Details on how sports fans are adapting and responding to the ever-changing media mix in Australia has been revealed in a new report, Inside Live Sports, released by Nexxen.
The report takes a closer look at sports fans as an audience group, surfacing insights around what they view, how they view, how they feel about the multi-service content landscape we live in today, and which kinds of creative resonate with them. For brands, marketers and advertisers, the trends are set to impact the way audience segments are targeted to maximise advertising ROI.
Fans are streaming more than ever
Fans are covering all the bases with their viewing habits. CTV viewership is on the rise, but there’s still considerable overlap with linear TV, particularly among Superfans.
Live sports fans are streaming more than ever, with streaming platforms seeing 87 per cent year-on-year growth across all fan types. Despite this, traditional TV remains important across generations. Some 43 per cent of all Dedicated Fans combine traditional TV with CTV. Even among younger demographics, 34 per cent of millennials remain loyal to traditional TV while adding CTV to their mix, and, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, 37 per cent of adult Gen Z viewers still watch traditional TV.
Viewers say they are sticking with traditional TV largely because it provides guaranteed access to tentpole events (69 per cent). Access to dedicated sports channels follows at 65 per cent, while reliable content delivery comes in third at 64 per cent. These responses highlight the trust fans place in traditional broadcasters to licence and curate the right sporting content
CTV adoption is accelerating among younger demographics. More than 60 per cent of adult Gen Z and millennials use CTV, making them the dominant users. Adult Gen Z viewers average about three subscriptions to watch live sports, surpassing the general population average of two.
Mobile devices also play in the market for eyeballs during live sporting events. At any given moment during a live sporting event, 73 per cent of fans are multitasking on a second device, typically their phone. These second-screen activities are typically social media (52 per cent), texting (51 per cent), and checking stats and scores (45 per cent).
Fragmented channels causing fan confusion
The proliferation of channels, platforms, and services is creating genuine confusion for sports fans. Nearly half (46 per cent) of survey respondents said they struggled to find where games are being broadcast, while 53 per cent regularly feel frustrated when searching for live sports content.
Some 46 per cent say they have actually missed games because they couldn’t figure out where to watch them. This represents a real missed opportunity for advertisers. Fragmented audiences mean reduced reach with highly valuable sports fans. Advertisers with better access to viewer data stand a greater chance of sorting through the noise to reach these audiences.
Platform recognition varies significantly across the market. Less than half of fans associate live sports with CTV platforms generally, though some specific platforms (largely those with ‘Sport’ in the name) are breaking through.
This crowded platform landscape creates significant challenges for newer or smaller services trying to establish themselves. While established sports-focused brands like Kayo Sports (60 per cent), Optus Sport (58 per cent), and Fox Sports (51 per cent) achieve strong recognition, many other platforms struggle to break through the noise.
The rise of subscription burnout
The busy marketplace is also taking its toll on viewers by means of subscription burnout. Live sports fans are frustrated by aggregated costs and the complexity of managing subscriptions, and that’s leading to high churn rates. Of the fans surveyed, 39 per cent feel frustrated by needing too many subscriptions, while 37 per cent have cancelled a service they previously used to watch sports.
Cost drives most cancellations, with 32 per cent saying it’s too expensive to maintain all their subscriptions. Seasonal behaviour accounts for 18 per cent of cancellations, as fans subscribe only during their preferred sports season and unsubscribe at the end.
Implications for marketers and advertisers
It’s clear from the data that converged media campaigns are no longer optional. Live sports audiences are fragmented, and single-channel approaches risk missing key segments and engagement opportunities.
A strategy that spans linear, CTV, and digital video, unified through data, provides broader reach, more precise targeting, and the opportunity to engage the large number of dual-screen fans.
The growth in CTV platforms creates new opportunities for smaller brands. While converged campaigns are necessary for mass reach, not all brands have the budget for the high price tags of linear and major streaming platforms.
However, the growing availability of live sports across other CTV platforms, FAST channels, and digital networks gives more brands the chance to engage live sports fans without breaking the bank.
Opportunity to get creative with campaigns
The fragmented landscape that frustrates fans also creates targeting opportunities for brands willing to meet audiences where they are. Rather than fighting the complexity, successful marketers will work with it by understanding which platforms serve which fan segments and crafting campaigns that work across multiple touchpoints.
Sports fans’ dual-screen behaviour also opens additional creative possibilities. Brands can design experiences that span the main screen and mobile device, creating more engaging and memorable interactions during live sporting events.
About the Report
The data from Nexxen’s Inside Live Sports report consists of survey data, insights from Nexxen’s proprietary audience Discovery tool and creative analysis. For the survey, 1001 adults over 18 who are members of the Australian general population were enrolled, provided they viewed live sports more than once per month. Download the report here.
