Digital Touchdown: Super Bowl Viewership Survey Trends Leaning to Streaming Services
- 51% of Super Bowl LVI Viewers will do so on Broadcast or Cable TV; A 20% drop since 2019
- Nearly half (46%) of Americans will interact with digital media while watching the big game
Adtaxi—one of the nation’s fastest-growing digital marketing agencies, today announced the results of its annual Consumer Streaming Trends and Super Bowl Viewership survey. While 40% of Americans still pay for cable services, it is clear that there’s a shift in viewing habits and streaming services are beginning to dominate the industry. According to the survey, two thirds (64%) of consumers choose streaming as their preferred method of content consumption. Additionally, one third (33%) of Americans plan to cancel their cable subscription in 2022.
“It is no surprise that consumers are favoring the convenience of streaming services,” said Chris Loretto, EVP of Adtaxi. “The results of the survey underscore the importance of capitalizing on digital audiences and is a continuation of years-long consumer trends towards convenience, cost-efficiency, and personalization in media consumption.”
Among Adtaxi’s findings related to cable viewership habits:
- Less Viewers: The survey shows that the percent of Americans still paying for cable services has fallen below 40%. Cable penetration was over 50% just 3 years ago.
- Low Engagement: Not only is cable losing penetration, the survey shows they are upside down regarding engagement with less than half (36%) of subscribers turning to Cable first when they turn on the TV.
- More Cord Cutters: In 2022, 33% of Americans say they plan to cancel their cable subscription, up from 31% in 2021 and 28% in 2020. For those wanting to move away from cable, 22% claim they like the option of “binge watching” shows and 27% want to watch on their own schedule.
“We can anticipate continued declines due to viewing preferences and cost, the multitude of streaming-capable devices over TV sets in the home, and increased competition directly from Streaming services. Comcast alone lost 1.5 million TV subscribers in 2021,’ said Adtaxi Director of Research, Murry Woronoff. ”It is clear that cord-cutting will continue moving forward and we can expect it to continue at its current brisk pace in 2022.”
Among the survey’s key findings related to streaming habits:
- High Engagement: This year’s survey underscores the high level of engagement consumers have with TV streaming. 92% of respondents stream some form of TV/Video content. The majority do so through either Connected TV (64%), followed by Smartphone/Mobile (54%) and/or Laptops (38%).
- Go-to Source: According to the survey, two-thirds (64%) of consumers make streaming their default setting – the first thing they check for content. One-third of TV streamers obtain 100% of their TV/Video content from such services and 77% of TV streamers get the majority (over 50%) of their content via streaming services.
- Personalized Commercials: The survey also found that when it comes to viewing advertisements on streaming services, 33% of Americans believe the ads are more applicable to their personality and preferences. That beats cable (13%) and broadcast TV (10%) combined.
- Post Pandemic Blockbusters: Due to the pandemic, over two thirds (69%) of Americans do not plan to go back to the movie theater if new movies are available via streaming.
- Streaming Service Preferences: When asked what streaming services consumers had used in the past 30 days, 71% had used Netflix, 63% used Amazon Prime, 53% used YouTube TV, 44% had used Hulu and Disney+, and 32% had used HBO Max. Out of all the services listed (30), the majority of respondents (38%) said Netflix was the outlet they use most often followed by YouTube (14%).
Among the survey’s findings on Super Bowl viewership:
- Tipping Scales: While the slight majority of viewers (51%) plan to watch the Super Bowl on broadcast or cable TV, digital will account for 49% of the total Super Bowl audience due largely to TV Streaming. If this multi-year trend continues digital viewership will surpass cable viewership next year.
- Cross-Channel Consumption: 46% of Americans will interact with various forms of digital media while watching the game. 31% state they will be using social media, 15% will be on a sporting website, and 8% will be using online forums.
- Small Social Gatherings: Similar to 2021, the majority of Americans will be skipping larger social gatherings. 43% of Americans plan to watch the Super Bowl either alone or with family at home, while 11% plan to throw a watch party, and an additional 11% plan to attend one. The survey also found that only 3% of consumers plan to watch the game from a bar or restaurant. In total, only 25% of Americans plan to watch the Super Bowl outside of their homes.
- Pre Kick-off Purchases: Ahead of Super Bowl LVI, the survey found that more Americans plan to purchase soft drinks (36%) more than alcoholic beverages (26%). Take-out still remains a priority for consumers with 18% planning to purchase food from restaurants. However, the majority of respondents will be prioritizing snack foods (44%).
“With all eyes on Super Bowl LVI, these survey results offer insight into how marketers should maximize their reach. With nearly half of Americans (46%) utilizing digital media while watching the big game, it will be important for marketers to prioritize multiple platforms,” added Loretto. “The key to resonating on these social and streaming platforms will be a voice and strategy that is highly adaptable to changing circumstances and evolving preferences.”
Methodology
This survey was conducted online using Survey Monkey among a national sample of 1,127 adults spanning across U.S. geographic regions, income levels, gender and age, with Super Bowl viewers represented by the 772 respondents who indicated they plan to consume the Super Bowl. The survey was conducted on January 14th, 2021.
