Sport is amazingly powerful, it transcends national politics, and its benefits on our mental and physical well being are well documented, so let's take a look at what the future holds.
Matthew GriffinFounder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
G7 · G20governments advised
850+keynotes
102countries
17codexes
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About this keynote
It was with great delight that I was asked to be the keynote speaker at Decathlon’s annual Vision 2030 summit in Lille, France, to discuss the Future of Sports, because not only am I a personal trainer and sports enthusiast at heart, but sport, in my eyes at least, plays an absolutely vital role in helping protect and promote people’s mental and physical wellbeing, and is often held up as a beacon of light and hope in an increasingly fractured politicised world.
Like any industry sport isn’t immune from disruption, but unlike many industries, where disruption has both its advantages and disadvantages, almost all of the developments arriving in the sports world are positive, positive for the players and participants, and positive for the companies involved. Provided that is they can see them in time, and have a strategy for dealing with and maximising them.
The Future of Sports
During the session I split my keynote into two main subject areas, the impact that new disruptive innovations will have on sports apparel companies, and then the emergence of so called cyber-physical sports and how a multitude of new and powerful technologies will help improve players performance and mental and physical wellness.
The reason why I opted for these two particular areas is because on the one hand I feel that there are a tsunami of disruptive, and somewhat unexpected, innovations in both and then secondly, by surfacing them it’s my hope that the combination of them all will have significant benefits for both the company and players, creating a literal Win Win for everyone.
In the first part of the keynote I showed how companies can use new Creative Machines to design and develop products faster, and then use advanced manufacturing technologies such as 3D Holographic Printing to eliminate the need for supply chains and inventory, with the added upside being that these two areas can be combined together to reduce the amount of time it takes get a product from concept to shelf by up to 98 percent while at the same time letting customers digitally personalise products, and boost profits.
During the second part of the keynote I then went further and showed how Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Vision and other so called smart products can be combined together to help players, amateurs and professionals alike, reach their A-Game and improve their mental and physical wellness. Then I lifted the lid on how the new world of cyber-physical sports will, literally, both put you in the game to face off against the stars, and, for example, let you play rugby with players on separate continents in new ways, complete with bruises.
The future of sports is going to be as fast paced as the players themselves, and there’s going to be no holding back. It’s time to get your game face on.
311 Intelligence
What this means for your leadership team
Product speed becomes the edge.
Creative Machines and 3D Holographic Printing together can cut concept to shelf time by up to 98 percent. That puts pressure on any apparel firm still built around long design cycles. Speed also lets customers personalise products digitally.
Supply chains and stock may shrink.
Advanced manufacturing can remove the need for supply chains and inventory. This fits the wider trend of flattening supply chains. Leaders should note that 3D Holographic Printing is still early, so planning now matters more than buying now.
Performance and wellness merge into products.
Machine Vision and smart products can help players of every level reach their A-Game and improve their wellbeing. Cyber-physical sports go further by letting people face off against stars or play rugby across continents. Brands that see this in time can serve players in new ways.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
Which of our products could be designed and made without stock?
How would shorter concept to shelf times change our planning cycle?
What would players want from our products beyond the physical item?
The trends and technologies behind this session
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
What does this session mean for sports organisations?
Almost every development arriving in sport is positive for players and for companies, provided they see it in time and have a strategy. The two pressure points are faster product creation and new ways to support player performance and wellness.
How do Creative Machines relate to sports apparel?
Creative Machines design and develop products faster. 311 rates the trend as one to prepare for, with wide use expected by 2028. Combined with advanced manufacturing, it drives the large cut in concept to shelf time.
How does 3D Holographic Printing relate to inventory?
It is an advanced manufacturing method that can remove the need for supply chains and inventory. 311 rates it as one to explore, with wide use expected by 2034 and a readiness level of 4. It suits early testing, not large commitments.
How can 311 brief our leadership team on this?
Through a private executive briefing or leadership workshop, tailored to your sector, in person first.
Bring this to your leadership teamA private executive briefing or leadership workshop, tailored to your sector. In person first, anywhere in the world.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s session and 311 data.
If Matthew gave this session today
Hundreds of emerging technologies, mapped for industry.
The codex explores hundreds of emerging technologies and their implications for global culture, industry and society, the long-range view that any 2080 infrastructure strategy depends on.
