How Seasonality, Sports Affect Streaming's Share of Viewing Time
Today’s entertainment landscape has seen streaming overtake traditional TV inputs (cable/satellite/over-the-air antenna) for share of viewing time, but just how much people are streaming depends on the season — and the availability of major sporting events.
Inscape has been tracking viewer trends across 24 million opted-in devices for the last several years, and their analysis highlights how consumer behavior and preferences vary depending on the time of year. Early summer sees a notable uptick in streaming time, as traditional TV seasons go on hiatus and viewers turn to streaming to fill the gaps. But come late summer, streaming's share of viewing time dips, thanks largely to the return of football — and this year, the 2024 Paris Olympics. These tentpole sporting events, although increasingly available via various streaming options, are still predominantly viewed on traditional TV inputs.
- Across all genres, streaming had an average monthly share of 57% in Q3 2024. While that represents a decrease from the previous quarter, it was higher year-over-year, cementing the fact that the migration to streaming is still underway.
- The percentage of sports-specific viewing that was streamed decreased from over 30% in Q2 2024 to under 29% in Q3 2024, due in part to the aforementioned return of football plus the Olympics.
- News is the other main genre that has maintained a grip via traditional inputs, capturing around 80% of viewing time throughout this year. But looking at previous years, streaming’s share of news viewing has been slowly inching up, from 14.7% in Q2 2023 to 20.7% in Q3 2024.
Inscape says that insights like these “are critical for marketers to effectively capitalize on the changing consumer behavior. Understanding trends in device usage and viewing habits can help inform strategic decisions, allowing companies to stay competitive in an ever-changing marketplace.”
For more smart TV insights, download the full report here.
