A new report released by the British gambling and entertainment giant Entain has revealed that sports documentary series have been helping increase the popularity of sports and attract new sports lovers.
The gambling, sports betting and entertainment operator released the aforementioned report in an effort to highlight the positive impact that sports documentary series have had on society. Entain was also willing to demonstrate how such popular shows can actually raise the engagement of current viewers and help attract a fresh sports fan base.
In November 2020, the Wrexham, Wales-based professional association football club Wrexham AFC was taken over by two Hollywood superstars – Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Then, in August 2022, a documentary series called “Welcome to Wrexham” describing the purchase and management of the famous football club appeared. This weekend, Wrexham AFC is set to make its debut in League Two of the English Football League (EFL), marking another major achievement for the club.
As explained by Entain, the events mentioned above helped with the so-called “Wrexham Effect” growth, which attracted new fans of the club and increased the engagement of the current ones. Focusing on results, the British gambling giant revealed that its Australian division – Entain Australia – has reported a 781% growth in the number of bets for Wrexham AFC matches in the period from 2019 to 2022/2023.
Entain Reports Growth in Wagers on Sports in the UK, Australia, and the US
When it comes to its UK operations, the gambling, sports betting and entertainment company shared that its sportsbook services enjoyed a 59% growth in the number of wagers placed on the National League’s matches from the 2017/2018 season to the 2021/2022 season. As Entain revealed, the reported increase in the number of bets surpassed the increase registered for League One which was 32%, the one for League Two (24%), and the one for Championship League (15%).
Furthermore, the British gambling giant confirmed there was an increase in the popularity of non-league football thanks to documentary series.
As far as the US operations of Entain are concerned, its joint venture – BetMGM – saw a significant increase in the number of wagers placed on all matches involving Wrexham AFC. According to the company, the number of bets for the football club rose by a mindblowing 3,818% from the 2020/2021 season to the 2022/2023 season.
The Chief Commercial Officer of Entain, Dominic Groundsell, shared there was a significant change in sports lovers’ engagement with sports. Mr Groundsell further noted that sports documentary series have had a positive impact on sports’ popularity, as they have been delivering useful and entertaining content in an innovative way that boosted both the existing and new sports lovers’ engagement. According to him, that was a massive step forward in the way fans engage with their favourite sports.
As explained by the British gambling and entertainment giant’s CCO, Entain closely monitors fans’ engagement with the sport and, at the same time, collects and assesses its customers’ feedback on the matter. All of this combined has allowed the company to provide its customers with tailored content that caters to their needs.
- Author
Olivia Cole
