Recovery Economics Post-Lockdown Sports

The 20,000 Foot View:  As live sports resume following the coronavirus crisis lockdowns, the long-term impact of sports’ mass hiatus will be substantial. An activity gap created a void state for consumers, freeing up previously allocated attention and causing them to reconsider retaining subscriptions with diluted service offerings. The longer-term impact of significant revenue losses from matchday attendances and newly-formed habituated behaviours will be felt long after            has passed. Further inconvenience will be attributed to the rescheduling of backlogged events, creating logistical complications for leagues and broadcasters and resulting in unprecedented competition for attention with clashing schedules. 

Key Insights

• An activity            created a void state for            bereft of live sports content
• Sports’ hiatus            a void for almost two            of linear TV viewers, with            sports on TV every month
• Sports has            most loyal followers of all            genres, with            of sports highlights            on linear channels consuming sports            month in            2020
• The spectacle            live sports post-lockdown may have            irrevocably, as staging games behind            doors weakens the viewing experience 
• Only            of            prioritise watching live sports when            measures are eased, on par            consumers’ desire to return to           
           of consumers prioritise seeing friends and family once restrictions ease,            percentage points higher than the second-highest activity of visiting bars and pubs
• Interesting international            emerge with UK consumers twice            likely as US consumers to            going to bars when lockdown           
           of US respondents report being too nervous to reengage with prior activities post-lockdown due to health concerns, twice as likely as French respondents                       of French consumers prioritise returning to work when restrictions are eased, five percentage points higher than watching live sports
• Postponing the            2020 Tokyo Olympics’ until 2021            slated to cause            billion            billion)            ‘economic damages’
• Rescheduling clashes            be widespread, with            of US            viewers watching American football in           

Companies and brands mentioned in this report: 2020 Tokyo Olympics, AFL, Atletico Madrid, Australian Rules Football, Bayern Munich, BeIN Sports, Borussia Dortmund, British Open, BT Sport, Bundesliga, Canal Group, Canal+, Channel Seven, Cheltenham Racing Festival, Comcast, Commonwealth Games, DAZN, Disney, EA, EA Sports, English Premier League, ESPN, ESPN+, FIFA, FIFA Women’s World Cup, FIH, FIH Hockey World Cup, Fox Footy , Gallagher Premiership Rugby, IAAF, IAAF World Athletics Championship, Kansai University, Ligue            Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, MLB, NBA, NBCUniversal, NFL, NHL, NHS, Optus Sport, Peacock, Seton Hall University, Sky, The Athletic, UEFA, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Women’s Euro 2021