More than 80% of fans engage at every stage from build-up to off-season, with connected TV and the open internet at the heart of the fan journey, according to The Trade Desk and PA Consulting
Sports fans stay engaged long after the final whistle, according to new research from The Trade Desk Intelligence and PA Consulting that suggests the live event is only one moment in a much longer relationship between supporters and sport.
The study, How the open internet fuels modern sports fandom, surveyed 3,550 fans across Saudi Arabia, the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. It found that more than 80% engage with sport at every stage of the cycle, from the build-up to the off-season, and that the average fan follows four sports. For brands, that creates opportunities to reach audiences well beyond the live game.
The findings arrive as the Middle East cements its place in world sport. Terry Kane, Managing Director for Africa, Middle East and Turkey at The Trade Desk, said the region is “one of the most important stages in global sport, as a host and sponsor”, with some of its largest companies counted among the biggest sponsors in global sport.
Over the next 12 months, the region will host the Formula 1 season finale, the DP World Tour’s Gulf swing, the AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia and the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar.
“Our research shows that the live event is only one moment in a much longer relationship,” Kane said. “CTV and the open internet let brands stay with fans before and after the event.”
Of all the channels examined, CTV spanned the entire sports lifecycle. The research found 83% of fans say CTV is important to their fandom, while 84% hold a CTV sports subscription.
Fans said CTV gives them control over when and how they watch, brings them closer to the action and connects them through a shared experience. Some 68% agreed that streaming a big match, race or sporting event makes it feel cinematic and immersive.
The research also challenges the assumption that social platforms dominate fan engagement. Some 80% of fans said connected digital channels are essential to their fandom, compared with 62% for so-called walled gardens such as social media and search engines.
Fans are 1.6 times more likely to use open internet sources, such as sports news sites or club apps, than social media. Two in three use an open internet source as a second screen during live events, and 79% turn to them when they cannot watch live.
Engagement on one channel tends to spill into others. According to the study, 87% of fans said they are likely to engage with another connected channel after using one, underlining the part played by podcasts, gaming and sports news sites in reaching supporters.
Content also drives movement between channels: 64% agreed that sports content on CTV or podcasts prompts them to visit quality sports websites. Three in five said watching at home makes them want to attend live events or take part themselves.
What keeps fans coming back is largely emotional. The research found 82% said excitement and reliving great moments drive their engagement.
It identifies five mindsets that shape behaviour across the fan lifecycle: Feel-good Fandom, Immersed in the Action, Everyday Knowledge, Deeper Understanding and Connected Community.
The report recommends that brands match channels to these shifting needs rather than concentrating spend on the live moment. That means using CTV, audio, digital out-of-home, premium websites and sports gaming where each has the greatest influence on fans at a given point in their journey.
With fans following multiple sports and moving fluidly between screens, the findings suggest the competition for attention is won or lost in the gaps between matches as much as during them.
