Sports fans drive HD adoption
Story Highlights
Sports fans are driving the sales of new HDTV televisions according to a new survey Inside the Mind of the HD Sports Fan conducted by the Consumer Electronics Association and the Sports Video Group (SVG). The survey was unveiled at the first TV Sports Summit held at CES 2006.
The survey, conducted the week of Dec. 19, 2005 concluded that sports fans are more eager to adopt new technologies that quickly deliver sports content than non-sports fans.
Sports fans are demanding the latest technologies to keep up with their favorite sports, said Tim Herbert, market researcher for the Consumer Electronic Association. Clearly a new growth business is creating new programming to reach this affluent and influential demographic.
Sports fans have long been known for their voracious appetite for content anytime and anyplace, said Ken Kerschbaumer, director of information & editorial services for the Sports Video Group. The survey underscores that sports fan want and will support new platforms to receive their favorite sports.
Highlights of the survey include the following:
Nearly 60% of high definition television owners consider themselves sports fans. Nearly 50% of HDTV owners cited HD sports programming as the primary force behind their HDTV purchase. Sports fans said their favorite sports to watch in HD, include:
78% Super Bowl 44% World Series 41% College Football Bowl Games
– 45% of HDTV sports fans would consider switching to another source of HD sports if superior to their current package.
According to the survey, HDTV Sports programming has directly affected viewer s social patterns and viewing habits, which include:
37% of HD sports fans frequently invite friends or family over to their homes to watch sports events in high-definition
22% of HD sports fans often watch sports events they otherwise would not have watched because it was high-definition
39% of HD sports fans are extremely disappointed when a sports event they want to watch is NOT in high-definition
65% of HDTV sports fans say sound is an important component of their sports viewing experience.
