Fanatic football fans desperately hunt for the latest injury news and transfer gossip at least once a day, according to new research.
Amid a razor-tight Premier League title race, with fantasy football as popular as ever, and just three months until England's shot at Euro 2024 glory, fans have never been more anxious to follow the news – especially with smart phones meaning information is just a push of a button away.
Football remains a national obsession in the UK. While TV ratings continue to dip across the board due to the arrival of on demand platforms, live football continues to be treasured.
Last year, Sky and TNT Sports struck a £6.7bn deal with the Premier League to show football from the 2025-26 season, which will keep the big clubs at the very top of the transfer market and linked to the game’s best players.
With interest sky-high, media coverage has exploded and newspapers have been joined by dedicated websites, apps and podcasts, giving fans almost unlimited access to information.
And obsessed fans are taking full advantage – with 92% engaging with football news and content at least once every day, according to research from sports media platform LiveScore.
According to their Evolution of a Fan report, instant score updates have also changed the way supporters consume football, with 84% of those surveyed feeling more connected to their favourite team.
The way fans consume news has also changed, with almost eight in 10 (79%) preferring mobile apps to a physical newspaper.
The fan experience is not expected to stop there, with AI soon to be generating content based on fans’ individual needs and virtual reality replicating a stadium experience.
“We have been able to uncover some fascinating insights of how fans have enjoyed their favourite sport over the last quarter-century, and how technology has guided habits, accessibility and passion,” said LiveScore CEO Sam Sadi.
“This digital revolution has already paved the way for more personalised experiences, powered by AI algorithms with the power to fuel a vast reservoir of individual data, and dynamically curate content based on individual preferences.
“This personalisation extends beyond match updates to include tailored news feeds, personalised highlights, and predictive analysis.”
LiveScore’s Evolution of Fan report, containing all insights, data and iconic moments, can be read in full here.
Share