The Data Digest: Sports, Spectators, And Screen Time

Sports fans around the world are having a heyday: From the Copa America soccer tournament in the US to the European Champions Cup across the pond, and from live Wimbledon matches to the imminent Summer Olympic Games, there is no lack of global sports entertainment at this moment.

Sports teams have always brought people together as much as divided them — and in today’s age, technology amplifies the drama of fandom. Personal devices play a critical role in how people come together around sports, when fans watch the action unfold, and how they discuss the results.

For example, Forrester’s latest Consumer Technographics® survey data reveals that consumers worldwide have recently accessed sports applications on their mobile phones and tablets: 

Our previous research shows that consumers often prefer tablets for longer, more engaging, media-rich experiences — and in fact, Forrester’s mobile behavioral data indicates that consumers spend more time on sports apps when using their tablet rather than their mobile phone. However, technology doesn’t only enable sports enthusiasts to get into the game — oftentimes, it also allows more casual fans to multitask.

In an earlier research report, my colleagues Nicole Dvorak and Kris Arcand note that as personal devices become integral to the sports spectator experience, marketers should design mobile experiences to engage audiences in new ways. They say that “smartphones [and tablets] are the perfect devices to provide newer, more creative extensions.” Marketers can leverage these screens to “appeal to ad fans [and] game fans, engage [the multitaskers], and tempt the party crowds with delicious offers.”

Source: Forrestor.com