IBM study shows sport fans as being ready to embrace AI-powered digital experiences

Sports fans’ collective appetite for data analytics is continuing to grow - as evidenced by a newly released IBM study and by several presentation at this week’s Australia Sports Technology Conference.

Research commissioned by IBM has revealed that most sports fans - more than 64% globally between the age range of 18 and 54 - feel like data analytics will continue to improve the sports they consume - and that they expect AI to play a big hand in that experience.

The study found that nearly two-thirds (63%) of fans in the study see data analytics as a positively impactful addition. And exactly half (50%) think that AI will continue to enhance the viewing experience, through real-time updates and more personalised content.

Thursday’s Australia Sports Tech Conference also saw several speakers including iReel Head of Product Simon Reel, Cultural Pulse Chief Executive Reg Raghavan and, in a panel discussion, AFL Digital Operations Lead Jane Bell advise of the how sport is meeting the growing demand for higher-level statistics.

The Conference formed a key part of Australia Sports Innovation Week (ASIW).

IBM Study
IBM has used generative AI, notably with its watsonx platform, to provide different features around events such as Wimbledon tennis and The Masters golf tournament through automated commentary, insights or generated highlights. Most lately, IBM helped to create a ‘Catch Me Up’ feature around Wimbledon that debuted with this year’s tournament, producing some factual errors on player cards that drew attention on social media this week.

In terms of the biggest area where the sports industry can better tap gen AI to bring to sports fans’ viewing experiences, look to real-time updates (34% of study respondents prioritised this) and personalised content (29%).

Not surprisingly, younger fans fitting in the 18-to-29 age range represent the bulk of AI-favouring fans - 58% of that group believed the technology would be a boost. Also, the trick to capturing those younger fans may come through social media, spotlighting the importance of an AI-powered partner that can generate near-immediate highlights for sharing across channels.

Overall, 56% of total fans look to social media regularly for additional and more abbreviated sports content.

Other key study findings of the IBM study included:

Fans are optimistic about the impact of technology on sports, paving the way for generative AI powered experiences

• 63% of respondents point to data analytics as having the most positive impact on sports, while 50% of respondents think AI will have a positive impact.

• When it comes to how generative AI can improve engagement, surveyed sports fans identify real-time updates (34%) and personalised content (29%) as the top priorities.

  • India, UAE and Saudi Arabia rank the highest in countries where fans are prioritising real-time updates and personalissed content powered by generative AI.

Fans now prioritise personalised, bite-sized content when it comes to their consumption of sport content

• More than half (56%) of respondents turn to social media for additional sports content; 46% are getting additional content from broadcast/video news while 35% are turning to news articles.

• 64% of those fans engaging in additional sports content are viewing highlight videos of best moments; 48% are consuming post-match recaps and analysis.

• Among those engaging in additional sports content, respondents rank summarised content (33%) as their top priority followed by personalised content (26%).

• Sports fans are watching event summaries more often, with 41% of respondents indicating they watch summaries or highlights weekly; 24% report daily engagement.

Younger fans may be reshaping how consumers experience sports content, as they engage with content via multiple screens and are more likely to favour AI-powered enhancements

• Younger fans (18-29) are most likely to view sports highlights through social media over other platforms.

• When it comes to consuming sports content, fans aged between 18-29 are more likely to rank personalised content as their top priority.

• Fans aged 18-29 are more likely to rate AI improvements as high priority, with real-time updates (40%) and personalised content (36%) topping the list of priorities.

  • While real-time updates (26%) and personalised content (19%) also top the list of AI improvement priorities among older fans (55+), these respondents are much less likely to consider AI improvements a high priority.

• Younger fans are also more likely to be using multiple devices while engaging with sporting events than older fans (55+). 10% of younger fans surveyed use three or more devices while watching sports compared to only 2% of older fans.

While TV is the most common method for viewing sports, fans are increasingly using multiple devices to follow sporting events

• 64% of surveyed fans say linear or streaming TV is their top choice for watching sports.

• 31% of respondents say they are most likely to watch a live sporting event on linear broadcast; 28% say they use a subscription streaming service and 23% use a free streaming service

  • Subscription streaming of live sporting events is most popular among younger fans aged between 18-29.

• Mobile devices are a noteworthy alternative for watching sports, with 20% of consumers reporting it is the top way they watch sporting events and 38% saying it is their second most likely options.

• 28% of surveyed sports fans use at least two devices while watching sporting events; 24% report they use at least two devices while listening to sports

• Fans between 18-44 are more likely to be using three or more devices.

Respondents rank multi-tasking as the top reason for using multiple devices when consuming sports, followed by finding more game information while watching or listening to the sport.

The study was conducted in May by Morning Consult by polling more than 18,000 people in 10 countries via online survey.

Click here to view the full study.