Only 8% will be sticking with the tennis should it over run into the World Cup final, according to new research.
A national survey of 1,633 internet users by market research company, GlobalWebIndex, reveals 63% of the UK will be watching the World Cup final on July 15th – in comparison to just 25% who will be watching the Wimbledon Men’s Final.
Other key findings:
– 44% of UK won’t be watching Wimbledon as Andy Murray is not playing this year
– Only 8% will be sticking with the tennis should it over run into the World Cup final
– 17% state they are more engaged with Wimbledon as a direct result of the World Cup
– 44% of Sports Fans follow sports stars on social media, and they’re 23% more likely than average to discover new brands via celebrity endorsements.
A staggering 44% of UK state they won’t be watching the Men’s Final at all on the 15th due to Andy Murray’s absence from this year’s competition. The former champion and world number one had to bow out of Wimbledon due to an ongoing hip injury.
According to respondents, with the two finals coinciding with one another, only 8% of those watching the tennis state they are prepared to stick with the coverage should the match run over into the start of the World Cup final.
This clash is unfortunate for those attending the tennis tournament, with Wimbledon 2018 standing firm on its policy of ‘tennis only’ screening and being a football-free zone, even if England are playing.
It’s not all doom and gloom for the wider Wimbledon tournament though; 17% of internet users state they are actually more engaged in the tennis this year as a direct result of the World Cup also taking place.
Celebrations continue despite beer shortage
Despite a rip-roarious response to the England football team making the semi-finals, it’s interesting to note that 49% of fans are planning to watch the final from the comfort of their own homes. This compares to just 10% who intend to make it out to a pub or bar for the live coverage.
The summer has been a testing one for publicans and football fans alike with beer shortages dominating the headlines for several weeks. An unusually high number of the plants that produce the gas have closed for maintenance, carrying repercussions across the food and drink supply chain in Europe.
The good news for alcohol brands is consumption habits have not dipped altogether. Two thirds of Brits state the summer of sport has had no impact on the amount of alcohol they are consuming and 34% express the jubilations have resulted in at least slightly greater consumption.
Not just a big screen affair
With nearly half (63%) of consumers choosing to watch the World Cup final, brands looking to jump on the conversation taking place online will thrive by anticipating the second-screen commentary and analysis.
According to the latest Sports report from GlobalWebIndex, just under a fifth of Sports Fans say they use social media to watch or follow sports events. 44% of Sports Fans follow sports stars on social media, and they’re 23% more likely than average to discover new brands via celebrity endorsements.
Chase Buckle, Senior Trends Analyst comments: “Live sport remains one of the only types of content which viewers make an appointment to view. Broadcast TV remains absolutely central, with digital consumers but consumption habits are slowly changing. Sports fans increasingly expect a multi-device presence from broadcasters and brands alike.”