17% of the UK public say that going to watch live sports events is the thing they have missed most since the requirement to ‘stay at home’ was enforced and 23% plan to attend live sports and entertainment events as soon as possible once the ‘stay at home’ requirement is lifted, according to new research by consultants ONSIDE.
Research by the Dublin based sponsorship experts ONSIDE also found that 1 in 5 adults in the UK are considering cancelling or pausing a TV subscription due to an absence of live sport, with 12% strongly thinking this, while 1 in 3 are interested in live-streaming sports events while in a ‘stay at home’ situation.
According to John Trainor, Founder and CEO of ONSIDE: “This mindset of potentially disrupting their TV subscriptions is most evident among UK households with young children where priorities and needs have been sharply refocused very quickly”.
Trainor noted that “the UK public’s return back to sports and entertainment stadia and arenas once restrictions are lifted will be a cautious one, and our research also shows that if the ‘stay at home’ situation continues into the summer, 28% of UK adults feel that sports should go ahead behind closed doors without spectators / crowds, while 37% disagree with such a move. This shows the complexity of the decisions to be made by rights holders and sponsors in planning how they play out the months ahead to deliver in the right way for their loyal customers and fans.”
ONSIDE Founder and CEO, John Trainor
To date the public has generally been supportive of the approach to the crisis taken by sporting bodies. 37% of adults approve of the way sport’s governing bodies in the UK have acted during the Covid-19 crisis. The picture is less positive in the specific case of football with only 32% approving of the way football’s governing bodies in the UK have acted and 27% disapproving.
Turning to views on sponsorship, ONSIDE has found the crisis is highlighting public support for organizations in the cause and non-profit space. 70% of the UK public are united in their call-out to brands to continue to maintain or increase their sponsorship support of these key bodies.
Support for sport sponsorship is more nuanced with 35% of UK adults surveyed calling on sponsors to maintain or increase their support for their favorite sports teams and events in the current climate, while 4 in 10 felt sponsors should decrease their spend in sport this year.
The important role that high-profile personalities can play in the current crisis is highlighted by the fact that 77% of adults across both the UK and Ireland feel it is important that popular sports and entertainment personalities do what they can to support the battle against Covid-19. And one trend that both Trainor and ONSIDE consultant, and recently retired rugby star, Rory Best see persisting is a fresh, more creative use of athlete talent.
According to Trainor: “Global and local stars have been increasing their connection and creativity, with and without their sponsors, to social platforms as a means of staying in the hearts and minds of the public. Many have clubbed together for greater effect, including the #PlayersTogether initiative supported by top Premier League stars such as Jordan Henderson, Marcus Rashford and Harry Kane.
Best notes: “Athletes are open to working with brands through these challenging times, but in interesting and different ways. There is an opportunity, for example, to do more remote speaking and Q&A engagements when it is not possible to do the traditional Q&A at hospitality type events. The emphasis for this can be around positive motivation and providing a workforce, working either from home or key workers, ways to reframe their minds in the unique situation we are in”.
ONSIDE Strategic Advisor Rory Best speaking with RTE’s Darragh Maloney
ABOUT THE RESEARCH & ONSIDE
ONSIDE is a leading specialist in marketing and sponsorship consulting and research services – With a proven track record and strong industry experience in a cross section of sectors, ONSIDE is currently feeding into the marketing and sponsorship decision making of circa €100m+ of spend – working on many of Europe’s premier sponsorships – on sporting, music, cause-related, broadcast and other platforms.
In the consumer research cited in this release, ONSIDE used a nationally representative survey of 2,096 adults aged 18+ across the UK. Fieldwork was conducted 9th-13th April 2020.
