Traditional broadcast will remain the UK’s most dominant way of watching games at this year’s FIFA World Cup.
According to a new study from media and technology company Oath, three in four viewers will watch at home on TV, as opposed to just one per cent on mobile, However, nearly one in four (23 per cent) will be using their phones as the main way of seeking out additional information.
The research also found that one in four (26 per cent) people in the UK will not support any other team in the football tournament should their team leave the contest and a quarter of viewers will switch off once England have been knocked out.
A third of UK fans said they would be interested in on-demand replays, 18 per cent would like to see 360° virtual reality stadium tours, and 15 per cent want to see a tabletop augmented reality version of the game, while 37 per cent won’t be fully engaged in the tournament until it kicks off.
“Brands only have a small window where they can grab consumers’ attention while games are on, so they need to look beyond matches and engage fans seeking out supplementary information including stats, replays and interactive experiences,” said Stuart Flint, VP EMEA at Oath. “While some British fans will switch off from TV once their team is out of the running, they’re still likely to be keeping tabs on contextually relevant content throughout the competition.”
