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Second screens used during Euro 2012 matches by 54% of UK fans

More than half of the football fans watching Euro 2012 were second screening during matches according to the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) UK and ESPN.

Research published today into the media consumption of football fans around the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament revealed that 54% of fans use a second digital device alongside the television to engage in other match-related and social networking activities.

The most popular device that diverts attention away from the main screen is  the Smartphone, with more than a quarter (28%) of survey respondents highlighting this as their favoured second-screen device. Tablets are also proving popular with approximately 10% of fans using these to supplement their TV viewing.

Laptops have slipped to second place with 25% using these as their additional device. Previous research from the IAB and ESPN surrounding media consumption around the 2010 FIFA World Cup showed the laptop as the most popular device at the time.

Second screening fans are still predominantly engaged in the match they are watching with 68% that used a second device whilst watching Euro 2012 games, using the device to either visit social networking sites, websites, use related apps or place bets on the match. At the same time, second screens are also used to carry out normal internet functions with 61% checking emails and 13% performing online banking tasks whilst the games are on.

Social networks also saw an upsurge of activity with 16% of fans reading tweets and 10% publishing tweets during matches. One in five respondents also said that social networks played a crucial role in keeping them up with games that they are unable to watch live. The findings on social media activity contradict the previous research around the World Cup in 2010 which saw social media activity dip during matches.

“With the next World Cup taking place in Brazil it will be interesting to see what impact the time difference in Brazil has on social media for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. A great opportunity for location based and social advertising no doubt,” says IAB research manager, Hannah Bewley.

The research was based on a survey using the ESPN Fan Forum managed by Ipsos Mori, representative of more than 3,000 UK sports fans.

“The research shows that it is more important than ever for brands and media companies to develop multiple and varied digital sports offerings for fans,” says ESPN EMEA associate director Jehan Shah. “It also shows the rise of fans’ ‘second-screen’ activities while watching games on TV is not a zero sum game: it shows there is a growing, robust market to serve fans with companion, supplementary digital services.”

David Hing, London