How strong is the relationship between sports and gaming? Do more people watch sports because of playing video games, or vice versa?

Hisense UK has commissioned a survey which takes an in-depth look at the connection between sports and gaming, particularly if playing sports games has led to gamers following new sports and if playing games has helped create stronger affiliations with teams or players. Let’s take a look at some of the key findings from the survey and delve into the relationship between gaming and sports…  

Increased Interest In Sports Through Games

37% of respondents said they are more interested in watching sports because of playing video games, with 12% citing that this had ‘increased a lot’ and a further 25% saying their interest has ‘somewhat increased’. Over half of gamers reported no change in attitude, while a very small percentage said their interest in sports has decreased. Interestingly though, only 3% of respondents said they don’t watch any sports, meaning the vast majority of gamers are sports fans of some description.

Younger Gamers Develop Stronger Interest In Sport

Generally, it was younger generations that formed more of an attachment to sports, with over half (55%) of 18-34-year-olds claiming to have an increased interest because of playing video games. Compare this to those aged 45+ and you can see a drastic reduction, with just 26% in that age demographic saying gaming has increased their interest in sports.

Connection to Teams and Players Through Gaming 

Findings showed that close to half of gamers (45%) feel a stronger connection to their favourite teams and players because of gaming. Just over half (53%) felt no change, while a very small percentage - just 2% - said they actually felt less connected.

Millennials and Gen Z Form Stronger Affiliations 

Data showed that younger people were much more likely to feel more connected to their teams through gaming, with 55% of those under 45 saying they are at least ‘somewhat more connected’ compared to 31% of older generations. 

Most Popular Sports With Gamers

While football topped the list – cited by 61% of gamers when asked ‘Which sports do you enjoy watching because of gaming?’ – basketball (21%) and American Football (18%) were the second and third most popular, showing the strong popularity of the NBA and NFL franchise games in the UK. Cricket and Rugby weren’t too far behind, gaining 15% and 12% respectively.

Older Generations Less Keen on American Sports

Interest in American sports amongst the GenX onwards decreased significantly less than younger generations, with just 14% selecting American football (the same as cricket) and 11% choosing basketball. Whereas 30% of those aged 18-44 ticked basketball and 22% opted for American football.

Understanding The Rules

The majority of respondents (56%) claimed gaming has improved their knowledge of strategies and rules of sports, with 17% claiming a much better understanding. Just 2% claimed their understanding was ‘somewhat worse’ and 28% reported no change.

Optimising The Viewing Experience

We asked respondents what they look for in a TV to get the best viewing experience when for both gaming and watching sports. Screen size was the most important factor, gaining just over 50% of responses for both options. Resolution was a close second, having 45% and 42% respectively. Sound quality was also of high importance, selected by 41% for gaming and 42% again when it comes to sports viewing. Brand was considered important by about a fifth of people in each category, while price was a bigger factor in both.