The way Irish fans consume and watch sport has changed forever, according to the findings of an annual survey of sporting sentiment. The Teneo Sports’ Sponsorship Index (TSSI) highlights a significant shift in viewing habits.
New technology, an ever-changing media rights landscape, smartphone penetration, the proliferation of digital media and a strong appetite among Irish consumers for social media has altered how fans watch, share and interact with sport.
It is clear from the research that “dual screening” or “second screening” (engaging with content using two devices at the same time) has become the norm. However, live TV remains strong, illustrating that social media is complementing and not taking over from televised live sport. Three out of every four Irish adults watch live sport on TV.
In 2016, nine of the 10 most-watched TV shows were sporting occasions. The only exception being the Late Late Toy Show. In 2015, seven out of the 10 most-watched shows were sports programmes.
This year is likely to be the same. The Denmark v Ireland World Cup qualifier in Copenhagen was watched by 1.03 million people on RTÉ. Figures for the men's All-Ireland football final between Dublin and Mayo peaked at 1.3 million viewers. Ireland's Six Nations matches prove consistently attractive, with Ireland v France boasting an average audience of 823,000.
Linear, live TV still dominates with 80 per cent of all viewed video (254 minutes a day) by Irish adults watched live (68 per cent) or recorded (12 per cent) on TV as opposed to other sources such as YouTube, Netflix or on demand.
Major sports matches remain a rare national shared moment watched live on TV. Social media provides a platform for fans to share and chat about these moments, rather than fully distract from them. Sport has been transformed from a mass watching experience to a mass conversation.
Watch at home
According to the research, the majority of those who watch live sport on TV, watch it at home (70 per cent), followed by those who watch in a sports club or pub (11 per cent). Half of us check social media while watching sport with this number rising to 70 per cent for those in the 18-24 and 25-34 age groups.
Facebook dominates as the preferred channel (78 per cent) for checking while watching sport according to the Teneo Sports research. This is followed by Twitter (28 per cent), WhatsApp (29 per cent), YouTube (23 per cent), Instagram (12 per cent) and Snapchat (10 per cent). Facebook's dominance can largely be attributed to its wider popularity – 67 per cent of Irish people use Facebook and of those, 74 per cent use it daily.
This trend towards dual screening and heavy social media usage while watching sport on TV is no surprise given smartphone ownership – 88 per cent of Irish people aged 16-64 own a smartphone and we reportedly spend an average of 1.31 hours a day on social media.
The research found that the main reason fans are online during games is to check scores in other matches (46 per cent) or get expert analysis (17 per cent). There is also a large cohort who want to engage with others online and join a conversation (29 per cent).
Fans use mobile apps, social media, and websites to fill the gaps of information and interaction not provided in live TV commentary. The choice of social media channel reflects what fans are after at different times.
Twitter provides quick news, live updates and snappy information. Facebook offers a way to communicate with fellow fans, share and engage. Snapchat and Instagram are valued for their visual nature and raw authenticity that often provides a direct connection between fans and the team. YouTube is primarily used to relive moments but is also a valuable medium for fans of niche sports.
Irish sports fans who attend matches are far less likely to check their mobiles at a live sports event than if watching at home, with 27 per cent of fans at matches checking their phones (compared to 50 per cent at home). This number is significantly higher in the 18-34 age group.
The reasons for this are many and varied. Irish Sports fans tend to be far more engaged while at a match rather than at home or in a pub and are likely to be more invested in the game having made the effort to be there.
Wifi connectivity has been suggested in the research as an issue, although connectivity has improved in the Aviva, Croke Park and the upgraded Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Also, sports such as hurling, Gaelic Football, rugby and soccer tend to be fast-paced and have few natural breaks apart from half-time. This is unlike US sports such as American football or baseball which tend to go on for longer and have multiple and protracted breaks in play which allow fans to get distracted or entertained.
The difference between those dual screening at home compared with those checking in while at matches is significant, particularly for sponsors, media outlets and rights holders – the prize for fan engagement through social media is far bigger for those watching live TV than those at the match.
Broadcast rights
There is a trend towards a more complex and diverse broadcast rights landscape, as recently witnessed when ATP Tennis confirmed the sale of exclusive tennis rights to Amazon from 2019 in a deal believed to be worth more than £10 million a year.
Many rights experts predict that the Big Four – Facebook, Amazon, Google and Apple – will begin to outbid broadcast media in the next two years. Digital broadcasters can offer their customers a flexibility in viewing that traditional broadcasters cannot.
This throws up a situation where live sport is now sold by the rights holders to multiple locations. Rights holders will most likely look to diversify their broadcast rights deals portfolio but TV, a widely accessible medium, will be dominant for some time. We may see a move to a single smaller screen over time if social media platforms buy up more sports rights.
The way we watch live sport is changing but, according to the research, TV remains king.
For now, social media is the accompaniment rather than the main course.
Mick O’Keefe is chief executive of Teneo PSG.
The TSSI is a 1,000 person nationally representative survey with quotas imposed across gender, region, age and social class. This is the eighth year of the research.
