The Super Bowl will touch down in a couple of weeks, and roughly one-third of viewers plan to watch the event on a streaming service rather than on broadcast and cable, according to Adtaxi’s annual Super Bowl Viewership survey.
Over 30% of viewers said a streaming service will be their primary viewing source for the Super Bowl, beating out cable (29%) and broadcast (26%) for the first time, Adtaxi noted. Comparably, last year’s game accounted for nearly 40% of broadcast viewership in the week of February 7, per Nielsen.
Adtaxi surveyed 1,056 U.S. adults across the U.S., with 797 respondents indicating they plan to watch this year’s Super Bowl.
The shift towards streaming consumption isn’t surprising, noted Adtaxi’s director of research Murry Woronoff, as the firm predicted 2023 would be the “tipping point” for sports streaming. Apple, Amazon and YouTube are among the major players that have taken advantage of live sports rights.
“In 2022 streaming services increased their live sports streaming options, and our survey confirms that viewers are making the switch,” Woronoff stated. “We anticipate a continued decline in broadcast and cable viewership in the Super Bowl year to year, as streaming options become more prevalent.”
Over half of respondents (52%) indicated they will follow the Super Bowl on a digital platform, such as social media or a sporting website, regardless of their primary viewing method.
This year’s Super Bowl – featuring the Kansas City Chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles – will be broadcast on February 12 via Fox, while streaming coverage will be available on virtual MVPDs that carry the network, like FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling and YouTube TV. Fox in September boasted it’s sold 95% of advertising inventory for the event.
Though advertising is a key element of the Super Bowl, Adtaxi pointed out most viewers this year are looking forward to the game itself over watching the ads and the half-time show. But Super Bowl ads are still reeling in those who aren’t interested in the event.
“It is important for advertisers to realize that viewers are switching to streaming and using multiple devices while consuming,” stated Chris Loretto, EVP of Adtaxi. “Additionally,even those who do not watch the game will be paying attention to the ads digitally. Utilizing social and streaming platforms, along with a voice and strategy, will be key to stand out from the crowd.”