A new survey suggests that viewer attitudes towards what they want from the Super Bowl viewing experience and how they plan to watch the big game are shifting.
As in earlier years, the largest group will be watching via a pay TV provider but cord cutting is cutting into that audience, with about 49% of Americans saying they planned to watch the game using their pay TV subscription, followed by streaming (22%) and over-the-air using an antenna (10%), according to Amdocs.
Their survey of about 1,000 Americans also found that 81% of Americans who will be tuning into the game are interested in a more robust Super Bowl Sunday experience.
Many of those who planned to watch the game expressed concerns about costs, with 44% stating cost is a factor when it comes to streaming.
But many consumers (31%) were not aware they could watch the game and other sporting events aired by broadcasters for free via an antenna. About 46% said they were aware they could use an antenna but reported they don’t use one and 23% said they were aware and did use an antenna.
Of the 31% who said they weren't aware that they could watch it via an antenna, 17% said they didn’t know about antennas and were interested in the idea; 14% said they didn’t know about antennas and weren’t interested.
In 2022, Nielsen estimated that about 18.6 million homes were using antennas, or 15% of the U.S., a higher percentage than the 10% of respondents in this survey who said they planned to use an antenna to view the game over-the-air.
The survey also found that consumers want new Super Bowl experiences beyond watching, with over half of viewers (58%) expressing interest in the metaverse to create a virtual stadium. AR/VR, a 360-degree live view of the game and increased interaction also generated interest.
About 20% of viewers would be interested in augmented reality to make Rihanna’s half-time performance come to life
Anthony Goonetilleke, group president of technology and head of strategy for Amdocs, explained that the findings underscore the need for network readiness to ensure all viewers have the same opportunities available during major cultural events. He added that the findings also indicated that more service providers will begin offering unique ‘experience packages’ that can be tailored to end-users, in order to compete in the new digital world.
