Gupta opened his presentation by underlining the importance of transformation. “We live in a world where transformation is a constant, with paradigm shifts in consumption and culture underway. Sport as a microcosm of the world, is also being transformed, at times by design and at times, by disruption. At the center of this rapid evolution happens to be the fan, described in his/her distinct but overlapping expressions of fandom – as a consumer, a viewer, a participant and now even a creator. Today’s fan is more unique, less attentive, highly connected and increasingly demanding, but still seeking a sense of identity, belonging and community, perhaps even increasingly so in a world more polarized and diverse than ever before.
