Two-thirds of global sports executives are concerned about the relevance of live sports as more younger fans gravitate towards highlights, documentaries, and short-form videos from fans, teams, and players over watching live games on video, according to Altman Solon’s 2024 Global Sports Survey.
The survey, which measures the habits of 3,000 global sports fans, reveals that a large 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, it says.
Altman Solon noted that a related survey of 220 global sports it conducted acknowledged this fan dynamic, with 65% of executives expressing concerns over the continued relevance of live sports in the eyes of sports fans.
David Dellea, partner at Altman Solon, 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?”
Matt Del Percio, director at Altman Solon, added: “The good news is that overall interest in sports is still strong. 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.”
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