In recent years, sports have solidified their position as an indispensable pillar for the success of both television broadcasters and streaming platforms. Its ability to capture the interest of a wide audience, from football enthusiasts to fans of less common disciplines, has intensified the competition among various industry players. This article analyzes the evolution of sports on television and streaming platforms, and why it remains an essential type of content.
The central theme of this study concerns the driving force of sports in the television and streaming landscape. Through analyses and market research, the aim is to answer key questions: Is sport truly a strong attraction for the audience? Which platforms dominate the television and streaming sectors? How and where do consumers watch sports events?
To answer these questions, it is first necessary to examine the Italian television landscape and the relevant sector. The Italian TV market is divided into three main groups: traditional TV, pay TV, and streaming platforms. Traditional TV includes broadcasters such as Rai and Mediaset, while pay TV services are offered by Sky. Innovations in the streaming field include platforms like Netflix, DAZN, etc., which are radically transforming the way sports content is consumed, offering users greater flexibility and personalized access.
Over the years, sports have found their place first in television schedules and, more recently, on streaming platforms. In the 1990s, only free-to-air TV broadcasted sports. Today, traditional TV continues to play an important role in broadcasting sports events, but dedicated sports platforms and pay TV services have emerged. Leading the way is Sky, which boasts an average of over 8,000 hours of live sports events, along with the streaming platform DAZN.
To understand viewing habits, a quantitative analysis was conducted using the CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interviewing) technique. The sample, composed mainly of women aged 18 to 30 from Lombardy, turned out to be quite sporty. Only 14.4% declared that they were not interested in sports, while 44.8% showed a strong interest, and 40.8% stated that they only follow major events like the Olympics and World Cup. Additionally, 60% of respondents regularly participate in sports, demonstrating not only passive interest but also active involvement in sports.
Following the sample analysis, univariate analyses were performed, focusing on a single variable. The most significant findings revealed that streaming platforms are well-known and widely used by the interviewees, who also express high satisfaction with these services. The top-of-mind streaming platform (TOM) is Netflix, standing out significantly compared to others.
Regarding interest in and viewing of sports, the analysis showed that for those who claim to be occasional sports viewers, free-to-air TV is essential. On the other hand, individuals passionate about specific sports disciplines consider services like Sky and DAZN indispensable and are willing to pay to follow these sports.
Multivariate analyses were conducted, meaning analyses involving multiple variables. The Chi-square test aimed to examine behavioral differences and preferences between the two genders (male and female) regarding streaming platforms and sports disciplines. The test revealed significant results in two relationships: between gender and PC usage, and between gender and Disney Plus usage. However, contingency tables showed that women tend to use and be more familiar with streaming platforms and free-to-air TV, while interest in sports is higher among men.
The linear regression analysis, on the other hand, aimed to explore respondents' overall satisfaction with streaming platforms (dependent variable) in relation to several factors (independent variables). The satisfaction drivers analyzed included cost, available content, content updates, and advertising. The analysis highlighted that the primary drivers of satisfaction are the content offered and its updates, while advertising does not seem to be a significant cause of dissatisfaction among respondents.
Finally, the cluster analysis aimed at group respondents into homogeneous groups to investigate common habits and preferences. A reduction of variables was applied through principal component analysis (PCA), identifying three main components:
Component 1: Streaming enthusiasts
Component 2: Sports fans
Component 3: Traditionalists
The resulting clusters are as follows: a group of "trend-following fans" with a moderate interest in streaming and little interest in sports; "TV enthusiasts," heavy users of streaming with a strong passion for sports; and finally, "minor fans," who are not particularly interested in streaming but show moderate interest in sports and slightly prefer traditional TV.
Based on these analyses, it can be said that sports are of interest to around 7 out of 10 people, though at varying levels of intensity. Sports have a strong impact both on streaming platforms and on traditional TV. Traditional TV remains significantly important, especially for major live sports events, such as the Olympics or the World Cup, attracting a broad and diverse audience interested in sports in general rather than specific disciplines.
Streaming platforms, with their flexibility and accessibility, have revolutionized the way users consume sports content, as evidenced by their high recognition and satisfaction levels. They are particularly appreciated by enthusiasts of specific sports disciplines and younger audiences, thanks to their ability to overcome the constraints of traditional scheduling. This demonstrates that streaming platforms and traditional TV are not necessarily in direct competition but are rather complementary.
In the future, a successful strategy for traditional TV could be to focus on major sports events, which attract a massive general audience, as RAI did with the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics. At the same time, traditional TV should innovate by improving its offerings and extra content on digital platforms, such as RaiPlay and Mediaset Infinity. Streaming platforms, on the other hand, could offer flexible packages that allow users to choose specific sports content based on their preferences and sports of interest (for example, Dazn Football, Dazn Motorsports, and Dazn Basketball). Technological integration and innovation are crucial to ensuring maximum audience satisfaction, enhancing customer experience, and expanding the target audience of these platforms.
In conclusion, regardless of the relationship between traditional TV and streaming platforms, sports always come out on top.
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