Data: Super Bowl streaming 1min delayed
February 17, 2022
Phenix, a provider of real-time video streaming solutions, has reported that US streaming platforms, such as NBC Sports, Peacock, Hulu and YouTubeTV, were lagging behind the action on the field during the 2022 Super Bowl between 50 and 60 seconds.
And when measuring the time difference between the same stream, there was up to a 75 second delay between viewers.
These latency issues can entirely change how a fan experiences a game, notes Phenix. For instance:
- Fewer opportunities for bets – Sports betting has instrumentally grown recently. While all users can bet on end-of-game stats, being behind by a play or two prevents people from partaking in micro-betting (betting on individual moments in a game not related to the final score).
- Not engaging on social media – The internet connects fans worldwide, but it also supplies more opportunities for spoilers. Engagement means everything for brands nowadays, but people will engage less on social media to avoid ruining plays. Well, unless they’re tweeting about how frustrating it is to be on stream delay…
- Avoiding friends or families – Texting allows fans to enjoy the game with loved ones no matter where they are. Unfortunately, with lag time and streaming inconsistencies, a friend slightly ahead in the game could ruin exciting plays for everyone, even if they’re watching the same stream.
Phenix’s CEO, Roy Reichbach, commented: “Another year, another delayed Super Bowl stream, angering paying customers and compromising the viewing experience of the most watched televised event of the year in the US. We have seen frustrated fans throughout the 2021-22 NFL season taking to social media to express their frustrations when they receive a network notification before seeing a play or getting a text from a friend spoiling the final score. It is time for broadcasters to change to technology that has solved these issues.”
“If you are charging users for streaming capabilities, provide an actual real-time stream that every fan can experience at the same time, regardless of what platform or device they are watching the game on. It’s time for streaming platforms to step up and fix the latency issues for nationally televised events – the risk to the bottom line is too large to not make it right,” he added.