The recently concluded World Cup has caught the attention of viewers around the world. More than half of the world’s population – an estimated 5 billion people – are expected to watch the tournament, many of whom did not consider themselves football fans when the first game kicked off on November 20.
Major League Soccer doesn’t just dominate ratings, however. It has become a time of unity for sports fans and those who would not normally be interested in the game in the field.
New research from Roku – the 1st American television broadcasting platform in terms of hours broadcast – shows that even in countries where football is not the most searched sport, interest in increased greatly. And in countries where football is followed closely – such as Great Britain, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Chile and Venezuela – jumping is more popular.
Increasing interest provides a huge opportunity for sales professionals.
“Marketers will be able to reach new audiences as the World Cup brings in consumers who would otherwise not watch sports,” said Julia Mandaville, SVOD vertical specialist. “For services that have exclusive rights to some or all of the World Cup games, it’s an opportunity to bring in more users, expose them to other content and know what they have to offer.”
Searches for “World Cup” in the US increased by 476% between 2018 and 2019, and 337% between 2019 and 2022. arrange administration in July and August next. a spike is almost certainly on the horizon.
“The growth in demand may indicate that soccer has become, or already is, a mainstream sport here,” said Nicole Cooper, senior director, audience insights. “The men’s team from the United States did not qualify for the men’s World Cup finals in 2018, so it makes sense that interest has grown since then. The women’s team, however, has been accepted to be a strong group, so we can see this interest go up in 2023.”
Great Motivation for Marketing Assistants
Searching for World Cup matches drives more users to ad-supported networks: 28% of users streamed one or more of the matches on AVOD (advertising video on demand) services that they did not use in three months ago or more.
This information can be helpful when considering some exclusive, high-profile sports events, which can increase audience growth for advertising-supported channels. It doesn’t matter if it’s football, baseball, American football or other small traditional sports, like BMX racing, swimming, boxing or even soccer. As viewing habits shift to streaming services, those offering sports content not found elsewhere are able to attract younger audiences.
The interest in the World Cup is proof that enough hype about sports can attract an audience. In the United States, for example, the world’s largest multi-sport event held once every four years is the country’s favorite competition in the world. But as talk of a major soccer event arose, American fans were intrigued.
International interest, of course, is strong as well. Around 67% of World Cup applicants have not applied for a season in the previous year. And in many European and South American countries, the numbers are in the 80% and 90% floor.
Bottom line: Big sports moments can attract audiences. And as the sports market becomes more fragmented, by leveraging major events, advertisers can drive users to their services that capture must-see events.
November’s Top 10 Searches on Roku
Yes, November is the time for Thanksgiving to shine, but after a few years, Roku viewers need a break to get here early. While “Yellowstone” topped the list last month, it was dominated by Christmas movies, mostly of the classic variety. In fact, seven of the top 10 searches were holiday-themed — and not one involving turkey.
