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More than half (58 per cent) of US viewers would be interested in a watching major sporting events such as the Super Bowl in a virtual stadium in the metaverse, according to a study from Amdocs.
Confirmed:
- 81 per cent of Americans will watch this year’s Super Bowl matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs
- A quarter of viewers would like to see more interactive features during the Super Bowl
- A fifth of viewers (20 per cent) would be interested in augmented reality (AR) coverage of the game, with 18 per cent open to virtual reality (VR)
- Of the 1,000 people surveyed, 40 per cent plan to watch the game on cable TV
- 22 per cent intend to tune in via a streaming service, with four per cent intent on watching on social media
- 47 per cent of Gen Z audiences and 39 per cent of all viewers are looking forward to Rihanna’s halftime performance
- 44 per cent said cost was a factor in deciding whether or not to stream the game
Context:
The Super Bowl is the biggest television event of the year in the US, with broadcast partners able to charge millions of dollars for a thirty second advertising slot. In terms of viewership, last year’s Super Bowl reached an average of 112.3 million viewers on NBC, marking a 16 per cent year-over-year (YoY) increase. The Los Angeles Rams’ win against the Cincinnati Bengals was the most-streamed Super Bowl in history, reaching 11.2 million viewers across digital platforms.
The Amdocs study suggests that more digitally-enhanced experiences could be a way for the National Football League (NFL) to retain and deepen engagement with audience, especially among younger demographics.
Coming next:
Following an uptick in viewership on last year’s edition of the showpiece game, the NFL will look to reach more viewers during Fox’s coverage of this year’s Super Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Arizona.
The league is already experimenting with immersive experiences and is working with Roblox to stage the first ever Super Bowl concert in the metaverse. Changing consumer habits mean the league is likely to further engage with tech-savvy audiences in the future.
