Why is Epoch Game-changing
Industries rarely evolve
When a revolution in any given industry happens, it usually starts quietly, something happens that seems relatively innocuous at the time but has ramifications that will be felt from that point on until the next revolution happens.
Consider sports as an industry. It has evolved many times, and the pace of its evolution is growing. Initially, sports were simply training for warfare. But as the world slowly became more peaceful, and as war became more mechanized, sports started to become a way to foster communion between people and different communities. Consider how the Olympics brings people worldwide together to marvel at the limits of human potential. Remember how the British and German troops in world war 1 found their common humanity in a game of football played in no man’s land during Christmas?
Later, these communities started to form around franchises that slowly transitioned into businesses where the primary revenue drivers were ticket stubs from fans coming to watch the games. Again, fostering community and creating entertainment value. Stadiums and sports venues were being born.
In the second half of the 20th century sports started to become nationally recognized and players began to take on role model status. The fans would find ways to admire their favourite players by collecting signatures, cards, hats, shirts, and memorabilia. For the first time, sports communities and sports businesses were using the sport to facilitate the sales and enjoyment of subsidiary products.
The slow revolution
In the ’90s when cable television became more normalized. We began to see sports channels grow, allowing sports communities to become more engaged in their fandoms. Cable tv also began to blur the lines between different entertainment genres. All of a sudden sports stars could also be fashion icons, they could appear in tv shows, and they could be in music videos and films.
Think of Air Jordan, Hulk Hogan films, or David Beckham cologne…
By this point, sports as a business no longer relied solely on the entertainment value of their respective games. Instead, sports franchises and players became brands that would be recognized globally.
In the ’00s the internet began to really take over and all of a sudden sports underwent one of its biggest transformations to date. The world of sports business exploded wide open, and sports communities had more ways to interact than ever before. Video games and online multiplayer experiences allowed sofa sports stars to live out their dreams and fandoms alone and with friends. Gigantic networks revolving around teams and players began to pop up. Sports streaming became a global phenomenon. Fantasy sports and online sports betting went exponential. And the opportunities for the sports industry to make money were astronomical.
Present day
It is clear that there are three pillars that uphold the world of sport.
Entertainment and brand.
Collectibles and consumerism.
Community and fandom.
Until now the worlds of business and consumer, sports star and fan — have always remained more or less separate. One feeds into the other, but the value of both has never been jointly shared.
Much like these previous evolutions, something has quietly changed under the surface that will once again change sports indefinitely. And much like all the rest of these evolutions, the change will only be fully clear to most people in hindsight.
The question then is, do you want to be in on this evolution before anyone else? Or do you too want to be looking back in twenty years and wondering where this change really started?
Let me introduce you to Epoch. A sports world where the communities, the franchises, and the brands are all working towards the same goals. A world where everyone who loves sports is both business person, and a fan all at once.
Join us
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Why is Epoch Game-changing was originally published in gam3on on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.