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Phygital sport is developing rapidly worldwide, with initiatives that go beyond competitions and focus on building an ecosystem around the movement. From schools and local communities to clubs, federations, sponsors and government partners, Phygital Brazil is exploring how physical sports, digital competition and technology can come together.
For Moacyr Alves, CEO of Phygital Brazil, one of the key lessons has been that phygital should not be treated simply as a new form of esports. Instead, it can create connections between communities that have traditionally developed separately, while opening new opportunities for athletes, organizations and young people.
We spoke with Moacyr about the lessons he has learned so far, the importance of starting with schools and local communities, how phygital can create new opportunities for athletes and sponsors, and his vision for the future of the movement.
What have you learned from introducing phygital sport that could help other organizations starting their own journey?
One of the most important lessons we learned is that phygital sport should not be presented simply as a new type of esports. It is a new way of connecting physical sport, digital competition, technology and entertainment.
We also learned that it is important to start with the existing sports ecosystem. Clubs, schools, federations, athletes and event organizers already have communities and infrastructure that can help phygital sport grow much faster.
Our advice is to start with accessible projects, involve young people, test different formats, listen to the athletes and build a local community before trying to scale nationally.
What opportunities does phygital sport create that traditional sport/esports don’t?
Phygital creates an opportunity to connect two audiences that traditionally exist in separate worlds: sports fans and gamers. It also creates new pathways for athletes. A person can develop physical, digital and strategic skills at the same time, while organizations can create new events, sponsorship opportunities, educational programs and entertainment experiences.
And from a business perspective, we can attract sponsors that we would not have considered before, like an endemic brand for technology that was impossible to think of before the phygital sport movement.
We have seen your organization being very active with schools and young athletes. Would you like to tell us more about your school initiative program?
Our school initiative is one of the projects we are most proud of because we believe the future of phygital starts with young people.
Through our partnership with São Paulo State School Sports Federation, FEDEESP -a non-profit, private law civil association of an educational sports nature- and the government from Brasilia and District Deputy João Cardoso, we have been introducing phygital sports to schools and creating opportunities for students to experience competition in both the physical and digital components.
We have already worked with schools in Phygital Football and Phygital Basketball, bringing students together to compete, learn about teamwork and experience a new form of sport.
Our goal is not only to discover future champions. We want to show students that the sports and gaming industries offer many different career opportunities, from athletes and coaches to referees, broadcasters, event professionals, technology specialists and content creators.
We see schools as an important starting point for building a sustainable phygital sport ecosystem in the country.
How do you explain phygital sport to someone experiencing it for the first time?
I usually explain it very simply: imagine taking the best parts of physical sport and the best parts of esports and putting them together in the same match.
You don’t just play on a screen, and you don’t just compete physically. You have to master both. That is what makes phygital sport so exciting. The athlete has to be physically prepared, digitally skilled, strategically intelligent and able to work as part of a team.
What would you say to a sport organization or national federation that is interested in phygital sport but is still unsure whether there is a place for it in its existing sports ecosystem?
I would say: don’t look at phygital sport as something that has to replace what you already have. Look at it as an opportunity to expand your ecosystem.
It can bring younger audiences into traditional sports, introduce new technologies to existing communities and create new ways for federations to engage with athletes and fans.
The best way to understand its potential is to test it. Organize a small event, involve your existing clubs or schools, bring gamers and athletes together, and see how the audience responds.
Once people experience phygital sport, it becomes much easier to understand why it has a place alongside traditional sport and esports.
What has being part of the WPC brought to your organization?
Being part of the WPC has given us much more than an international platform. It has connected us with organizations, athletes and professionals from different countries and allowed us to learn from the development of phygital sport around the world.
It has also given Brazil a connection to the global phygital ecosystem and helped us understand what is necessary to develop competitions that can eventually reach an international level.
For us, the WPC is an important bridge between what we are building nationally and the global future of phygital sport.
What advice would you give to a new WPC member looking to turn phygital sport from a new concept into a sustainable program in their country?
My advice would be to think beyond tournaments. A sustainable phygital program needs a complete ecosystem: schools, clubs, athletes, coaches, referees, content creators, broadcasters, sponsors and government or institutional partners.
Start by creating regular local competitions and use them to develop athletes and communities. At the same time, invest in education and communication so people understand what phygital sport is and why it matters.
And most importantly, be consistent. One big event can create attention, but a calendar of activities throughout the year is what creates a real sport ecosystem.
What advice would you give a new member?
Be patient, be active and build locally. Don’t wait for phygital to become big before you start developing your ecosystem. Start with the resources you have, work with schools, clubs and local communities, organize competitions and create opportunities for athletes.
And don’t be afraid to experiment. Phygital sport is still young, so every country has the opportunity to develop its own identity and contribute something new to the global community.
Looking ahead, what do you believe phygital sport can offer the next generation of athletes, and what role would you like your organization to play in that future?
I believe phygital sport can offer the next generation of athletes something very important: a sport that speaks their language.
Young people are growing up in a world where physical activity, technology, gaming and digital entertainment are already part of everyday life. Phygital sport brings these worlds together instead of treating them as separate.
For Phygital Brazil, our ambition is to help build this future in Brazil by developing athletes from a young age, working with schools and federations, creating high-quality competitions and connecting Brazilian talent with the international phygital community.
We want Brazil to be not only a country that participates in phygital sport, but a country that helps shape its future.
