OTTAWA — In a new report released Tuesday, the CBC’s Media Technology Monitor (MTM) analyzes how sports fans have been getting their sports fix during the Covid-19 pandemic, when professional leagues have been forced to suspend public competitions.
Some of the sports-related viewing data was included previously in the MTM’s spring 2020 Sneak Peek Report, but the new Sports in the Time of Covid-19 report digs a little deeper into sports fans’ viewing habits during the pandemic.
As previously reported, nearly half of Canadians who are typically sports viewers are still finding ways to consume sports content, including watching old or classic games (30%), classic sports clips (21%) and sports documentaries (16%).
However, 53% of sports viewers have chosen not to consume any available sports content during the pandemic, according to the MTM report. Furthermore, nearly two-thirds of women who follow sports said they have stopped watching sports content. The report also found the majority of older sports fans (aged 50+) have refrained from watching sports content throughout the pandemic.
Esports has been viewed as an alternative to traditional sports, but continues to be a very niche activity, according to MTM. Some sports leagues have staged events where their athletes compete via video games. However, the MTM report finds only one in 10 sports fans have been watching esports during the pandemic.
The Sports in the Time of Covid-19 report is based on survey responses from 4,000 online Canadians. For more information about the report (subscription required), please click here.
