Gen Z prefer watching live sports on the go rather than viewing it at home or in a bar – because it’s more convenient. A poll of 500 sports fans found 80 percent of those between 18 and 26 will typically watch sports on their mobile phone while out and about.
Of those Gen Zers who generally consume games on their phone, 54 percent say it’s more accessible than other devices while a further 38 percent claim it’s how they access all their content. It also emerged that 74 percent of young adults get most of their sports content from social media – more than any other generation, with 65 percent of millennials doing this.
However, the study commissioned by Vizrt and conducted by OnePoll also found the love of live sporting events seems to be dying out among the younger generations, with just 58 percent of Gen Zs enjoying it. Sitting down to watch a full game live could become a rare occurrence as younger generations of viewers demand short form snappy content, with younger viewers favoring watching highlights (23%) and 17 percent opting to watch a game after it aired on their own time using catch-up features.“There’s a drastic shift in how the younger demographic are interacting with, and consuming sports content,” says Pino Barile, head of sport, USA, Vizrt, in a statement. “To truly keep these fans engaged, broadcasters must adapt their content for the younger generation’s viewing habits.”
“Millennials and Gen Z want shorter, snappier content they can watch on the go, but that is rich with AR graphics, real-time data, and exciting analysis to feel fully immersed in the game.”
