{"id":62294,"date":"2025-10-03T12:02:56","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T12:02:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elixirr.com\/en-us\/?p=62294"},"modified":"2025-11-28T14:37:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T14:37:42","slug":"how-new-formats-and-markets-are-rewriting-the-rules-of-sport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elixirr.com\/en-us\/how-new-formats-and-markets-are-rewriting-the-rules-of-sport\/","title":{"rendered":"How new formats and markets are rewriting the rules of sport"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Let\u2019s be honest: not every league has kept pace with how modern fans consume content, spend their time, or choose their communities \u2013 and we\u2019ve moved beyond the idea that sport needs to be preserved in its legacy form.<\/p>\n

The next wave of growth is coming from new formats and newly activated geographies \u2013 sports and leagues that are built for digital shareability, faster monetization and cross-border engagement from day one. But \u2018new\u2019 is not code for \u2018success\u2019: new sports, formats and even teams must be strategic and thoughtful in order to engage a new audience or, risk immediately losing their novelty badge.<\/p>\n

In this part of the series, we explore how new formats and markets are reshaping the revenue playbook \u2013 and why sport\u2019s next big thing probably won\u2019t look anything like the last.<\/p>\n

The revaluation is already happening<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The numbers speak for themselves. Padel has exploded to more than\u00a030 million global players<\/a>, with 50,000+ courts worldwide and counting. The global padel market hit\u00a0\u20ac2 billion<\/a>\u00a0in 2023 and is forecast to more than triple by 2026. Similarly, pickleball\u00a0in the US surged to 13.6 million players<\/a>, with backing from celebrities, brands and private equity.<\/p>\n

At the same time, format innovation is hitting the mainstream. The Hundred condensed cricket into a 100-ball format, making it faster, more accessible and sponsor-friendly. LIV Golf also recently introduced 54-hole tournaments and team formats \u2013 backed by sovereign wealth capital and a full media machine. While,\u00a0Pro Kabaddi League<\/a>\u00a0turned a regional game into a national franchise, drawing over 222 million viewers in India alone. This is sport reengineered and it\u2019s scaling.<\/p>\n

More than a format change \u2013 it\u2019s a commercial strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There is a reason, beyond novelty, as to why these changes are landing. These formats are:<\/p>\n