UK football fans most likely to use smartphones to follow World Cup according to IAB research
Football fans in the UK are the most likely to use their smartphones to follow the World Cup, according to global research conducted by the IAB US.
The research found that 58 per cent of UK football fans were likely to use their smartphone to follow coverage of the football tournament, beating out Columbia and Mexico who were both in joint second place at 56 per cent. Japan was third with 53 per cent and China was fourth at 49 per cent.
The research, which saw 5,500 adult football fans and smartphone owners from across 11 markets interviewed, found that 60 per cent of UK football fans planned to watch the tournament at home, and that 39 per cent would watch in a pub. Japanese fans were the most likely to watch from home at 79 per cent.
Around a third (32 per cent) of UK football fans would use their smartphone to check scores and live stream matches, while four in five claimed that social media would improve their World Cup experience. Almost all (94 per cent) said that they would use social media to share or discuss World Cup content, with the UK most likely of the 11 countries surveyed.
The research revealed that 32 per cent of UK football fans would use their smartphone to check scores and a third to stream live matches. Four in five claimed social media will improve their overall World Cup experience with a third of them claiming that it will help them to keep up to date more easily. 94 per cent plan to share or discuss World Cup content and out of the 11 countries surveyed the UK was the third most likely to share content (behind China and Mexico).
Hannah Bewley, senior research manager, for the IAB, said: “This research provides great insights into just how much football fans in the UK will be engaging with the World Cup digitally this year. It’s great to see that mobile is going to be playing such a key role in football fans’ lives through the 2014 tournament. The research also shows that the UK is a truly social nation with four in five fans stating that social media will improve their experience of the World Cup – enabling them to share their favourite bits as well as stay up to date with all the latest news and developments.”
Almost a quarter (22 per cent) of those surveyed said that funny and entertaining mobile adverts would be engaged with, while 25 per cent said that relevancy and special discounts would also play a role in their interaction with mobile advertising.