Flash back a couple of decades and the amount of information available to sports fans in Ontario during live games was limited to the scores displayed on the screen by TV networks. The occasional stat or tidbit of historic information thrown in by the commentary team might spice things up, and ad breaks would, of course, intervene during downtime, but generally speaking, the glow of the CRT screen had the monopoly on attention in the living room.
Likewise, the in-person viewing experience was a simple affair. You’d watch the action on the ice or the field, and glance at the scoreboard for updates, while using the big screen for action replays. Oh, how things have changed.
The Lure of the Second Screen
The main difference between the sports viewing experience today compared with even 10 or so years ago is the prevalence of mobile devices and, more importantly, their ability to offer fans new ways to engage with the games they love. An IBM study found that 31% of fans across Canada use 2 devices when watching sports, and 22% of the under-45s said they use 3 or more gadgets in this context, which is well above the 9% global average.
In terms of what they’re actually doing with these devices, half cited multitasking, while a third said they were looking for live info about the game in progress. The province’s support for online gambling also comes into play here, with fans able to use a sports betting Ontario site to see live odds and place wagers during the action. As a result, fans are a lot more stat-savvy.
The Success of Streaming
Another important facet of the sports fan viewing experience in Ontario and in much of the modern world is the switch from traditional TV broadcasts to live-streamed content delivered via a network connection. This essentially means that fans don’t have to gather in their living rooms to keep up with games, but can access the action live from wherever they happen to be. That might mean sitting on the couch watching on a phone or tablet while another member of the household is keeping up with their own media consumption on the main display. It could be a case of tuning in while on the move, or at another sports event entirely.
Streaming’s digital nature also brings in new features and functions as part of the broadcast, including the ability for fans to choose the type of information they’re shown from moment to moment, rather than having this decided for them. And all this adds up to be truly attention-grabbing, even if there’s still a high chance that at least one other device will be in the mix at any one time, as mentioned.
Technology of various types has a dividing effect on the attention of sports fans in Ontario, of that there’s no doubt. However, it’s also able to make the viewing experience more information-rich and engaging, leaving average viewers more informed on the game they love, so it’s generally a positive change.
Chris Mcdonald has been the lead news writer at complete connection. His passion for helping people in all aspects of online marketing flows through in the expert industry coverage he provides. Chris is also an author of tech blog Area19delegate. He likes spending his time with family, studying martial arts and plucking fat bass guitar strings.