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Almost two thirds (63 per cent) of consumers would be willing to pay more to stream live sports if platforms were to provide a more personalised user experience, according to a study carried out by the US communications giant Verizon.
Verizon Media’s latest report, Viewing Shifts: How we watch sport, used a representative sample of more than 5,000 sports fans who currently pay for streaming services across the UK, the US, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
The study’s results show that the majority of fans prefer to sign up to league or all-team sports passes, though only a third of respondents with a premium subscription felt they had access to all the teams they want to watch.
Roughly a third of sports respondents said they were looking for more control over the live experience, including access to recap features such as slow-motion replays (35 per cent), the ability to switch between camera angles (30 per cent), time shifting (30 per cent) and the ability to skip ads (30 per cent).
There is also significant interest in getting easier access to match highlights (42 per cent), and libraries containing on-demand content (22 per cent), according to the study.
The study’s findings align with a survey carried out by Australian agency Quantum Market Research last year, which found that 96 per cent of UK soccer fans would use a personalised TV channel if it was offered, and would be willing to pay an additional UK£14.30 (US$18.56) per month on top of their existing subscription.
Ariff Sidi, Verizon Media’s chief product officer, said: “The industry talks a lot about streaming services being ‘TV-like’ but sports fans actually want a different experience that puts them in total control.
“Streaming services are much more capable of innovating because they have the luxury of using advanced technology that can serve every consumer need from day one. Live sports streaming services can emulate the best aspects of traditional television while bringing totally unique immersive experiences to fans.”
The Verizon’s survey also found that up to 90 per cent of viewers are now using a second screen while watching live sports. The most common reasons for this are either to engage with friends (45 per cent), use social media (45 per cent), access real-time game data (44 per cent), or to search for statistics (43 percent), according to the survey.
With reference to one-off payment options, such as those available to subscribers to the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) League Pass streaming service, the survey’s respondents also expressed a preference to buy individual games, and could represent an ‘untapped’ source of revenue in the market.
Sidi continued: “There is a huge opportunity for content providers to reshape the entire landscape of live sports by offering more choice and deeper coverage of specific teams.
“There is the potential to build global audiences around niche sports and leagues that don’t currently get enough airtime, but to do so they must employ the latest and most flexible technology resources.”
Verizon’s study also found that a high quality picture is more important than low latency, with 66 per cent of respondents saying they would choose 4K quality video over a stream that’s as close to real time as possible.
From a marketing perspective, four in five respondents said that they also expect streaming services ‘to offer different and less disruptive’ ad experiences.
Nearly nine in ten (86 per cent) respondents said they expect streaming services to offer a completely different ad experience, while over half (54 per cent) expect fewer adverts, and around a three in ten (29 per cent) said that they want more personalised advertising and offers.
Sidi adSidi added: “We’re seeing yet more evidence for the need to tailor content and business models to suit individual viewers. Service providers can make full use of the true flexibility of online streaming to personalise every aspect of the experience – from the content to the way they monetize it.”
Almost two thirds (63 per cent) of consumers would be willing to pay more to stream live sports if platforms were to provide a more personalised user experience, according to a study carried out by the US communications giant Verizon.
Verizon Media’s latest report, Viewing Shifts: How we watch sport, used a representative sample of more than 5,000 sports fans who currently pay for streaming services across the UK, the US, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
The study’s results show that the majority of fans prefer to sign up to league or all-team sports passes, though only a third of respondents with a premium subscription felt they had access to all the teams they want to watch.
Roughly a third of sports respondents said they were looking for more control over the live experience, including access to recap features such as slow-motion replays (35 per cent), the ability to switch between camera angles (30 per cent), time shifting (30 per cent) and the ability to skip ads (30 per cent).
There is also significant interest in getting easier access to match highlights (42 per cent), and libraries containing on-demand content (22 per cent), according to the study.
The study’s findings align with a survey carried out by Australian agency Quantum Market Research last year, which found that 96 per cent of UK soccer fans would use a personalised TV channel if it was offered, and would be willing to pay an additional UK£14.30 (US$18.56) per month on top of their existing subscription.
Ariff Sidi, Verizon Media’s chief product officer, said: “The industry talks a lot about streaming services being ‘TV-like’ but sports fans actually want a different experience that puts them in total control.
“Streaming services are much more capable of innovating because they have the luxury of using advanced technology that can serve every consumer need from day one. Live sports streaming services can emulate the best aspects of traditional television while bringing totally unique immersive experiences to fans.”
The Verizon’s survey also found that up to 90 per cent of viewers are now using a second screen while watching live sports. The most common reasons for this are either to engage with friends (45 per cent), use social media (45 per cent), access real-time game data (44 per cent), or to search for statistics (43 percent), according to the survey.
With reference to one-off payment options, such as those available to subscribers to the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) League Pass streaming service, the survey’s respondents also expressed a preference to buy individual games, and could represent an ‘untapped’ source of revenue in the market.
Sidi continued: “There is a huge opportunity for content providers to reshape the entire landscape of live sports by offering more choice and deeper coverage of specific teams.
“There is the potential to build global audiences around niche sports and leagues that don’t currently get enough airtime, but to do so they must employ the latest and most flexible technology resources.”
Verizon’s study also found that a high quality picture is more important than low latency, with 66 per cent of respondents saying they would choose 4K quality video over a stream that’s as close to real time as possible.
From a marketing perspective, four in five respondents said that they also expect streaming services ‘to offer different and less disruptive’ ad experiences.
Nearly nine in ten (86 per cent) respondents said they expect streaming services to offer a completely different ad experience, while over half (54 per cent) expect fewer adverts, and around a three in ten (29 per cent) said that they want more personalised advertising and offers.
Sidi adSidi added: “We’re seeing yet more evidence for the need to tailor content and business models to suit individual viewers. Service providers can make full use of the true flexibility of online streaming to personalise every aspect of the experience – from the content to the way they monetize it.”
