TREND ANALYSIS paper

5-6 page paper identifying and analyzing a trend in the arena of sports media, providing evidence of its significance and describing its future implications.

The trend analysis, with supporting citations, should answer many of the following questions:

• Why is this trend important to the sports media industry?
• What is the historical background?
• Who are the key players – persons, institutions, events?
• What is likely to happen in this area?
• What statistical or industry evidence can you offer to support your claim that this event or activity is significant?
• What conclusions can you draw from this logical argument?
• What are implications for the industry in the future?

general thought starters: (you can write about any trend/issue you feel is important)

• Live streaming – Will YouTube, and other streaming sites become players in the rights game? What are the barriers, the challenges, the benefits??
• Social Video (Snapchat, Facebook Live etc.) –We connect quickly and intimately, but will the space become over-saturated? authenticity issues? what importance does it play in “media” and sharing news?
• Wearable technology – will this be a place to develop for news institutions? what role does it play for the viewers? the athletes as media companies and content creators?
• Virtual reality/ Augmented Reality
• How International Basketball Is Thriving In Digital Age
• eSports – as it grows online, TV networks like TBS and ESPN are hoping to cash in on that popularity; why is that important to TV networks? what role does it play in the future – an Olympic sport?
• End of traditional news – less papers, more digital and online; what pitfalls are there in terms of accuracy? (cite NCAA basketball investigations)