The popularity of sports streaming is rising by the day.
It offers consumers the opportunity to watch a range of sports, through a range of different mobile devices, offering flexibility and convenience.
However, some problems still need ironing out.
Poor picture quality, the regular crashing of smart device apps and the fact many sports streaming services are limited to the use of the digital rights holder’s customers have left a bad taste in the mouths of many sports fans.
But there is a much broader, and more significant issue at play: it’s not ‘live’.
This is a problem for all streamers. For example, Optus’s coverage of the English Premier League is disseminated to its customers with a delay of around 40 to 60 seconds. For many, this is extremely frustrating.
The EPL service that Optus has acquired is being used by the company as a genuine business strategy to win new customers. Put simply, if you want to stream all EPL matches, you first need to become an Optus customer.
But the very demographic who they wish to win over with the EPL product are those who crave up to date, live coverage the most. They are generally impatient. Even a one second delay seems like an eternity to them.
Millennials are a technology generation. They are not put off or scared by the idea that one day we may need to subscribe to some sort of streaming service to view our favourite sports.
On the contrary, they embrace the flexibility and convenience of it all. That’s why streaming has become part and parcel of the broadcast package of some of our most loved events – from the Olympics, to the Australian Open and the Melbourne Cup. Broadcasters have recognised this generation as a convenience generation. They love to consume sport, but they want to do it on their terms.
However, the fact that streaming currently does not allow you to watch sport live, or to be in sync with traditional broadcasters, is causing millennials, and other fans, a significant degree of heart burn.
This is a generation that do not simply watch sport. They engage with it. Watching sport on their TV, combined with laptop or smart phone, they have a hell of a lot more going on that adds to the overall ‘experience.’
Most millennials have at least a second, and even third, screen at play. While watching the game, they’ll visit social media sites or live chat rooms to celebrate goals, comment on match ups or vent their frustrations as the game unfolds before their eyes.
Then they’ll visit a website or smartphone app to check the stats from the game, no matter the stage of the contest. They want to know not just what’s happening, but why. And they want to know now.
They’ll tweet and post on Facebook and comment on all sorts of sport related content as it happens.
This sort of interaction has been happening for years in stadiums, pubs and lounge rooms. Now, it’s happening online.
This is the viewing experience for the current and future generations of sports consumers. For them to want your product and to be happy with your service, it will have to be live.
The inevitable delay produced by streaming will continue to frustrate sports fans – especially those of world sports who like to experience the match by communicating with fellow fans from all corners of the globe.
If ‘generation now’ find themselves delayed, the product won’t be deemed up to scratch.
Simple as that.
Dr Sam Duncan, Lecturer of Sports Media, Holmesglen
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