The findings underscore the industry's concerns amid the explosion of streamers into the sports marketplace and the fragmentation of sports media.
Findings from Altman Solon’s 2024 Global Sports Survey show that more younger fans are gravitating towards highlights, documentaries, and short-form videos from fans, teams, and players over watching live games on video.
The survey, which measures the habits of 3,000 global sports fans, reveals that a considerable percentage of young sports fans prefer watching game highlights and other content over watching the games themselves. In fact, only two-thirds of sports fans watch live matches, due to difficulty accessing content and a lack of a willingness to pay.
A related survey of 220 global sports executives conducted by Altman Solon acknowledged this fan dynamic, with 65% of executives expressing concerns over the continued relevance of live sports in the eyes of sports fans.
Commenting on the survey’s findings, Altman Solon Partner David Dellea, said: “The appetiser and dessert are becoming the main dish for many sports fans. This is a serious problem, as short-form content cannot possibly replace the unique commercial value of live sports. We’ve reached the tipping point where content originally created to generate interest in the games has become as sought after as the games themselves. The critical question for rights holders and partners is: how can we navigate challenges of discovery and access to funnel younger audiences to a live product that they want to watch?”
Other key findings from the consumer portion of the survey are: 66% sports fans report difficulty in accessing their favourite live sports; 43% fans say they are unwilling to pay for content at current pricing models. Additionally, younger generations cite lower sports viewership compared to older generations, with contrast more pronounced in the US and UK. These findings underscore the industry’s concerns amid the explosion of streamers into the sports marketplace and the fragmentation of sports media.
“The good news is that overall interest in sports is still strong,” said Altman Solon Director Matt Del Percio. “Despite lower interest in watching games among younger fans, live sports still move the needle for networks and streamers – but it is now important to elevate the adjacent content and monetise it in its own right.”
In the report, Dellea and Del Percio also included recommendations for sports rights holders and partners, including elevating standalone content and developing differentiated pricing.
In developing this report, Altman Solon surveyed 3,000 adult consumers and 220 senior sports executives across eight countries, including the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, China, between July and August this year. Altman Solon will release more results from the survey in the coming months.
