During the forecast period, the growing popularity of esports events is expected to drive the global sports market. eSports, or competitive video gaming, is a multiplayer video game played competitively for spectators, typically by professional gamers.

Topics: Travel & Leisure Industry Insights

American Singles Fuel the $2.5 Billion Dating Market

Matchmaking and online dating has become big business, with dating services estimated to be worth $2.5 billion in 2015 and forecast to grow 5.1% per year to $3.2 billion by 2020.

The dating industry consists of much more than just dating websites, although these get the bulk of the media attention and account for 70% of the industry’s revenues. America’s 124 million singles are using mobile apps more often, but traditional services like matchmakers and dating coaches are also doing well.

Topics: Travel & Leisure Retail E-commerce & IT Outsourcing Industry Insights

The Growing Prevalence of Sports Analytics in 2018

Sports analytics change everything related to professional athletics: recruiting, play, coaching, and marketing. The ability to see change at a granular level gives more control to those managing players and teams.

Topics: Software & Enterprise Computing Travel & Leisure Industry Insights

Research Firms Explore the Potential Impact of Trump's Presidency

How will President Donald Trump affect the economy in the coming weeks and years? Which industries face the biggest shifts? How can you be prepared for what's next?

Several market research firms are weighing in as various issues jump to the forefront of the news cycle.

Here's a look at the latest #mrx tweets serving up data and analysis on the potential economic impact of Trump's presidency across different industries.

Topics: Travel & Leisure Retail Pharmaceuticals Demographics Social Media Industry Insights

Why Hotels and Airlines Are Fighting Their Distributors

The US travel services industry, which includes both traditional and online travel agencies, increasingly faces a new source of competition for booking services: the airlines and hotel operators themselves.

A growing number of airlines and hotels are adopting strategies — such as loyalty programs, fees on third-party bookings, or discounts on direct bookings — to encourage consumers to book services directly with them.

Topics: Travel & Leisure Industry Insights The Freedonia Group

US Interest in Golf Swinging in Equipment Suppliers’ Favor

In 2014, gymnasium and exercise equipment surpassed golf equipment as the largest sports equipment segment in the US, a position golf equipment had held since 2006. Since that time, many observers have declared the downfall of golf, citing falling participation levels and the millennial cohort’s apparent lack of interest for the game. In addition, the number of open golf courses in the US has taken a tumble in the past decade.

Topics: Travel & Leisure Retail Industry Insights The Freedonia Group

eSports Is a Booming Industry with Huge Growth Potential

As the current craze over Pokemon Go demonstrates, the age of electronic gaming has more than arrived. What many don’t know, however, is that the age of eSports has dawned as well. If you are saying to yourself, “What the heck is eSports?” you are not alone, but that does not mean eSports is not big business.

eSports (a.k.a. electronic sports or professional gaming) is a growing market where athletes compete via computers rather than on a field or in a stadium. So instead of watching football, baseball, or basketball, fans of these sports are watching StarCraft II, League of Legends, and Dota2.

Topics: Travel & Leisure Industry Insights

The Future of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

Despite past failures and false starts, virtual reality is taking off. According to a report by Rider Research, virtual reality has become one of the hottest technology buzzwords for 2016. Consumer demand is rising fast as realistically priced virtual reality and augmented reality products hit the market.

But what exactly are augmented reality and virtual reality products? Who can use them? And which industries are going to most benefit from these new technologies? Read on to find out.

Topics: Travel & Leisure Consumer Electronics Healthcare Media Industry Insights

The Dating Services Industry in 2016 and Beyond

One of the world’s oldest professions is matchmaking, and given the role of technology in today’s world, it’s no surprise that the industry is booming. With an explosion of new websites and apps, the dating services industry has performed very well in the past five years and is continuing to grow as today's singles turn to the Internet for help finding love.

Read on to discover insights into the market for dating services and what the future holds for this industry.

Topics: Travel & Leisure Retail E-commerce & IT Outsourcing Industry Insights

How E-Commerce Is Revolutionizing Retail, Travel, and Entertainment

Jack W. Plunkett, CEO of Plunkett Research, Ltd, highlights several e-commerce trends that are transforming retail, travel, entertainment, and communication.

Topics: Travel & Leisure Retail E-commerce & IT Outsourcing Media Industry Insights