PROTECH “Sports fans are the early adopters of consumer trends such as multi-tasking while watching live TV, making use of companion devices (usually smartphones and tablets) to access associated Twitter feeds, player stats, and so on”
Johann Schreurs, EVS
prime example of this; the event saw the highest consumption of digital content on record via a range of smart devices. At the same time, mobile operators like Vodafone reported their highest volume of data usage in 40 years when the games reached their peak on Super Saturday. Sports have always led the way when it comes to online and mobile access. Sports fans are the early adopters of consumer trends such as multi-task while watching live TV, making use of companion devices (usually smartphones and tablets) to access associated Twitter feeds, player stats, and so on. Research by social TV analytics company, Trendrr, found that sports and special programming (such as live coverage of the Oscars) accounted for almost 60% of second screen activity in the first quarter of 2013. Sports broadcasters such as ESPN and Al Jazeera Sports are looking to capitalise on these trends. It is now common for a sports broadcaster to offer app-based content to augment the viewing experience – the ESPN ScoreCenter and Al Jazeera Sports apps, for example, provide access to curated Twitter feeds, news, statistics, live streams, and so on to feed the insatiable appetite for additional, relevant content. At the moment, these app-based services tend to be offered free, as part of a wider pay-TV subscription that includes premium sports channels. However, by creating more enriched and compelling content, broadcasters will be able to better monetise these second screen offerings. This could either be via targeted adver