Announced here, the Forum's research findings show that 36.1 per cent of this demographic across Europe sign-in online to watch their favourite sport or team play on a weekly basis, compared with just 32.1 per cent doing so on television.

It represents a significant shift in the way young people watch sport, after research carried out last year showed that television was still the leader for sports video content for this age group.

The research was conducted by brand engagement agency Havas Sport & Entertainment, who organise the Global Sports Forum Barcelona.

Lucien Boyer, the President and chief executive of Havas Sport & Entertainment, says the results of the survey mean that advertisers, content providers, broadcasters, rights holders and athletes will all be affected by the changing ways sport is watched.


"These findings, indicating that web consumption of sport content amongst the youth audience has surpassed TV for the first time, represent an important evolution in consumer behaviour," said Boyer.

"The implications of this are huge and suggest the broadcast sales model for sport needs to be carefully considered in the future.

"Whilst TV will clearly continue to remain of enormous importance, the younger generation choose to consume sport in a number of ways so the key now is to be a content provider that can satisfy the demands of sports fans across all platforms."

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