Who's Watching? How Age and Gender Shape Sports Consumption

This is an excerpt from the research report, Streaming Live Sports: Where Opportunity Meets Complexity, published in partnership with InterDigital, Inc.

Read the full report.

While sports hold universal appeal, how they are consumed, what is consumed, by whom, willingness to pay, and interest in interactivity all vary by age and gender. Younger sports fans show less interest in watching full games, preferring to watch highlights on social media to shorten viewing time. In comparison, live games tend to draw older viewers, while middle-aged viewers are prime targets for original content. And while men watch sporting events more often than women, women still comprise a significant portion of the sports viewing segment.

Age

Younger viewers represent the future of sports broadcasting, and sports leagues are at risk of losing younger audiences and the valuable ad dollars they represent in the live stream. Younger viewers prefer to have more control over when they watch games. As such, they are more likely to watch replays of games and events that better align with their schedule. Also, interactive tools that mimic the mobile/social experience with chatting, polls, quizzes, and even sports betting may attract younger viewers into the live experience.

Making the sports experience more engaging and immersive LIVE is critical to keeping those younger viewers engaged. 

• 70% of sports viewers 18-24 watch at least one live game or match a week compared to 87%+ of those ages 55+.
• 40% of sports viewers under 35 watch sports on social media platforms compared with just 13% of those ages 55+.
• Younger Sports Viewers (under age 35) are more likely to use sports-specific D2C streaming apps and social platforms to watch sports content.

While the quest for the ever-elusive “younger viewer” continues, older viewers should not be ignored. As evidenced by the sheer number of pharmaceutical, travel, and high-end car commercials found on TV, not every advertiser is targeting the younger generation.

Another way for services to broaden their user base is to expand their coverage of niche sports, such as MMA/wrestling/boxing, tennis, surfing, rugby, and esports. ESPN is embracing this approach with its expanded coverage of Pickleball, rugby, and surfing. While you won’t find these sports on ESPN’s primary channel or in primetime they are making their way onto ESPN’s secondary channels and during the late fringe and overnight dayparts.

Gender

While men account for the majority of Sports Viewers (65%), women should not be ignored as they represent a significant portion of the Sports Viewing segment (35%) as well. One of the unique aspects of female Sports Viewers is that they are more reliant on streaming to access sports content. Nearly 49% of them watch streaming sports only (that is, do not watch via pay TV or antenna), and compared with 42% of men. In comparison, 36% of male Sports Viewers use a combination of traditional and streaming services to watch sports compared to 29% of female Sports Viewers.

The most popular sports for female Sports Viewers to watch are combat sports, such as MMA/Boxing/wrestling (35%), auto racing (35%), the NFL (34%), and college football (31%).

Regardless of age or gender, in the end, reaching sports fans requires an omnichannel presence.

This is an excerpt from the research report, Streaming Live Sports: Where Opportunity Meets Complexity, published in partnership with InterDigital, Inc.