As the world eagerly anticipates the upcoming Paris Olympics, excitement is reaching a fever pitch. Fans around the globe are gearing up to cheer on their national teams, whether from the stands in the City of Light or from the comfort of their sofas.
This summer, Paris will transform into a vibrant hub of athletic excellence, with millions of spectators tuning in to witness the spectacle of sport and the triumph of the human spirit.
The allure of the Olympics unites us all, and for those unable to travel, the living room will become a stadium filled with cheers, hopes, and the thrill of competition.
To gauge the level of enthusiasm, we surveyed 3,000 sports fans to understand their streaming habits and plans to support Team USA this year.
The results reveal an overwhelming eagerness to stay connected to the events, as the average Olympics fan plans to watch for a staggering 35 hours and 44 minutes on average (that’s 2 hours and 14 minutes per day).
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Results By State
The below table shows a state-by-state breakdown:
Hawaii residents take the lead, with respondents reporting that they plan to watch a staggering 98 hours and 40 minutes of the Olympics, while Montanans plan to watch just eight hours.
TV Is the Most Popular Device for Olympic Streaming
A substantial 68% of respondents indicated they will primarily use a Smart TV to stream the Olympic Games. Among the remaining respondents, 22% plan to use their smartphones, 6% will use a computer or laptop, 3% will stream on a tablet, and a small 1% will use a gaming console.
A significant 69% of those surveyed plan to watch the Olympic Games mostly live, while 31% prefer the flexibility of on-demand viewing to catch up with the events at their convenience.
On average, respondents plan to watch six different Olympic events in their entirety, showcasing their commitment to enjoying a diverse range of competitions.
The average marathon streaming session anticipated by respondents during the Olympics is an impressive 3 hours and 36 minutes.
1 in 4 Will Take Time Off Work or School to Watch the Olympics
About 26% of respondents are so enthusiastic about the Olympics that they plan to take time off work or school to watch.
The survey data showed respondents are willing to give up their beauty rest to watch their favorite athletes. Watching the Olympics is expected to disrupt the regular sleep schedule for 28% of sports fans.
More Than Half Will Use Social Media for Olympic Updates
Over half of respondents prefer social media to stay updated on Olympic results and highlights. Meanwhile, 27% will rely on news websites and apps, 10% will use the official Olympic app, and 7% will turn to dedicated sports apps for updates.
“Streaming has well and truly arrived. Streaming is more convenient and cheaper than cable, and it’s no wonder that streaming will be the dominant way for sports lovers to watch the Olympics,” said HostingAdvice technology expert Christian de Looper.
“It’s likely that the Olympics itself will push more customers into streaming, considering the fact that streaming the Olympics will allow fans to catch up on events they missed and watch on devices like their phone or even a gaming console. It’s clear, however, that live sports are still an important aspect of watching TV, and it makes sense that streaming services are battling it out for the rights to live sports events.”
Methodology
We conducted an online panel survey of 3,000 adults based on age, gender, and geography. Internal data sources are used to obtain population data sets. We used a two-step process to ensure representativeness through stratified sampling and post-stratification weighting. July 2024.
