Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for family, friends, holiday foods and, of course, a healthy dose of sneaking in a little sports watching when you get the chance.
If you’ve ever wanted to ditch Grandma’s Gravy for a quick peek at the football game, you’re not alone. According to a new Peacock– commissioned study examining streamer viewing habits, 65% of US sports fans have executed the perfect play, also known as “sports sneaking” – when one dives in to stream sports content on the sly. During Thanksgiving dinner alone, the feat was achieved by 36% of respondents.
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Given the seemingly endless options for sports content available on streamers, it’s easy to see why more than half of US residents call in audio on an average day.
Watching live sports is 50% more likely to happen on a mobile device than other forms of content and, when it comes to Peacock, more than half of the platform’s users have engaged in live sports viewing on their mobile devices. While the NFL and college football’s Big Ten garner the most attention PeacockThe Premier League saw the highest percentage of mobile consumption on the platform.
“Live sports is just another example of how streaming continues to both serve and influence consumer behavior,” said Kelly Campbell, president, Peacock and direct to the consumer. “For years, fans have been glued to the big screen, but now we’re able to deliver the game on the go – and with live sports Peacock more than 300 days a year, we’re proud to play our part in creating opportunities for our customers to get involved in ‘sport sneaking in’ wherever they are.’
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If you’re still feeling like a turkey because you snuck out to catch Patrick Mahomes hook up with Travis Kelce — or maybe just see Taylor Swift next to her famous friends — relax, you’re far from the only one. That’s according to data from a survey conducted for third-party research organization Sage Outcomes Peacock, soccer reigns as the most “sneaked” sport at almost 20%. Between college and the NFL, the sport’s popularity almost certainly has something to do with why Thanksgiving — a holiday that’s incomplete without a healthy portion of football — ranks third on the “places to sneak in.”
Peacock discovered some other interesting trends after asking astute viewers why “sports sneaking” has become a game for more than half of American sports fans.
Who engages in “sports sneaking” and where and when does it?
- 65% of sports fans admit to “sports sneaking” and do so at family gatherings (48%), at work (37%), at Thanksgiving dinner (36%) and in bed while partner sleeping (32%), to name a few.
- Peacock users who stream sports on the service are almost 16% more likely to ‘sneak’ than those who don’t.
- The most frequently sneaked sport is football.
- Men are 23% more likely to ‘sneak into sports’, but…
- Women are 27% less likely to be caught in a crime than men.
- Three-quarters of parents who are sports fans admitted to “sports sneaking in” — 32% more likely than non-parents — and do so at their children’s recitals (21%), children’s parties birthdays (26%) and even at their own children’s sports games (30%).
How do those who try to sneak out of “the sport” get away?
- More than half (58%) of those surveyed had NOT been caught.
- The most common strategies for successful “sports sneaking” are moving a chair or device to watch without anyone knowing (44%), hiding the device under a table, inside a jacket, behind a napkin, etc. (42%) and hide in the bathroom (37%).
- And funnily enough, almost a quarter of the people who grabbed a sneaker joined that sneaker.
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Here are some upcoming sporting events worth your time
- Peacock will continue to transmit simultaneously Sunday night football and will hold its first outstanding NFL regular season game on Dec. 23, featuring the Bills at Chargers. Additional upcoming games include:
- Vikings vs. Broncos on Nov. 19
- 49ers vs. Seahawks on Thanksgiving, Nov. 23
- Peacock will become home to the first-ever exclusive live NFL Playoff game, presenting the NFL Wild Card Playoff in prime time on Saturday, January 13, 2024.
- Peacock will also continue to be the streaming home for Big Ten and Notre Dame football, as well as men’s and women’s basketball. Upcoming games include:
- USC Upstate vs. Minnesota (Men’s Basketball) Nov. 18
- Oregon State vs. Nebraska (Men’s Basketball) Nov. 18
- Illinois vs. Notre Dame (Women’s Basketball) Nov. 18
- Wake Forest vs. Notre Dame (Football) Nov. 18
- Don’t forget our furry friends! The national dog show is held on Peacock on Thanksgiving Day, November 23rd