World Cup Pushes Sports Fans Online
60% of football fans plan to use the internet to follow the World Cup next summer, according to research carried out by Netpoll on behalf of Sports.com.
According to the survey, 76% of Sports.com’s users intend to watch as many games as they possibly can on TV, but with the tournament taking place in the Far East most of the matches are scheduled to kick-off at inconvenient times and Netpoll predicts that large numbers will tune in to online coverage of the games.
The research shows that the internet was the preferred medium for watching the matches, behind satellite and cable TV. Respondents rated Sports.com ahead of daily newspapers, terrestrial TV and radio as a way of keeping up to date with the latest World Cup events.
Overall interest in the tournament was found to be “very high” and 40% of respondents were able to name an official sponsor of the event. Adidas, Toshiba, Budweiser, MasterCard and Coca Cola proved to be the most easily recalled brands, while 28% of those surveyed mentioned Nike and 17% Pepsi, which are not sponsoring the tournament.
CEO of Netpoll, Mike Bloxham, said: “The level of interest in the event and the recognition of sponsors associated with it underlines the World Cup’s potential for sponsors. The unique media landscape that will apply to this tournament, with the increased prominence of the web over previous events, suggests that sponsors seeking to leverage their investment in Europe will need to think beyond conventional media channels and write the web into their plans more than ever before.”
Sports.com has launched seven live sites as part of its coverage of the World Cup 2002 and according to the company’s group sales and marketing director, Paul Wright: “The channels offer advertisers maximum exposure to a local, Pan European and global sporting audience.”
Netpoll: 020 7710 2800 www.netpoll.co.uk Sports.com: 0208 233 5660 www.sports.com
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