Sport and the Media - UK - January 2017

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Big events dominate TV sport viewing
Rights migration to pay-TV could be a concern
The Sky v BT battle continues
Football clubs and stars amass major social media followings
Key players
Social media networks start streaming live sport
World’s biggest football clubs launch new social network
VR and sport continues to be explored
The consumer
Nearly half of people watch live sport
Figure 1: Viewership of sports content, October 2016
Younger people watch sport outside of the home
Figure 2: Location people watch live sport, October 2016
The majority of viewers watch on free services
Figure 3: Services used to watch live sport, October 2016
Live sport is still primarily watched on a TV screen
Figure 4: Devices used to watch live sport, October 2016
Nearly three in four sports fans watch live football
Figure 5: Sports watched live, October 2016
Younger people interact with sport via social media
Figure 6: Use of sports media, October 2016
Broadcasters may want to explore more payment models
Figure 7: Attitudes towards sport and the media, October 2016
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Sports fans struggle with the current cost of content
The facts
The implications
Engaging with younger sports fans
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Ownership of mobile devices continues to increase
Millennials are heavy users of social and media networks
Football clubs and stars amass major social media followings
Big events dominate TV sport viewing
Rights migration to pay-TV could be a concern
The BBC fights to keep sports content on free-to-air
The Sky v BT battle continues
MARKET DRIVERS
Ownership of mobile devices continues to increase
Figure 8: Trends in household ownership of selected digital devices, June 2015 and July 2016
Millennials are heavy users of social and media networks
Figure 9: Use of social networks in the last three months, by age, March 2016
Figure 10: Use of media networks in the last three months, by age, March 2016
Football clubs and stars amass major social media followings
Figure 11: Top five Premier League football clubs on social media, as of 3 January 2017
Figure 12: Top five Premier League footballers on social media, as of 3 January 2017
Figure 13: Top five footballers globally on social media, as of 3 January 2017
Big events dominate TV sport viewing
Rights migration to pay-TV could be a concern
Figure 14: Genre shares of UK television audience, 2015
The BBC fights to keep sports content on free-to-air
The Sky v BT battle continues
Encouraging signs for women’s sport as Sky signs biggest ever rights deal for UK netball
KEY PLAYERS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Social media networks start streaming live sport
World’s biggest football clubs launch new social network
Copa90 creates weekly Snapchat TV show
VR and sport continues to be explored
Sky introduces new sports channels
BT and Sky explore UHD further
BT Sport App available for free to EE customers
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
Social media networks start streaming live sport
Livestreaming is also being used to boost fan engagement
World’s biggest football clubs launch new social network
Copa90 creates weekly Snapchat TV show
VR and sport continues to be explored
‘Netflix for Sport’ offers alternative viewing model
BT Sport App available for free to EE customers
Sky Sports makes new channel available for free
BT and Sky explore Ultra HD sports further
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Nearly half of people watch live sport
The majority of viewers watch on free services
Live sport is still primarily watched on a TV screen
Football is the UK’s most popular live sport
Three in 10 read journalists’ sports reports
Younger people interact with sport via social media
People can’t afford all the content they want
High interest in VR sport among young viewers
VIEWERSHIP OF SPORTS CONTENT 
Nearly half of people watch live sport
Figure 15: Viewership of sports content, October 2016
Men are more likely to watch sport
Figure 16: Viewership of sports content, by gender, October 2016
Younger people are more likely to watch online sports content
Figure 17: Viewership of sports content, by age, October 2016
Younger people watch sport outside of the home
Figure 18: Location people watch live sport, October 2016
DEVICES AND SERVICES USED TO WATCH LIVE SPORT 
The majority of viewers watch on free services
Figure 19: Services used to watch live sport, October 2016
Younger people more likely to use paid streaming services
Figure 20: Used a paid streaming service to watch live sport in last 12 months, by age, October 2016
Live sport is still primarily watched on a TV screen
Figure 21: Devices used to watch live sport, October 2016
Younger people are more likely to watch on mobile devices
Figure 22: Devices used to watch live sport, by age, October 2016
SPORTS WATCHED LIVE 
Nearly three in four watch live football
American Football has potential in UK market
Figure 23: Sports watched live, October 2016
Athletics and tennis are particularly popular among women
Figure 24: Sports watched live, by gender, October 2016
USE OF SPORTS MEDIA 
Three in 10 read journalists’ sports reports
Social media has changed the role of the sports journalist
Figure 25: Use of sports media, October 2016
Men interact more with sport but social media appeals to women
Figure 26: Use of sports media, by gender, October 2016
Younger people also interact with sport via social media
Livestreaming offers a new way of engaging fans
Figure 27: Use of sports media, by age, October 2016
ATTITUDES TOWARDS SPORT AND THE MEDIA 
People can’t afford all the content they want
Broadcasters may need to explore more payment models
Figure 28: Attitudes towards sport and the media, October 2016
Sport has more influence on men’s TV purchasing habits
Figure 29: Attitudes towards sport and the media – Agree with statement, by gender, October 2016
Foreign sport is worth investing in
Figure 30: Agreement with statement ‘Watching more sport from other countries would interest me’. by age, October 2016
Many feel women’s sports don’t get enough coverage
Interest in VR higher among younger viewers
Figure 31: Agreement with statement ‘Using virtual reality to watch sport interests me’, by age, October 2016
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Abbreviations
Consumer research methodology