More than half of American sports fans plan to stream some or all of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris this summer, according to a new study published by Amdocs this week.
Four years ago, a similar survey conducted by Amdocs found 28 percent of Americans planned to stream the Summer Games, which were made available on Comcast’s NBC Sports and Peacock apps.
This year, all events from the Olympic Games will be available to stream live on Peacock — even with the time difference between the United States and France, the host country of the Olympics this year. But the time zone issues won’t deter sports fans from streaming the games, with 51 percent of Americans surveyed by Amdocs affirming their desire to watch the events online.
Raman Abrol, the General Manager at Amdocs and the CEO of its subsidiary Vubiquity, said the sudden interest in streaming the Olympic Games correlated with a shift in consumption of video content on the whole.
“Recognizing this trend, cable providers are strategically adapting by offering bundled streaming plans that include services like Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV Plus at competitive prices,” Abrol said, referring to the streaming bundle recently launched by Comcast called Stream Saver.
“This approach not only addresses the cost concerns of over a quarter of Gen Z viewers but also ensures that consumers can access the additional features and flexibility offered by streaming services,” Abrol continued. “By meeting the demand for more elastic and affordable viewing options, both consumers and providers stand to benefit from this evolving landscape.”
One reason why Americans are suddenly interested in streaming the events live? Sports betting. According to Amdocs, around 50 percent of Generation Z streamers — those born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s — have expressed an interest in betting on the games, and say the opportunity to wager against specific events increased their interest in streaming the games live.
Younger viewers are also interested in the allure of celebrities who will provide ancillary coverage of the Olympic Games on NBC and Peacock — including rapper Snoop Dogg, retired pro-football quarterback Peyton Manning, singer Kelly Clarkson and comedian Jimmy Fallon — with 34 percent of Gen Z streamers saying they’re excited to watch Olympic programming hosted by those stars.
“By offering platforms that deliver unique, context-rich interactions, content providers can enhance user engagement and foster long-term loyalty,” Abrol said. ” This shift underscores the critical need for innovation in streaming services to meet the dynamic demands of today’s tech-savvy audience.”
