The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has announced the addition of four new SuperFans to its James F. Goldstein SuperFam Gallery.  The names announced are well-known.

The new names to the wing announced are:

Billy Crystal.  The comedic actor and Saturday Night Live alumni has long been associated with sports, having competed on ABC’s Battle of the Network Stars, directing the HBO biopic on Roger Maris (*61), and playing an NBA referee in the film, “Forget Paris.”  Crystal is an avid fan of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Alan Horwitz.  Horwitz is a Philadelphia-based businessman who founded Campus Apartments.  He is known in Philly for his Sixers fandom which has at times been controversial, though nevertheless passionate.

Spike Lee.  A mega fan of the New York Knicks, the famed director has been a fixture at Knicks games for years and has appeared in multiple basketball-related commercials.  Lee was also prominent in the ESPN 30-for-30 episode on the famed Pacers/Knicks playoff series.

Jack Nicholson.  The Academy Award-winning actor has been associated with the Los Angeles Lakers since the 70s, where he was always courtside.  His fandom became infectious in Hollywood and helped make the Lakers the “it” team of its day.

This will happen as part of the SuperFan Celebration on October 13.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. Once that is done, we will examine how each team honors its past players, coaches, and executives. As such, it is important to us that the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League will retire the number 97 of Connor McDavid.

The event will occur on January 10 during Erie’s home game against Saginaw.

Receiving a special exemption (Exceptional Player Status) to enter the OHL Draft at age 15 (only John Tavares and Aaron Ekblad have also done so), McDavid scored 285 Points in three OHL seasons and won multiple individual awards, including the CHL Player of the Year in 2015.

McDavid becomes the third player to have his number retired by the Otters, as he follows Brad Boyes (#16) and Vince Scott (#18).

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Connor McDavid for his impending honor.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. Once that is done, we will examine how each team honors its past players, coaches, and executives. As such, it is important to us that in honor of its 125^th Anniversary, the Italian club AC Milan has announced the formation of its own Hall of Fame.  Defender Franco Baresi will be its inaugural member.

Baresi played for AC Milan for his entire 20-year career (1977-97), during which he experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows. He helped them win the 1978-79 Serie A title.   Becoming the team captain in 1982, Beresi anchored the club to five more Serie A wins (1988, 1992, 1993, 1994 & 1996), three European Cups (1989, 1990, & 1994), two European Super Cups (1990 & 1994) and two International Cups (1989 & 1990).  Individually, he was the runner-up for the 1989 Ballon d’Or, was named the AC Milan Player of the Century and Serie A Player of the Century, and was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

Internationally, Baresi, a beacon of Italian football, led Italy to Gold in the 1982 World Cup and runners-up in the 1994 World Cup.

Moving forward, the Hall will have two categories: Elected Members (chosen through a voting process of registered AC Milan fans) and Honored Members (who will be inducted at the club’s discretion.).  There will be a four-year initial phase, where the Hall will focus on Strikers (2024), Midfielders (2025), Defenders (2026), and Goalies (2027).  Following the four years, the ballot will be open to all positions.

To qualify for the AC Milan Hall of Fame, a candidate must have played at least 50 Games, have conducted themselves with excellence and distinction, and be officially retired as a player.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate AC Milan for this accomplishment.

The sports entertainment industry has huge and engaging audiences worldwide through live sports events, close analyses, and commentaries. However, online gaming, relatively a new entrant in this space, is changing the way millions of viewers now consume and view sports. This can be achieved either through an interactivity platform, fantasy sports, or live streaming of online games.

Fantasy Sports and Simulations Take Off

Fantasy sports have been in existence for nearly several decades. Online gaming has taken them to unprecedented heights. It adds an extra layer of excitement to the conventional scenario of sports as it enables the fans to be tied closer to action with much ease.

Another way online games change the game is through sports simulation. In this regard, FIFA, Madden, and NBA 2K play in ways that create sports situations closely resembling professional athletes and actual management roles.

Live Streaming and Interactive Engagement

The present reality is live streaming of sports content consumption. For example, through Twitch and YouTube, audiences can presently receive direct streaming of live events and tournaments of games and eSports competitions. This has given a new dimension to sports entertainment by allowing fans to comment on streamers, interact with them, and even participate in online events.

As viewers can comment in real-time, live streaming has more effectively become a popular platform through which fans would want to see more than the game. Combining all the aspects related to games and sports, live streaming has produced an entertainment hybrid that attracts casual viewers and diehard fans alike.

Expanding the Experience of Fans

An online game platform can allow one to be in a better relationship with fans as far as the involvement or participation part of it rather than the view-based experience. Practically every online platform carries some form of gamified content, including online quizzes, challenges, and predictions for favorite sports teams and leagues. It had become possible to turn about, thus turning on an interactive nature of the experience and the personal significance of being an active participant instead of a mere spectator.

Role of Mobile Gaming

Mobile gaming has further accelerated the sports entertainment revolution. A super-sophisticated smartphone, now affordable to the masses, allows a fan to play sport-related games at his or her convenience and choosing. From fantasy leagues to sports simulations, just about every type of experience is available through mobile apps to any age group.

Apart from traditional sports games, mobile platforms have also invented non-traditional games, such as lottery and predicting games. Such games allow the user to test their knowledge about sports or predict the result of any specific event to win awards. For example, fans can play lottery games online to attach this new spice and fun element that combines games and sports.

Online Games: Redefining the Shape of Sports

Online gaming is here to stay and forms the majority of the future sports entertainment landscape owing to the continued innovation in technology. Layering live games on sporting and eSports events has brought forth a new form of entertainment that can reach a wide audience. This will be through interactive live streams, fantasy sports, lottery-style games, and so many more forms of experiences with sports that fans engage in.

Besides, the distinction between games and sports entertainment is becoming even more blurry. Thus, there are many more ways to engage and interact with your favorite team, athlete, or event.

Conclusion

Online games have transformed the face of sports fandom in terms of increased interaction, absorption, and personification. As the level of technology evolves, playing games would seemingly hold closely to sports, thus possibilities about the future of sports entertainment come to life indeed.