The summer is packed with major global sporting events this year – from the Champions League wrapping up to UEFA Euro 2016 kicking off next week and the Summer Olympics happening in August. People from all walks of life will be tuning in and talking about at least one of these events, providing a significant boost for sports marketing.
In anticipation of the 2016 Summer Olympics, Facebook IQ worked with GfK to survey people around the world as a part of a study on how people are planning to use technology to stay connected to, and informed about the upcoming Rio Games. The survey encompassed 14,731 people ages 18-55 across 17 countries.
Inside Rio
The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio is quickly approaching and excitement around the world is running high — 72 percent of people around the world are enthusiastic about the Rio Games and 64 percent plan to use a mobile device to keep up with news during events.
The Games are going digital and on-demand
An average of 63 percent of surveyed people who show interest in the Rio Games anticipate using a mobile device to look for news about the events, and an average of 38 percent of people surveyed say they plan to watch replays on mobile.
People will turn to their smartphones to watch key moments on-demand. Numbers show that 64 percent plan to use a mobile device to look for news about the Rio Games. And 51 percent will watch replays of the Rio Games on mobile.
Facebook users who took the survey are 1.4 times more likely than nonusers to look forward to the upcoming Rio Games this year.
The Games connect people in unexpected ways
Across all countries, an average of 63 percent of people surveyed feel that the Games are about national victory rather than global citizenry. An average of 70 percent of people surveyed believe the Games represent human achievement at its best, and the majority agree that nothing brings the world together like the Games. On average, 73 percent of people surveyed believe the events are better described by team victory than individual victory.
Millennials viewing trends
Sports fans are driven to succeed
People who are enthusiastic about sports are 1.6 times more likely than non-sports fans to fit the psychological profile of an achiever, defined in GfK research as people who place high importance on attaining and exhibiting social status.
