While FIFA World Cup 2014 is rated as the most accessible tournament in the history, smartphones, tablets or PCs account for more than half (57 percent) of the viewing platforms as opposed to conventional TV screens, says a new report from Ovum.
The new trend of watching favorite sports on personal devices, though, does not undermine the importance of traditional broadcasting methods. The research indicates that connected devices are playing a crucial role in evolving viewing habits for big-event TV.
World Cup broadcast and streaming services are available up to 5.9 billion screens globally.
“Devices capable of streaming live and on-demand video – of which there now 4.7 billion – are providing additional viewing opportunities outside the appointment viewing taking place in people’s living rooms,” said Ted Hall, senior analyst at Ovum.
“With the likes of tablets providing the convenience and flexibility to consume content whenever and wherever, fans are able to watch more of the tournament than ever before,” Hall said.
While the popularity of online media growing, its reliability is under question, the research said. “For broadcasters and operators providing multiplatform World Cup services, supplying demand with minimal technical hiccups should be of paramount concern,” says Hall.
There’s a lot more work that needs to be done to improve online viewing experience. “While viewing live events online is improving, there is some way to go before it can compare with the reliability traditional TV distribution offers for the largest audiences,” Hall added.
According to Ovum, significant innovation of the viewing experience for this World Cup is somewhat lacking. Some of the technologies like 4K Ultra high-definition format are not yet implemented fully. Such innovations, says Ovum, could contribute to improved viewing experience.
“And with FIFA abandoning its support of 3DTV for Brazil 2014 – in light of the format’s spectacular failure to capture the public’s imagination – the less-glamorous HDTV will be the preferred format of many World Cup viewers, with up to 260 million homes watching matches in high-definition,” Ovum said.
