The future of sports media is a mystery. Not only do new platforms constantly emerge, but the people that have been in the business for a long time are in for a rude awakening as Gen Z comes of age to start making purchasing and consumption decisions.
A new study shows that sports fandom and dedication to live games is on the decline with people between the ages of 18 and 26. Legacy media (television, radio, and print) fared particularly poorly.
The study, which was commissioned by Vizrt and conducted by OnePoll, shows that 80% of Gen Z generally watched sports on their phone. More than half of those that choose the phone say it is for convenience. 38% say it is the only way they access any entertainment.
More interesting, is the amount of time the generation devotes to sports. 23% of respondents say they only consume highlights, while 17% say they have no problem watching a game after it has already aired because they value their own schedule over a league’s or network’s.
“There’s a drastic shift in how the younger demographic are interacting with, and consuming sports content,” Pino Barile, head of sport, USA, Vizrt, said in a press release. “To truly keep these fans engaged, broadcasters must adapt their content for the younger generation’s viewing habits.”
Fandom in general is on the decline. Only 58% of Get Zers say they enjoy live sports. Football takes the biggest hit between generations.Only 29% of Gen Z says it is their favorite sport to watch compared to 39% of Gen Xers.
