Few things unite the world like live sport. The passion, the atmosphere, the unpredictability — it’s a truly shared experience. But while the emotion remains the same, the venue is changing.
In 2022, the FIFA World Cup reached an astonishing 5 billion people across the globe. Only 3.4 million attended in person — less than one-tenth of one percent.
This contrast highlights a new reality: live sport has become an at-home phenomenon — and that audience is ready for a more immersive experience.
The Scale of the At-Home Market
Major events already dominate global viewership:
- World Cup 2022: ~5 billion total viewers, 1.5 billion for the final
- Olympics (Tokyo 2020): over 3 billion across TV and digital
The pattern is clear. Even when you combine every league and tournament worldwide, in-stadium attendance reaches only hundreds of millions — while billions tune in remotely.
For most fans, home is the stadium.
From the Living Room to Shared Spaces
Beyond traditional broadcasts, fans increasingly gather in bars, fan zones, and private venues to experience the atmosphere together.
In the U.S., Nielsen data shows 30–40% of major sports audiences are now “out-of-home” — in pubs, restaurants, hotels, and workplaces.
This social shift blurs the line between stadium and living room — and technology is closing that gap even further.
How Live Sport is Being Captured
Today’s broadcast and streaming standards are advancing faster than ever:
- 4K HDR is now mainstream for premium events
- 8K and volumetric capture are being trialled for major football and motorsport events
- VR180° and 360° live streams are available through platforms like Meta Quest Xtadium
- Cosm’s 8K+ domes and systems like Digistar are powering full-scale immersive screenings for teams such as Wrexham AFC
These formats deliver a sense of presence that flat screens can’t match — and they’re already being adopted beyond public venues.
The Rise of Immersive Private Spaces
Just as home cinemas evolved from public theatres, immersive environments are moving from domes and arenas into private residential, leisure, and corporate settings.
This is where imersU plays a pivotal role.
imersU’s Immersive Media Platform brings the same panoramic, ultra-wide, multi-layered experience into smaller, personalised environments — enabling fans to feel there, even when they’re thousands of miles away.
Whether it’s a private gym, a wellness centre, a corporate viewing room, or a dedicated home media room, the opportunity is the same:
Deliver live sport as an experience, not just a broadcast.
The Opportunity
With billions already watching remotely, even a small shift into immersive formats represents huge potential:
If just 1% of live-sport viewers transition into immersive environments, that’s 50 million experiences — worth billions in revenue across hardware, content, and spaces.
It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when.
The Future: Every Seat is the Best Seat
The story of live sport has always been about connection — fans uniting in the same moment of emotion.
Now, technology allows that connection to be felt anywhere.
From stadium domes to living rooms, from 8K broadcasts to fully immersive walls — the boundaries between live and digital are dissolving.
As immersive platforms like imersU continue to evolve, the future of live sport viewing will be one where every fan has the best seat in the house.
If you can’t be there. Be here.
If you are and AV/IT company that wants to offer immersive experiences to your clients, or a Property company, Hotal & Spa group, Healthcare or Health & Fitness company looking to create a more powerful connection with your client base, Contact us to learn more about how imersU™ can power the next generation of New Media Immersive Experiences.
