Sports packages still have the potential to be the make-or-break factor in consumers’ pay-TV package choices, according to the latest research from Ampere Analysis.
The data showed a broad spread of sports fans aged from 18-64 watching sport on TV, with viewers aged 35-54 accounting for almost half of the audience.
Ampere also found that sports fans are generally big TV viewers, watching more TV than other consumers. In the UK, almost three quarters of sports fans have a pay-TV subscription, compared with 62 per cent of other viewers
Viewers over the age of 35 are more likely to pay for sports compared to younger fans. A fifth of UK viewers aged 35-64 would pay for the Premier League, compared to 14 per cent of viewers aged 28-34.
Ampere Analysis research analyst Alexios Dimitropoulos said: “With sports fans so overwhelmingly eager to pay to access their favourite competitions, there is tremendous scope to further monetise sports on TV. The challenge will be to balance the enthusiasm for niche competitions, particularly evident amongst younger viewers, with the demand for big-ticket events such as the Champions League.
“Online services have a chance to maximise this demand, with an expanded offering of sports events, and that’s why we’re seeing Facebook, Amazon and Twitter, amongst others, make their first forays into this space.”
