ABSTRACT
Trying to dissociate the sport itself from the business of sport is a hapless task. Esports is a growing presence that will continue to expand with the development of more sophisticated Virtual Reality technology, which in combination with artificial intelligence can enable the interaction of humans with machine counterparts in a virtual setting. Global Esports audience revenues are now close to $500 million with annual growth rates of 10%. Fans are no longer passive consumers of sporting content; they demand participation to the extent that, with Formula E's FanBoost technology, fans can literally boost a driver's chances of success via their cell phones. Barcelona's new stadium has a large projection on the underside of the arena's roof which can broadcast the game to fans outside. Advertising and marketing seek to deliver positively packaged information to current or potential consumers and, just as importantly, receive information from that same source.
