Fandom in Australia is worth $4.3 billion, with each fan spending on average $909 per year on their particular fandom and aligning with the right fans represents a significant opportunity for brands, according to new research by Powered, Nine’s marketing solutions division.

Australian consumers are known for their love of sport. But for any new team that wants to build an audience, establishing a brand among so much competing noise can be a difficult challenge.

Cricket Australia’s decision to appoint HCL Technologies as its new digital technology partner is about providing a more engaging experience bringing fans, communities, supporters and staff even closer to the game, its technology chief says.

Few sports let you get just meters from Olympic athletes while standing with sand between your toes. So when surfing makes its Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo games, it will be an important milestone for a sport that has steadfastly refused to bend to the kind of corporatisation that has beset many others.

In an era where making things easy for the customer has become paramount, it is not surprising to see many brands turning to chatbots to resolve customer queries quickly.

The Cronulla Sharks clinched the 2016 premiership with a 14-12 win over the Melbourne Storm, ending a 49-year drought for the club. It was a momentous moment countless fans had been waiting for all of their lives.

Digital channels are driving unprecedented levels of fan engagement for Australia’s leading sporting codes, but more needs to be done to bring digital into the physical experience on the ground.