Hey folks - Joe here. Welcome back to Edition #84 of The SEG3 Report!

We’re switching it up for this week’s edition, with just one spotlighted piece for you to get your teeth into from our guest contributor, Derick Tsai of Magnus Rex.

The piece dives into the similarities between sports, entertainment & gaming - and what each industry can learn and borrow from each other to drive growth. A favourite topic of ours, of course.

Without further ado ⤵️

Sports, Entertainment & Games share the same DNA

From the NBA to Star Wars to God of War, modern fandom is powered by the same story engines. At first glance, sports, entertainment, and games seem like separate arenas—one live, one scripted, one interactive. But structurally, they’re siblings. What DNA do these industries have in common and what can they learn from each other?

TL;DR:

Sports, entertainment and games all create universes where characters (or athletes) embody archetypes, rivalries become sagas, and fans sustain the story through ritual and participation. For brands, leagues, and studios, recognizing this shared DNA unlocks ecosystems that expand narrative reach, deepen fandom and multiply revenue streams.

An NBA playoff series, a Star Wars trilogy, and a God of War game are different mediums with the same emotional blueprint:

The NBA 

The NBA delivers more than games; it delivers sagas of dynasties, rivalries, and heroes. Michael Jordan’s six titles weren’t just a stat; they became scripture, referenced endlessly as proof of greatness. Today, LeBron James and Steph Curry carry similar weight: figures whose arcs are tracked, debated, and canonized like recurring characters in a serialized epic. The NBA operates like a living franchise with each season as a new chapter in an unfolding epic like Star Wars.

Star Wars
Star Wars shows how entertainment builds lasting cultural resonance through archetypes and worldbuilding. Luke Skywalker’s hero’s journey, Darth Vader’s fall and redemption, Rey’s struggle with legacy; these stories are mythic arcs that fans can revisit for generations. Beyond the films, the franchise thrives on IP expansions like TV series, comics, and games that let fans live inside the myth. Compare this to sports: jerseys, behind-the-scenes docs, and post-game narratives create the same feeling of immersion. 

God of War
If sports are live myths and entertainment is scripted myth, games are participatory myth. God of War frames Kratos as a warrior-father taking down his rivals and facing his demons before passing the baton to his son. That’s the same arc as a star who ascends the mountain to multiple championships before mentoring the next generation in the NBA. By playing, fans embody Kratos’s struggle themselves. Interactivity isn’t just in games, it’s the essence of fandom: wearing the jersey, reenacting the dunk, and debating who’s the GOAT.

So, what are the commonalities?

Across the NBA, Star Wars, and God of War, the shared elements are unmistakable:

• Archetypes: Luke vs. Vader. LeBron vs. Steph. Kratos vs. his past. Each embodies the chosen one, the rival, and the fallen hero that give audiences familiar anchors while leaving room for reinvention.
  

• Rituals: Tip-offs. Opening crawls. Save points. These are ceremonial gateways that tell fans they’ve entered a new world.
  

• Rivalries: Lakers vs. Celtics. Rebels vs. Empire. Kratos vs. the gods. Rivalries raise the stakes beyond the individual moment, turning contests into sagas of legacy.
  

• Worldbuilding: Arenas. Galaxies. Realms. Each stage embodies the values and conflicts at the heart of the story, shaping the drama itself.
  

• Fandom: Cosplay. Chants. Speedruns. Fans aren’t passive consumers; they’re active co-authors. Through ritual and creation, they extend the life of the myth far beyond the “official” story.

Why does it matter, and what’s the opportunity at the intersection?

We’re in an era where boundaries are collapsing. Younger audiences raised on anime, esports, and the MCU don’t separate sports, games and entertainment; they expect them to bleed into each other. Recognizing this shared DNA unlocks three advantages:

• Cross-Pollination of Strategies: Sports can borrow franchise phasing from entertainment; games can borrow ritual and community from sports; entertainment can borrow interactivity from games.
  

• Passion Economies, Not Products: These industries are all selling participation in a world. Designed well, that multiplies revenue across merchandise, streaming, collectibles, and events.
  

• Future-Proofing Against Fragmentation: Audiences don’t care about silos. A holistic ecosystem allows IP to move fluidly across mediums and cultures.

And so, the opportunity?

Designing IP with shared DNA across different industries unlocks resilience. You can build cross-medium ecosystems where stories don’t end, they expand, refract, and renew. That means deeper fan engagement, broader cultural resonance, and yes—more durable revenue streams.

Closing Thoughts

Sports, entertainment and games are different facets of the same passion economy. The next era of culture won’t be divided into courts, consoles or cinemas; it will be built by those who design worlds expansive enough to hold them all.

Join Derick, along with PepsiCo, Roblox, The Walt Disney Company, LA Rams and many more next month at SEG3 LA on December 9 & 10!

In other news this week:

• NASCAR & Night launch NASCAR 25 Creator Series: read here.

• Crystal Palace partner with Obsidian Entertainment & Xbox to promote Outer Worlds 2: see here.

• Dentsu releases Sports Docuseries report: read here.

• PSG relaunch MyParis membership platform: read here.

• Borderlands enters PGA Tour 2K25: see here.

• Roblox announces Q3 2025 financial results: read here.

• Leyton Orient partner with Sports Interactive for FMDB Pro: read here.

• FIFA & DAZN to relaunch FIFA+: read here.

• OS Studios partners with GB Wheelchair Rugby: read here.

• Puma & Manchester City launch EAFC special edition kit: read here.

• IOC awards 2026-2032 broadcast rights in New Zealand to Sky: read here.

• Under Armour launches Lab96 Studios to tell athletic stories: read here.

• FOX Sports invests in Tom Brady’s Shadow Lion: read here.

• NBA & Cosm agree long-term partnership: read here.

• Adidas bring Orland Pirates to Roblox: see here.

• Beyond Sports & ESPN extend partnership for animated telecasts: read here.

• Fever become official ticketing partner of SailGP: read here.

Working on anything cool, or have a press release you would like us to cover? Send it in for the chance for it to be covered in next week’s edition!

That’s all for now everyone - thanks again for reading the latest edition of The SEG3 Report, and if you found it of interest, please do consider sharing with a colleague or friend!