Digital media is fast becoming the medium of choice for sports fans and pushing the boundaries of media convergence across TV, internet and mobile, according to new research. The study by the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA), indicates that twice as many sports fans use the internet whilst watching TV compared with the average user (32% vs. 16%).

TV and internet now far outstrip other media at peak viewing times, and twice as many sports fans watch video via mobile compared with the average mobile user (12% vs. 6%). The ‘Sport and the Shift to Interactive Media’ Reportshows just how much sport affects media consumption.

Over a third (36%) of all European internet users visit sports websites and these sports site users spend over 13 hours online each week, 10% more time than the average European and an increase of 27% since 2004.

Brands need to work out how best to reach and interact with this sports-driven audience as it develops and it is vital that marketers create strategies to take advantage of the media opportunities surrounding key sporting events. sb:mktg has been at the forefront of utilising emerging technology to engage with fans through their ‘brand-to-fan’ initiatives – using SMS and Screenza technologies with brands including NASCAR.com, Manchester United and Texaco.

Watching sports online via video is proving a primary draw. According to EIAA data, nearly 40% of sports site users watch TV, film or video clips online, much more so than the average European internet user (39% vs. 30%). This activity has grown in popularity amongst sports site users by 144% since 2006. ComScore figures also show that from January to December 2007, time spent on sites with video streaming and downloads has increased by 72%, from 53 to 91 minutes. In March 2008 alone, nearly 154 million people visited these sites, an increase of 22% when compared to the same month in 2007. From January to December 2007 an average of 76 million Europeans visited sports sites each month.

EIAA research shows that from 5.30-9pm 73% of sports site users watch television and 68% use the internet, making them by far the most used media during this peak consumption time. The internet is also proving a medium for round-the-clock consumption and with 87% of sports site users having broadband, presenting high-impact opportunities for marketers to target this audience as they look to follow the action in real-time online.

The need for information and updates on the go is highlighted by the fact that 93% of sports site users own a mobile/PDA/Blackberry (83% of Europeans) and are heavy users of mobile internet. Interestingly, they are twice as likely as the average European mobile/PDA/Blackberry user to watch video/film clips via their mobile (12% vs. 6%).

Additionally, almost half (48%) of all sports site users communicate via social networking sites.

Ultimately, sports site users are more engaged and receptive than the average internet user – sports fans have positive attitudes to online advertising with 57% rating internet advertising high on creativity, compared to 51% of all European internet users and 71% of sports site users find that the internet provides them with what they want quickly. Alison Fennah, Executive Director of the EIAA says, “With a definite correlation between the increase of users of sports sites, sports fans are becoming a targeted demographic. Looking at their online habits and activities, sport site users are likely to increasingly move their sports consumption online partly due to its ease of use and accessibility, and but also its real-time availability and technological capabilities. Ultimately this highlights how marketers can target and benefit from this captive and engaged audience online. Marketers must look to tap into this trend and media mindset when creating and developing their advertising campaigns.”

The study involved 7,008 random telephone interviews with over 1,000 respondents in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the Nordics respectively and 500 respondents in Belgium and the Netherlands respectively. www.eiaa.net