Over the last five years, the growth of the digital landscape and the way it has changed how we entertain ourselves has been a primary topic of discussion. There is no denying that society has witnessed a growing passion for technology and our screens, and one of the best examples of this generational transition is streaming services like Netflix surpassing the traditional movie theatre experience. However, evidence indicates land-based entertainment (LBE) still has a degree of attraction for reasons which online entertainment cannot provide or match.
Long Live LBE
If you don’t know, LBE refers to any form of entertainment experienced or consumed at a location that’s not your home. It is also known as experiential entertainment, and the market witnessed considerable growth between 2017 and 2019. Despite a lackluster 2020, the popularity of land-based entertainment has increased again, and the Coachella Music Festival in the United States recently demonstrated this. For example, more than 100,000 people attended Harry Styles’ first headline performance.
Watch @Harry_Styles light up the @YouTube livestream at https://t.co/369m1pEHng pic.twitter.com/rePMDRsPHb
— Coachella (@coachella) April 23, 2022
The English musician played fewer than 20 songs at the festival, a small comparison to the hundreds (combining his solo career and One Direction career) accessible on music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. However, while you can listen to music, such as Styles’ entire discography, wherever, whenever, which is one of the many advantages of online entertainment, you never get the experience you do at an in-person concert. This experience includes connecting with the people around you and sharing a purpose or moment of inspiration.
Likewise, we can still see high attendances at land-based casinos and bingo clubs. This interest remains even as online gambling continues to skyrocket ($100 billion by 2026) by offering players a lucrative selection of bonuses, table games, bingo games, and slot games, including the popular Rainbow Riches and Fishin’ Frenzy slot franchises. Still, in-person venues have maintained their popularity, and today, there are over 50 bingo clubs in the United Kingdom alone. These clubs allow individuals to play, eat, drink, and socialize with people with similar interests.
We can even argue the same for live sporting events. Watching sports has never been easier, thanks to broadcast networks like ESPN and subscription services like DAZN. Even if you’re in a different country, such as Canada, you can still watch live English Premier League games despite the 8-hour time difference. Yet, people still fly around the world just to go to games. Why? Because you don’t get to experience the thrill of live sporting events quite as much when you’re watching them through the screen.
Technology has improved our lives and created new opportunities that were once unimaginable. However, just because we live in a digital world doesn’t mean we don’t crave or need real-world connections. These connections inspire collaboration and storytelling, and they are one of the many reasons why there will always be a place for land-based entertainment in today’s world.
Avid music fanatic. Communicator. Social media expert. Award-winning bacon scholar. Alcohol fan.