Global Scans · Leisure · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Online retailing will be one of the fastest growing channels between 2015 and 2019 as individuals do not have much time for leisure and seek convenience. Entertainment will continue to shift away from traditional broadcast media and print to reality augmented and deeply personalised content. The occupations with the largest new employment growth will be managers, professional and technical jobs, and caring and leisure occupations. Many middle-class professionals will be outsourced to machines within the next few decades leaving workers with more leisure time than they have ever experienced.

• [New] The WTA has become one of the most effective rights holders in global sport and is projected to see a 400% increase in sponsorship over the next decade. City AM
• [New] Out of 93 mountain locations with current winter sports infrastructure, only 52 should have the snow depth and sufficiently cold temperatures to host a Winter Olympics in the 2050s. IndexBox Inc.
• [New] By opening new pathways for participation, leadership and scholarship, the NCAA strengthens its commitment to expanding equitable opportunities for women and embracing the evolution of modern sport. NCAA.org
• [New] By 2035, immersive technologies could transcend entertainment to become vital in education, professional training, and collaborative work. Futurist Keynote Speaker on AI Leadership, Future of Wo
• [New] Women's sports will continue to gain momentum in 2026, especially as more niche sports and leagues become more popular. Marketing Dive
• [New] By the 2030s, AR could exceed $300 billion, creating unprecedented opportunities across retail, education, healthcare, and entertainment. Gadget Hacks
• [New] Major events such as the FIFA World Cup and 2026 Winter Olympic Games will deliver captive linear TV audiences while emerging sports and leagues create avenues for marketers to connect with more niche, but growing, consumer groups. Marketing Dive
• [New] Sports marketing will be a major avenue for marketers looking to reach consumers in an increasingly fractured advertising landscape in 2026. Marketing Dive
• [New] In 2026, professional leagues and, more importantly, team owners, will have to go all in or all out on sports betting. Adelphi University
• [New] By 2026, AI-powered content creation will be ubiquitous in entertainment, marketing, and business, enabling easier, faster, and scalable high-quality content creation. https://www.usaii.org/ai-insights/generative-ai-trends-
• AI models will become a sticky layer across everything in 2026, absorbing time and attention, not for news in the narrow sense, but as catch-all interfaces for information and entertainment. Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
• Analysts expect 2026 to see explosive growth in AI-generated video, audio, and 3D content, with profound implications for marketing, entertainment, and digital media. Grand Pinnacle Tribune
• Entertainment in 2026 thrives on creativity, interaction, and collaboration. Blogger
• Entertainment in 2026 continues to push toward formats that feel alive, participatory, and deeply connected to audiences. Blogger
• A boom in niche sports: As the rights to top-tier leagues grow too costly for all but the biggest media players, 2026 will see increased investment in mid-tier and niche sports with passionate followings. Streaming Media Magazine

Last updated: 21 January 2026