The sport industry is at “a tipping point” due to declining interest in watching live sport among young people, experts have warned.
Two thirds of global sports executives are concerned that a shift amongst younger fans from live sport to highlights and documentaries could damage the commercial value of the industry, according to Altman Solon’s 2024 Global Sports Survey.
A survey of 3,000 fans’ habits shows that a large percentage of younger fans prefer content other than live sport, with only two thirds of fans actually watching matches live.
It has led to 65 per cent of 220 global sporting executives expressing concerns over the relevance of live sport to younger fans.
Changing media habits and the financial accessibility of watching live coverage is deterring more youthful fans away.
Serious problem for sport
“This is a serious problem,” said Altman Solon Partner David Dellea. “As short-form content cannot possibly replace the unique commercial value of live sports.
“We’ve reached the tipping point where content originally created to generate interest in the games has become as sought after as the games themselves.
“The critical question for rights holders and partners is: how can we navigate challenges of discovery and access to funnel younger audiences to a live product that they want to watch?”
The survey demonstrates the annual subscription cost should an English fan wish to watch all live Premier League games compared to other key markets.
A subscription to Sky, TNT and Amazon Prime would set fans back nearly £650 compared to £310 in France, £215 in Germany and £170 in Italy, where there’s only one broadcaster.
According to the survey, 56 per cent of people said they would watch more live action if accessibility was improved, while 43 per cent of respondents insisted they were interested in sport but unwilling to pay for the privilege.
Nearly two thirds of people, 60 per cent, do, however, maintain an interest in watching live sports.
Interest remains
“The good news is that overall interest in sports is still strong,” said Altman Solon Director Matt Del Percio.
“Despite lower interest in watching games among younger fans, live sports still move the needle for networks and streamers – but it is now important to elevate the adjacent content and monetize it in its own right.”
Compared to other countries, the UK and US saw interest in watching live action rise as age increased. Germany, on the other hand, saw levels maintained throughout various age groups. Saudi Arabia sees a middle-aged peak while China sees a dramatic increase through until 35-44 years olds before a steady decrease.