Head of Content at Watchers, content strategist, MA in Communication and Media studies, expert in audience patterns, viewership, and audio-visual content

Alina Kuzo

Learn how to build in-app communities that boost engagement, retention, and loyalty through chat, moderation, and user-driven features.

What Are In-App Communities, and How to Build Them From Scratch

Watchers’ CPO Adel Gaisin discusses analytics, metrics, and user insights that can completely transform platform performance.

Adel Gaisin, CPO at Watchers, shares how their analytics system was built and can be used, how the company protects personal data and complies with regulations in different markets, and how user insights gathered from chats can change everything.

Adel Gaisin: “We know how to work with user feedback, extract the meaning, and communicate it to the client”

Community is often seen as a universal remedy for digital success. Community is the answer, they say, but what’s the answer to how to build one? Now it’s here. Follow seven strategic steps, along with several technical actions, to create it.

Learn how to build and grow a thriving online community for your app or website with these 7 essential steps, from defining purpose and audience to ensuring safety and engagement.

How to Turn The Platform into Community-driven

We've explored the main recent reports dedicated to the sports industry and found the most relevant insights, figures, and trends on viewership, communication, and fandom formation.

Discover the main digital trends in sports viewership, coverage and fandom engagement 2025 based on the most significant industrial reports. 

Main Trends in Sports Coverage, Viewership, and Fandoms 2025

<div style="font-size:14px;line-height:1;" id="toc">On this page&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="#rise-of-digital-sports">Rise of digital sports streaming and personalised fan engagement</a>&nbsp;<a href="#new-economics">New economics of streaming services</a>&nbsp;<a href="#fandom-evolution">Fandom evolution: athlete-driven engagement</a>&nbsp;<a href="#fan-ownership-models">Fan Ownership Models and Blockchain in Sports</a>&nbsp;<a href="#role-of-ai-in-sports-coverage">The role of AI and data analytics in sports coverage</a>&nbsp;<a href="#get-in-touch">Get in touch</a>&nbsp;<hr style="margin-bottom:0.8vw;">If we avoid naming trends like “using AI, datafication, women sports growth” but find the particular changes and numbers, what we see:<h2 id="rise-of-digital-sports">Rise of digital sports streaming and personalised fan engagement</h2><ol><li data-list="bullet">27% of sports fans watch TV sports channels weekly, while 23% stream online</li><li data-list="bullet">Millennials (57%) are the most likely to pay for a sports subscription service, followed by Gen Zers (53%) and Xers (40%).</li><li data-list="bullet">Sports streaming on Amazon Prime has increased by 59% since 2021, signalling the growing importance of digital-first sports experiences.</li></ol><h2 id="new-economics">New economics of streaming services</h2>While the shift to sports streaming services opens new revenue streams, sports media faces challenges, including subscription fatigue and a fragmented landscape. Churn rates among sports subscribers are high, prompting companies to explore bundling streaming services (e.g., Disney+ and Hulu Sports). Moreover, younger fans increasingly rely on algorithm-driven sports content for their sports news updates, raising questions about whether they will commit to paid sports streaming subscriptions.To counteract these challenges, sports leagues and sports teams are prioritising data-driven fan engagement and personalised marketing to drive loyalty:<ol><li data-list="bullet">The NFL fan database has centralised over 20 million sports fans to streamline outreach.</li><li data-list="bullet">Major League Baseball (MLB fan engagement) uses fan data to enhance the stadium experience, offering personalised promotions and real-time notifications.</li><li data-list="bullet">68% of consumers say sports personalisation significantly increases their brand satisfaction.</li></ol><figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1098/744;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/89c7480c-144e-4769-ae05-14a7a6d165e2.png" width="1098" height="744"></figure><a style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.pwc.co.uk/hospitality-leisure/documents/global-sports-survey-2024.pdf">PWC</a> formed the key insights from Women Super League fans and England women’s football fans:&nbsp;<ol><li data-list="bullet">The most popular sports are football, boxing and cricket.</li><li data-list="bullet">14% of the audience are gamers.</li><li data-list="bullet">Greater affinity for premium brands such as John Lewis.</li><li data-list="bullet">Betting and gambling are of high interest to both audiences.</li><li data-list="bullet">Sizeable opportunity for rights holders, fans and brands.</li><li data-list="bullet">65% of WSL club fans are male.</li><li data-list="bullet">10% of the audience is interested in sustainability, human rights and climate.</li></ol><h2 id="fandom-evolution">Fandom evolution: athlete-driven engagement</h2>Sports fandom is evolving beyond team loyalty, with younger audiences increasingly drawn to individual athletes and their personal brands. This is particularly pronounced in women’s sports, which continues to gain momentum:<ol><li data-list="bullet">The 2025 Women’s Euros and the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 are expected to drive record-breaking engagement.</li><li data-list="bullet">Rising stars like Caitlin Clark and Leah Williamson are spearheading a surge in women’s sports viewership, attracting new fans.</li><li data-list="bullet">Industry leaders identify women’s sports growth as the top sports investment opportunity.</li></ol><figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1870/1290;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/39f3153b-9c73-4028-90fa-3dafb649891f.png" width="1870" height="1290"></figure><a style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://sporsora.com/etudes/1451-2024-global-sports-survey/file">In Europe, only around two-thirds of followers</a> of top football leagues regularly watch live games, which presents both a threat and an opportunity to grow viewership and provides other ways to interact with favourite sports and teams.A fifth of fans,&nbsp;studied by Media Culture, are fans because of the communities they want to be part of, but just because they support the team. The social aspect and necessary feeling of belonging is bonding fans and their passion, giving them more joy. That’s why when fans are gathering from different countries to support the same team, they crucially need to have a way to communicate with each other and perform their communicativeness. One of the best examples of this is La Liga, which gathers fans worldwide through its League community-building app.<h2 id="fan-ownership-models">Fan Ownership Models and Blockchain in Sports</h2>Another emerging trend is the rise of fan-owned sports clubs, which give supporters a stake in their favourite teams. Actually, this highlights the importance of fan communities because nowadays they literally rule sports.This movement is part of a more significant sports decentralisation trend:<ol><li data-list="bullet">The German Bundesliga’s 50+1 rule ensures fan-majority ownership, fostering strong community-driven sports organisations.</li><li data-list="bullet">Clubs like AFC Wimbledon and Real Oviedo allow fans to influence sports team decisions, from jersey designs to charity partnerships.</li><li data-list="bullet">Blockchain-based fan tokens (e.g., Socios.com fan tokens) enable interactive fan engagement, provide financial support for clubs, and increase fan loyalty.</li></ol><h2 id="role-of-ai-in-sports-coverage">The role of AI and data analytics in sports coverage</h2>Generative AI in sports and sports analytics are set to revolutionise sports media, impacting everything from sports content creation to fan engagement:<ol><li data-list="bullet">AI-driven sports personalisation is helping sports leagues tailor sports recommendations, making sports coverage more immersive.</li><li data-list="bullet">Predictive sports analytics enhance sports betting, player performance analysis, and fan behaviour insights.</li><li data-list="bullet">AI-generated sports commentary and automated sports highlights make real-time sports coverage more dynamic and cost-effective.</li></ol>Looking ahead, the sports industry trends in 2025 will need to balance innovation with accessibility. As sports streaming services and digital-first sports content dominate, sports leagues must ensure that sports fans across generations can affordably engage with sports media. Meanwhile, emerging sports technologies and fan-driven sports innovations will continue to shape the future of sports consumption, making 2025 a defining year for watching sports online, interacting with, and supporting people's favourite teams and athletes.<hr><h2 id="get-in-touch">Get in Touch</h2>If you want to grow engagement, build strong fan communities, or provide live streaming in your sports app with influencers and athletes as hosts, please&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://calendly.com/watchers-platform/social-tools-for-your">book a call</a> with Watchers team. We will help you find the best strategy to grow fan engagement.&nbsp;Sources:<ol><li data-list="bullet"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://sporsora.com/etudes/1451-2024-global-sports-survey/file">sporsora.com</a></li><li data-list="bullet"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/technology/technology-media-telecom-outlooks.html">deloitte.com</a></li><li data-list="bullet"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.gwi.com/blog/sports-viewership-trends">gwi.com</a></li><li data-list="bullet"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/sporting-goods-industry-trends">mckinsey.com</a></li><li data-list="bullet"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.mediaculture.com/insights/the-psychology-of-fandom-what-drives-sports-fans">mediaculture.com</a></li><li data-list="bullet"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.pwc.co.uk/hospitality-leisure/documents/global-sports-survey-2024.pdf">pwc.co.uk</a></li><li data-list="bullet"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/tech-innovation/comment-five-trends-that-will-drive-sport-content-in-2025/5200232.article">broadcastnow.co.uk</a></li></ol></div>

What do your users really feel and think about your product, service, or content?

Unlock user insights with sentiment and semantic analysis. Learn how in-app messages, live chat, and comments help brands understand consumer feedback, enhance loyalty, and build a love brand. Discover the sources for actionable data-driven decisions

Semantic and Sentiment Analysis: What Are the Best Sources of Consumers’ Thoughts?

Table of contents<a href="#sentiment-analysis">Sentiment Analysis</a>&nbsp;<a href="#semantic-analysis">Semantic Analysis</a>&nbsp;<a href="#combining-analyses">Combining Sentiment and Semantic Analyses</a>&nbsp;<a href="#right-data-source">Finding the Right Data Sources&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;<a href="#gathering-in-app-data">How to Gather In-App Data</a>&nbsp;<a href="#watchers-semantic">How Semantic Analysis Works on the Watchers Platform&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;<a href="#get-in-touch">Get in Touch Sources</a>&nbsp;<hr style="margin-bottom:1vw;">Datafication is something we always talk about. We have data flows, we want as much data as possible, and we try to find a way to interpret it. Data tells us a lot, but not about the feelings of users. Imagine you have a user who has a subscription to your service. They spend time and money on your platform, consuming your content. You have as much data as possible about them, but once they cancel their subscription and switch to another platform, you attempt to win them back with offers and emails. However, by then, they are classified as churned. However, you still don’t know why this user left and what you actually need to offer to bring them back.It sounds like we are discussing not just a relationship with a user but a relationship with a significant other. But come on, aren’t your users significant to you? Of course, they are. And what is the best way to prevent a relationship catastrophe? Listening.Direct questions you ask your users do not always work well. A user must be extremely loyal and have plenty of free time to fill out occasional surveys about user satisfaction. If the user is no longer satisfied and decides to switch to another service, your final attempt with a five-question poll asking why they are leaving is a last-ditch foul, but you should have listened earlier.We can reflect on this for a long time. Still, two key methods really help you listen to your users and extract as many insights as possible: the first is sentiment analysis, and the second is semantic analysis.<h2 id="sentiment-analysis">Sentiment Analysis</h2>Sentiment analysis encodes the emotional tone of a text. Usually provided by NLP, this type of analysis can be applied to any text: social media posts, threads, comments on YouTube or Twitch, or survey results. Sentiment analysis is less about deep insights and more about understanding users’ feelings and satisfaction with a product or content. Typically, sentiment analysis categorises data into three groups: positive, negative, and neutral. All comments, responses, and messages—depending on your goal and the platform for analysis—fall into these categories.For example, if you release a trailer for a game or film, a demo of a new feature, or plan a rebranding for the product, you can gauge the general impression of your current or potential consumers. How do they feel about it? Good, bad, or indifferent? This allows you to address issues if something was not well-received.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1080/1080;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/5e4e283e-817c-49fd-8e49-58b944a04a7b.png" alt="Semantic and Semiotic analysis for marketing" width="1080" height="1080"></figure><h2 id="semantic-analysis">Semantic Analysis</h2>Semantic analysis provides specific answers. If sentiment analysis reveals that users did not like your trailer or feature, you need to find out why. Of course, you can try to survey a sample of people who had an adverse reaction, but a sample may not capture all insights. More importantly, consumers are less honest when asked directly than when they simply interact. When faced with someone responsible for the product, their behaviour changes—they become less critical, more polite, and ultimately less insightful.Semantic analysis helps by categorising discussions based on topics relevant to the content users are engaging with. For example, if it’s a film or game trailer, you can determine which aspects users discussed the most: graphics and CGI? Voice acting? Facial animations? An unrealistic plot? Predictable gameplay? Or perhaps the controversy surrounding the producer? Sentiment analysis may show that 60% of comments were negative, but the underlying reason for this negativity may vary widely. A controversy involving a key figure in the project is a very different issue from an unpleasant voiceover.<h2 id="combining-analyses">Combining Sentiment and Semantic Analyses</h2>It’s best to combine both analyses. First, use sentiment analysis to understand the general attitude toward your content—was it positive, negative, or neutral? Once you have an answer, apply semantic analysis. It identifies the most and least discussed topics as well as the words and concepts users mention most often. Such a simple technique can provide valuable insights.If you want to dig even deeper, use sentiment analysis again, but this time, apply it to specific sets of messages or comments. For example, suppose semantic analysis shows that a significant portion of comments is about CGI. Are most of these comments positive or negative? Another popular discussion topic is the production team—what is the sentiment there? Good, bad, or neutral?It’s not just about raw data—it’s about interpretation, not subjective but direct and objective. You may have 10,000 comments under posts about two games you promoted. Both posts have excellent engagement rates, suggesting your brand is popular. However, sentiment analysis reveals that the first post’s 10,000 comments are mostly negative, while the second’s are predominantly positive. Meanwhile, semantic analysis shows that the positive comments were about the winning team, whose fans flooded the post to celebrate, whereas the negative comments stemmed from technical issues on your platform. Despite high engagement rates, analysis reveals the actual reasons behind the activity.<h2 id="right-data-source">Finding the Right Data Sources</h2>Of course, data is necessary for such analysis, and social media is an obvious feedback source. But is it truly the best? Are those commenting on your posts actual users, or did they simply see the post in their feed, leave a comment, and move on?For some businesses, this distinction is not critical. If you are marketing a new product that is available everywhere, social media is ideal. However, if you are marketing a service, platform, or content exclusive to a&nbsp;specific platform, analysing social media may not provide the insights needed to refine your strategy or improve your product. In such cases, in-app messaging is the most valuable data source. Users share their emotions and opinions while consuming content, not through structured surveys but in organic discussions with each other. Such feedback is far more sincere and, therefore, more insightful.<h2 id="gathering-in-app-data">How to Gather In-App Data</h2><h3>Public Live Chats</h3>When users have a space to discuss topics they enjoy openly, they become honest. They discuss both the&nbsp;advantages and disadvantages of your platform and may even debate among themselves. This not only boosts retention and engagement but also provides you with valuable, unsolicited feedback—at no additional cost. Public chats can be integrated in various ways, such as a general lobby for all conversations or dedicated chats for specific events or content pages.<h3>Comment Sections</h3>Like event chats but designed for long-term discussions rather than real-time interaction, comment sections provide direct feedback at all times. Media platforms, streaming services, and marketplaces can all introduce comment sections to continuously receive user insights. Publishers claim that comment sections also increase time spent on the platform and subscriber numbers, as users often need to sign in to participate.Moreover, an essential aspect of in-app data for sentiment and semantic analysis is that you own the data. On&nbsp;social media, inappropriate comments may not be visible, meaning they are excluded from analytical tools. However, on your platform, even hidden comments can be analysed, allowing you to understand what truly frustrates your users.<h3>In-App Live Streaming</h3>Live streaming is an exceptional source of insights because it is spontaneous, engaging, and real-time. Users are accustomed to following Twitch influencers who analyse content or products, and they trust these influencers. If an influencer streams directly on your platform, users will still be direct and honest.<h2 id="watchers-semantic">How Semantic Analysis Works on the&nbsp;Watchers Platform</h2>Our clients can analyse messages sent to any chat <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://watchers.io/post/How-and-Why-Is-Collecting-First-Party-Data-Crucial-for-Your-Business">using AI-powered tools</a>. Messages from a given period are forwarded to the AI tool, and clients can select from various analysis prompts or customise them for optimal results. The system categorises messages, enabling clients to understand the most frequently discussed topics, the sentiment behind them, and the most commonly used words and phrases.Semantic analysis can also serve specific purposes. For instance, one recent analysis revealed that the client's public chat contained messages in six languages. However, 60% of the messages were in French, with the most common words being gagner, real, psg, lyon, and mbappe. With this info, the client understood which events to prioritise on their platform’s homepage.<h2 id="get-in-touch">Get in Touch</h2><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">If you want to integrate community-based live chats or other social tools into your website or app and receive insights about user behaviour, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://calendly.com/watchers-platform/social-tools-for-your"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">book a&nbsp;call</a><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> with our team. We will help you find the best solution for your engagement strategy.***<h2>Sources</h2><ul><li>YouTube Comment Analyzer Using Sentimental Analysis | <a style="background-color:transparent;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381412037_YouTube_Comment_Analyzer_Using_Sentimental_Analysis">International Research Journal on Advanced Engineering Hub</a></li><li>Brand meaning and its social categories: A semiotic approach for future marketing | <a class="nova-legacy-e-link nova-legacy-e-link--color-inherit nova-legacy-e-link--theme-decorated" style="border-width:0px;color:inherit;cursor:pointer;display:inline;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;text-align:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/365152542_Brand_meaning_and_its_social_categories_A_semiotic_approach_for_future_marketing">Journal of Eastern European and Central Asian Research</a></li><li>Semiotics in Marketing: What It Means for Your Brand and Messaging | <a style="background-color:transparent;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://cxl.com/blog/semiotics-marketing/">CXL Blog</a></li><li>What Is Sentiment Analysis Marketing? Tips, Tools, and Techniques | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.semrush.com/blog/sentiment-analysis-marketing/">SemRush</a></li><li>How &amp; Why Is Collecting Users' Insights Crucial for Your Business | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://watchers.io/post/How-and-Why-Is-Collecting-First-Party-Data-Crucial-for-Your-Business">Watchers Blog</a></li></ul>

The main trends in entertainment and communication industries we wait for in 2025.

The main trends in entertainment and communication industries we wait for in 2025. How will embeded AI move further? What should we do with live-video streaming? What is with tokenization, gamification, and mysterious hyber localization that became 

Six Trends of 2025 We Can’t Miss

Table of Contents<a href="#mainstream-adoption">Mainstream Adoption of Live Streaming</a><a href="#consolidation-of-embedded-ai">Consolidation of Embedded AI</a><a href="#surge-in-gamification">Surge in Gamification</a><a href="#hyper-localisation">Hyper-Localisation</a><a href="#blockchain">Blockchain and Tokenised Incentives and Crypto Growth</a><a href="#community-building">Community-building</a><hr>&nbsp;<div class="page-break" style="page-break-after:always;">&nbsp;</div>We studied numerous reports from 2024 and predictions made by the most influential research companies, media, and technological giants about the following year. We've gathered the most interesting trends, significant quotations, and the bravest predictions for the future of communication and entertainment—just for you and us to create the most exciting, ambitious, and realistic roadmap.We studied numerous reports in 2024 and examined predictions for the following year from the most influential research companies, media outlets, and technological giants. From these analyses, we selected the most intriguing trends, significant quotes, and boldest forecasts for the future of communication and entertainment. We’ve gathered insights to craft the most exciting, ambitious, and relevant roadmap for you and us.<h2 id="mainstream-adoption">Mainstream Adoption of Live Streaming</h2>Trend: Live streaming continues to dominate, with users focusing on interactive, real-time experiences.We've written it before: live-streaming has been one of the most notable trends in the entertainment industry for the last few years. Users get used to streaming, watching other users’ streams; everything can be streamed, and everything can be sold during the stream. Twitch and YouTube created this trend, but it doesn't mean that other services can use it for their interaction with the audience.<blockquote>“Live-streaming viewership is up 12% from Q3 2023 to 8.5B hours watched, indicating renewed interest in the industry following the post-pandemic dip. Kick solidified its position in the live-streaming space, now holding the #3 spot with 534M hours watched after growing it (together with Twitch and YouTube; the fourth place goes to Facebook Video). This resurgence has been fueled by a wider variety of platforms, like Kick, which has doubled in viewership compared to Q3 last year.” Stream Hatchet; Q3 2024 Report</blockquote><blockquote>“As live-streaming commerce grows, it’s&nbsp;clear that e-commerce will need to evolve or risk being overshadowed by this inherently dynamic approach. Through advanced personalisation, moderation and real-time analytics, content will be tailored to real-time preferences based on input and reactions." <a style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.forbes.com">Lux Narayan</a> for Forbes, October 2024</blockquote><figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:896/1152;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/c7f8fa62-a0c9-4346-8385-c3fdfed96032.webp" width="896" height="1152"></figure><blockquote>“We now expect to see a new era of streaming, one that prioritises user experience and innovation. The future of AI-powered streaming lies in platforms that can anticipate individual preferences, deliver tailored content, and blur the lines between traditional viewing and interactive experiences.” Kevin Westcott, Deloitte Global Telecommunications, November 2024</blockquote><blockquote>“60% of those respondents who budget for influencer marketing intend to increase their influencer marketing budget over the next year.” Influencer Marketing Hub</blockquote><h2 id="consolidation-of-embedded-ai">Consolidation of Embedded AI</h2>Trend: AI integration becomes a demanded part of functionality for enhancing UX through personalization, chat assistance, and predictive analytics.The growth of embedded AI happened fast and users adopted it really fast as well. Now, companies and services should not fall behind and give users what they expect to see: convenient tools for interacting with AI or services improved with AI for better personalisation.<blockquote>“...companies hope to create an all-in-one app, where users can act on what they have learned and never have to leave. 73% of consumers believe customer service quality will improve with the&nbsp;use of AI and expect more interactions with it in their everyday lives.” CX Trend 2024; Dmitry Shevelenko, Perplexity</blockquote><blockquote>“If you think about the world’s data, the majority of it is sitting in cold tiers and archives. Enterprises are now using that data to feed AI models and realise the full value of the data." Arthur Lewis, <a style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/ai-technology-stocks-d289e665">Dell Technologies</a>’ infrastructure solutions group; Barron’s, November 2024</blockquote><blockquote>“In 2025, this democratisation of AI usage is accelerating, promising to reshape industries and revolutionise decision-making processes across every sector of the economy.” Forbes, November, 2024</blockquote><h2 id="surge-in-gamification">Surge in Gamification</h2>Trend: Gamification elements, like achievements, leaderboards, and streaks, are key to driving engagementGamification is not a new trend; it has been evolving over the last decade or so. As more users develop playing and video games habits, they increasingly tend to respond to achievements and expect to receive them for their behaviour. If platforms want to retain users and build loyalty, achievements are becoming a necessary element of this.<blockquote>“Gamification is about motivating people through data-driven experiences that tap into the core of what makes us human—our need to learn, grow, and be rewarded.” Gabe Zichermann, Onward, October 2024</blockquote><blockquote>“The gamification market size has grown exponentially, and it is expected to grow with GAGR in 24.4%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to the increased use of gamification in the gaming industry and the rise of mobile games.” Global Gamification Market Growth Drivers 2024/ Report</blockquote><h2 id="hyper-localisation">Hyper-Localisation</h2>Trend: Platforms demand tailored experiences to specific geographies, languages, and cultural contexts.<blockquote>Personalisation is no longer a luxury; it’s an expectation. Players want experiences that resonate with their individual preferences.” Yogonet iGaming news, October 2024</blockquote>This trend is closely tied to the development of embedded AI and the full adoption of big data, and interestingly, it intersects with both globalisation and anti-globalisation movements. Some platforms aim to protect their content, while others focus on offering users the freedom to move seamlessly across borders without losing their connection to the platform.Users demand a close, personalised connection with their favourite services, whether at home or abroad. Personalisation is a king, detailed localisation is a necessity.&nbsp;<blockquote>“The drivers for local differentiation include: Businesses in highly regulated industries must adhere to national or regional regulations and ensure that regulators’ systems can connect with their own. Data privacy and security laws, such as the European Union’s GDPR and China’s Data Security Law, apply to all industries and may include <a style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/localization-of-data-privacy-regulations-creates-competitive-opportunities">requirements affecting local infrastructure</a>, such as cloud providers, and mechanisms to control data flows, such as isolated access controls. The user experience may need to be tailored to reflect local&nbsp; communication preferences.”McKinsey and Company</blockquote><h2 id="blockchain">Blockchain and Tokenised Incentives and Crypto Growth</h2>Trend: Blockchain and tokenized economics are gaining traction for ease and transparency in processing and unique rewardsIf your platform operates globally and involves financial transactions—whether users trade stocks, buy or sell goods, pay for services, or place bets—they need a secure and seamless way to manage their money. To avoid complications with various currencies, some platforms have adopted crypto operations. While this trend may not exhibit the fastest growth, it remains strong and steadily gains confidence.<blockquote>“Tech-savvy players who value anonymity and fast transactions are particularly drawn to crypto-friendly platforms. Additionally, the rise of PayPal casinos is also notable, as many players prefer the security and ease of transactions that the platform offers. As global regulations around cryptocurrency and digital payment methods continue to evolve, their roles in the gambling industry will only grow stronger.” Yogonet Gaming news, October 2024</blockquote><blockquote>“Tokenized financial assets are moving from pilot to at-scale deployment. Adoption is not yet widespread, but financial institutions with blockchain capabilities in&nbsp;place will have a strategic advantage. For instance, we believe tokenization feasibility is highest for asset classes with lower technical complexities and regulatory considerations.” McKinsey &amp; Company, 2024</blockquote><h2 id="community-building">Community-building</h2>Trend: The social part of user experience is now a necessity.Two years ago, developing social tools were essential for entertainment businesses: users got used to social media, and social networks stole retention and attention from platforms, channels, and services. It was crucial, but now it is required. All users of all platforms need to share their opinions: your users can watch movies or sports, study analytical reports, share their ideas about the best cookie recipes, bet on hockey or buy tickets to the theatre: all need to receive advice or give them.<figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:896/1152;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/6c5e6e7c-2cdb-401d-8a1a-bef8bc876ebe.webp" width="896" height="1152"></figure>All of them were really into these activities, and they had to create WhatsApp or Facebook groups for such discussions, but now platforms see these needs and add this functionality. Interestingly, it doesn't matter if the platform is big or small; community chat, comment section, and in-app live-video streaming can be added on any platform with a topic to discuss, and users are interested in such discussions.&nbsp;<blockquote>“Engaging with your audience shows you value their input and are willing to evolve based on their needs.” <a style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescommunicationscouncil/2024/10/01/the-power-of-community-how-fashion-brands-are-building-loyalty-among-gen-z/">Forbes, October 2024</a></blockquote>***Sources<ul><li>Enhance your platform with in-app social tools and personalised widgets to meet users' needs, stay on trend, and increase engagement. Contact us or fill out the form below. We'll help you find the best solution!</li><li>The Power Of Community: How Fashion Brands Are Building Loyalty Among Gen Z &nbsp;| <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescommunicationscouncil/2024/10/01/the-power-of-community-how-fashion-brands-are-building-loyalty-among-gen-z/">Forbes</a></li><li>From ripples to waves: The transformational power of tokenizing assets | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/financial-services/our-insights/from-ripples-to-waves-the-transformational-power-of-tokenizing-assets">McKinsey &amp; Company</a></li><li>Localization of data privacy regulations creates competitive opportunities | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/localization-of-data-privacy-regulations-creates-competitive-opportunities">McKinsey &amp; Company</a></li><li>Where is the trend going in 2025? | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2024/10/23/82878-casino-gambling-or-betting-where-is-the-trend-going-in-2025">Yogonet</a></li><li>Gamification Market Report 2025 | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5767632/gamification-market-report?srsltid=AfmBOoriLrCKKC9ACzNqLmKaz2C0qktZwymWdVuvjaQz4lpnvIhnhN_1">Research and Market</a></li><li>The Age of AI Is Still in the Early Innings. These 3 Stocks Will Keep Winning | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/ai-technology-stocks-d289e665">Barron's</a></li><li>Deloitte Global’s 2025 Predictions Report: Generative AI: Paving the Way for a transformative future in Technology, Media, and Telecommunications | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.deloitte.com/cbc/en/about/press-room/deloitte-globals-2025-predictions-report.html">Deloiite</a></li></ul>

Let's look at female sports coverage, and what records and problems are observed in the industry.

What is going on with the coverage of female sports, what new platforms appeared in 2023 for women's sports broadcasting, and what problems in the industry are still waiting to be solved

Anatomy of a rise: What’s going on with female sports broadcasting

<div style="font-size:14px;line-height:1;" id="toc">On this page&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="#look-at-numbers">Let’s look at numbers</a>&nbsp;<a href="#problems-to-solve">Problems to solve</a>&nbsp;<a href="#new-possibilities">New possibilities</a>&nbsp;<a href="#get-in-touch">Get in touch</a>&nbsp;<hr style="margin-bottom:1vw;">In 2022, we published <a style="background-color:transparent;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://watchers.io/post/how-do-women-watch-sports">an article about women's sports and how difficult it was to find where to watch them</a>. Two years have passed, and now we can say that female sports broadcasting has broken records.What particular tournaments are the most popular? What platforms cover these games? Is it really so easy now to watch female sports, or are many problems still waiting for a solution?<h2 id="look-at-numbers">Let’s look at numbers</h2>Wasserman’s report shared that traditionally, before 2019, women’s sports coverage contained not more than 3-5%. In 2019, it increased by 5%. However, the full analysis of 2022 showed a threefold increase, so coverage of female sports through media (including linear TV, video streaming, and social media) was 15% and continued to grow. But we should remember that there were no significant changes in linear TV coverage, and this common growth was provided by streaming platforms and social media that are more flexible to trends than solid and clumsy traditional television.In the USA, women’s basketball is the best-covered female sport, followed by football, tennis, and softball.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1354/1420;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/1df1d30f-b0c2-4b53-b4c2-c9fdc1e0af27.png" width="1354" height="1420"><figcaption>Nike continues to celebrate both female and male sports and athletes equally. &nbsp;</figcaption></figure>Women’s college volleyball also received huge numbers. The match was streamed on Fox and attracted 1.66 million viewers.The Women's European Football Championship final gathered more than 450 million interactions on social media worldwide and the highest viewing figures on television In Germany in 2022.In 2023, the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, broadcast by ESPN, attracted nearly 10 million viewers per game.In 2023, Women's esports tournaments received 28 million hours of viewing, 15% more than a year earlier. Online viewing peaks showed wild growth, increasing from 392.4K to 1.37M viewers. These numbers were set at the final of the 32nd SEA Games Women's Tournament for Mobile Legends, where Bang Bang, Indonesian, and Philippine teams competed.The National Research Group and Ampere Analysis report said that 39% of Gen Zers watch more female sports than they used to.We provided just examples. You can check reports for the last two years and find booms in the popularity of female sports. Interest in them is growing, which influences offers, and the whole industry is starting to bloom. However…<h2 id="problems-to-solve">Problems to solve</h2>However, coverage and an enormous amount of hours don’t mean equality because when male tournaments get prime time slots, female games often go to daytime or nighttime, if we talk about linear TV. Sometimes, it turns up with wins, as in the situation with the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, broadcast by ESPN, the results of which we shared above. ESPN refused to give primetime for this tournament, and the daytime slot on Sundays became extremely watchable with enormous numbers of viewers. However, such a programming approach can create a boundary between games and viewers.Female sports receive more coverage, but not less objectification and sexism directed at women athletes. How does it come out? Through commenting about dresses, spouses, appearances, and chosen camera angles. This attitude was evident in comparison to the Football awards: commentators talked a lot about dresses and looks while female athletes were being awarded, and about sports and competitions while men were on the scene.Also, female athletes are not so visible in sports media despite their huge success. Of course, significant brands partner with athletes, and you can find some of them in ads. They develop their personal brands on social media, but on the one hand, their presence on visible media is much less than that of male athletes. On the other hand, even those athletes who are presented mostly belong to what are called classic feminine athletes, while women who look and behave less traditionally are almost invisible in the wider media.<figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1196/1510;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/f956cdb8-c806-475b-bec1-dbb901e79dcf.png" width="1196" height="1510"><figcaption>©Just Women's Sports Instagram account</figcaption></figure>National Research Group and Ampere Analysis found that broadcast networks in the USA spent 0.2% of media-rights budgets on female-only sports events, which returns us to the previous problem. Traditional media, even if they broadcast and cover female tournaments, are still not fully ready to invest in their development and promotion as they do with male sports.<h2 id="new-possibilities">New possibilities</h2>Over the last two years, several promising platforms with female sports content have been launched. Firstly, there is the Women’s Sports Network, the first-ever video platform focusing on female athletes. It offers 24/7 streaming of programming, competitions, documentaries, and other content covering female sports. What’s important is that it is available for free on such services as Freevee by Amazon, Tubi by Fox, FuboTV, and different Smart TVs.The women's European Championship final in Germany was watched by more people than the men's national team matches during the World Cup in Qatar, highlighted Haruka Gruber, Senior Vice President Media DACH at sports streaming channel DAZN, when DAZN launched DAZN Rise, a free platform that broadcasts female sports 24/7.Companies realised that women's sports weren’t as watched as they could be, not because of the lack of interest but because of the absence of opportunities. So, if one of the main problems is going to be solved, maybe others, such as a safe online space, coverage on traditional media, and wide sponsorship, will not stay with us for long.<h2>Get in touch</h2>If you want to enhance broadcasting with real-time communication, using second screens, live chats, polls, and other community-building tools,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://watchers.io/form">connect with us</a>. We will help you&nbsp;find the most suitable solution.<hr style="margin-bottom:1vw;">Sources:32nd SEA Games - Women's Tournament/ Statistics | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://escharts.com/tournaments/mobile-legends/32nd-sea-games-womens-tournament">Esports Charts</a>Objectification in Sport Media: Influences on a Future Women’s Sporting Event | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317240106_Objectification_in_Sport_Media_Influences_on_a_Future_Women%27s_Sporting_Event">International Journal of Sport Communication</a>More U.S. fans paying attention to women's sports, but large gap still exists | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2022/10/26/Sports-in-Society/Female-sports.aspx&nbsp;">Sports Business Journal</a>New study: Women's sports comprise 15% of sports media coverage | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.teamwass.com/news/new-study-womens-sports-comprise-15-of-sports-media-coverage/">Wasserman</a></div>

Why is the Premier League the most popular football league worldwide? What are the best games in history according to their fans? And what emoji do they use to describe their matches in the best way? Read our small but strong study!

Emojis, speed and colonialism. Why do people like the Premier League, and just how much do they like it?

<div style="font-size:14px;line-height:1;" id="toc">On this page&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="#speed-and-elegance">Speed and Spectacular Elegance</a>&nbsp;<a href="#marketing-that-drives">Marketing That Drives</a>&nbsp;<a href="#language-and-commentators">Familiar Language and Commentators</a>&nbsp;<a href="#it-s-all-in-thrill">It’s All in the Thrill</a>&nbsp;<a href="#how-do-we-watch">But How Do We Watch Its Matches?</a>&nbsp;<a href="#emoji-bonus">Emoji Bonus</a>&nbsp;<hr style="margin-bottom:1vw;">It’s the beginning of August, so the new Premier League season has begun. We won’t be sharing transfer news or predicting which team will prevail at the end of this season. We would like to share some ideas about viewers’ moods as they wait for the coming season, how often they (we! you!) are ready to watch matches, and which matches from previous seasons viewers cherish in their hearts.We’ll also share fans’ explanations of why the English Premier League is, simply put, the most popular league on the planet.<figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1348/896;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/16b27066-30ab-428a-8779-a34161e00348.png" width="1348" height="896"><figcaption>&nbsp;by GettyImages</figcaption></figure>According to a plethora of reports—and&nbsp;<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://buzzmyvideos.com/en/the-european-football-youtube-report-2022/">here</a>&nbsp;we have one of the freshest of them—the English Premier League is the most closely watched European football league. Some reports claim that the Premier League is the most popular worldwide, not only in Europe.We would never argue with this, but we’ve decided to find out why this is so. We visited trends on Reddit and Quora and didn’t even have to ask because people had been discussing this topic themselves for the last several years. Reviewing many trends and conversations, we saw that they could easily be divided into four groups/reasons why people preferred the English Premier League, according to the fans themselves.<h2 id="speed-and-elegance">Speed ​​and Spectacular Elegance</h2>A popular opinion is also that football's speed and entertainment value attract spectators in the English Premier League. The Italians and Germans have tactics. But with the Premier League, we have fires and hurricanes. Those who support this theory discuss tactics across all of football but remain strangely silent about the reasons why the Premier League bypasses Spanish or, for example, South American football in terms of entertainment value.<blockquote>First, because they are really good to watch. Fast. Energetic. Skilful. Goals. Second, many people watch them. It allows for easier connection with others who like football. (<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.reddit.com/user/teetoose/">teetoose</a>&nbsp;on Reddit)</blockquote><blockquote>But the element that makes the difference between Premier League and La Liga, for example, is passion. Any mid or low table team in the Premier League, such as Brentford, Crystal Palace or Leeds, can be exciting to follow. Even if a team is poor on field, there is all this captivating drama surrounding the club. You cannot say the same about Almeria or Girona (no disrespect)&nbsp;(<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.reddit.com/user/craciunc93/">craciunc93</a>&nbsp;on Reddit)</blockquote><blockquote>Because it's the best quality soccer. (<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.reddit.com/user/cheetah-21/">cheetah-21</a>&nbsp;on Reddit)</blockquote><h2 id="marketing-that-drives">Marketing That Drives</h2>Where would we be without marketing? Many viewers are convinced that the amount of money the Premier League spends on promotion and the quality of its advertising makes the world watch their games.<blockquote>Money. Premier League spent ridiculous amounts early on marketing and selling the league all over the world. Now it doesn’t need to so much because it's so big worldwide, it just markets itself.&nbsp;(<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.reddit.com/user/ChrisGadge/">ChrisGadge</a>&nbsp;on Quora)</blockquote><h2 id="language-and-commentators">Familiar Language and Commentators</h2>A logical assumption is the theory that the English premiere is watched worldwide because…well…because it’s presented in English. We can understand commentators and follow the news no matter where we are in the world. Many Americans are fond of this idea and follow English football because it’s much easier than French football, for instance. But fans from across the whole world agree on this point. Many of them add that the Premier League unites players from around the globe, while in other national leagues, most players are local.<figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:2564/1444;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/cbeaa4c7-81b4-4f78-b732-0e570b5919e8.png" width="2564" height="1444"><figcaption>Photo: John Walton/EMPICS Sport | by Getty Images</figcaption></figure>To boot, many fans agree that commentators make it worth watching English football, although here, the details fans provide differ—and interestingly, by a whole 180 degrees. Some claim that English commentators are calm and measured, and others say that they brighten up even boring matches with their emotions.<blockquote>I firmly believe it's because of the English language and how widely it is spoken and understood throughout the world.&nbsp;(<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Ok_Giraffe6654/">Ok_Giraffe6654</a>&nbsp;on Reddit)</blockquote><blockquote>This is definitely the biggest factor imo. Additionally, they were early to update their quality of broadcast to the standards set by USA sports.&nbsp;(<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.reddit.com/user/yourfriendkyle/">yourfriendkyle</a>on Reddit)</blockquote><h2 id="it-s-all-in-thrill">It’s All in the Thrill</h2>However, the most widely supported theory has to do with surprise: you can never predict who will win or how the forces will be distributed, even further down in the ranking than fourth place. In the French Ligue 1, you’ve only got PSG; in the Bundesliga and La Liga, there are two teams at this level; in the Italian Serie A, there are three… But only in the Premier League do we have a situation where there are virtually no underdogs. This vague but sweet theory confirms that nothing is in vain if fans believe in surprises and chance fate.<blockquote>Mainly because of the thrill. You never know which team will beat the other. Which is not the case in La Liga or the Bundesliga. In these two, the thing that matters is who is the winner in El Classico or Bayern-Dortmund matches. The competition in the league is very low.&nbsp;(<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.quora.com/profile/Krishna-Menan-1">Krishna Menan</a>&nbsp;on Quora)</blockquote><blockquote>Because who wants to watch Barca vs elche or Granada. Who ever reads this won’t be able to tell me one player from elche or granada not even 1. Ask Barca fans and they won’t know either. Seem to have it all figured out when they are fighting midgets&nbsp;(<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.reddit.com/user/gunnersami/">gunnersami</a>&nbsp;on Reddit)</blockquote>Many fans also believe that the Premier League is as popular as it is because of its accessibility. For example, in the US, matches can be watched on Disney+. Many TV channels worldwide have the rights to show PL games, while other leagues have fewer broadcast partners.Only the odd answer didn’t fall into one of our four categories. Other answers were “It’s all about bets”, “It’s just good old colonialism”, and something about purposefully directed matches. No, we aren’t joking!<blockquote>There is the element of camera work as well. I personally found it harder to watch the Spanish and the Italian league on screen as the camera is zoomed out during normal action and it’s harder to identify the players. While the EPL has a more zoomed in camera set up which makes me feel closer to the pitch. But it could be just me.&nbsp;(<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.reddit.com/user/lazymonkey9/">lazymonkey9</a>&nbsp;on Reddit)</blockquote><h2 id="how-do-we-watch">So, ok, we now know why we love the Premier League so much. But how do we watch its matches?</h2>What else can you do beyond asking fans directly? Among our survey participants, there were both very dedicated fans (who have been watching Premier League matches since 1999) and beginners, for whom this season will be only the second. We did not ask them for any personal details, but did clarify what clubs they supported. We found out that an approximately equal number of our respondents support Chelsea, Man City, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal, with slightly fewer favouring Tottenham, Leicester and West Ham.We asked fans if they enjoy commenting on matches themselves, especially for their friends. 16.9% said that they do. Half of our respondents explained that it depends on their current mood, and 32% said that they favour the comments of professionals over their own.We also wanted to learn how fans feel about toxic messages during a match. After all, as we wrote earlier, it is precisely in the Premier League that we see an exceptionally high percentage of racist comments towards the players. Of course, this is odd because the English championship is multinational. Nevertheless… It turns out that most fans (55.9%) are annoyed by insulting comments about players, and a quarter of our respondents (25.4%) are indifferent to them. Only 8.5% of respondents admitted that they sometimes participate in such behaviour.<figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:2434/1570;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/e22209d3-ac8c-4c4f-9668-4d9a93233a41.png" width="2434" height="1570"></figure>We also asked which Premier League game holds a special place in fans’ hearts. We expected that we might find a single “favourite” match in common. But it turns out that fans remember many different games. Ultimately, however, there were two matches that fans singled out more than others. Admittedly, one of these wasn’t a championship match at all but an FA Cup match. So many fans named this particular match so that it would be negligent of us simply to ignore it.The most memorable Premier League game was Manchester City v Queens Park Rangers. The score was 3:2; the match occurred on May 13th, 2012.<figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1792/1212;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/9afbf2a7-577b-48a3-9f56-6882e590d77b.png" width="1792" height="1212"><figcaption>by Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Man City needed to bypass Manchester United, while Queens Park Rangers needed to keep hold of their place in the League. It was the last match of the season. The decisive goal came from Aguero, who was playing as a substitute. Later, English bookmakers called this goal “the most expensive goal in history”: they had to pay out 20 million pounds to people who bet on Man City's victory with a score of 1:2 in favour of “QPR”. In the poll provided by Sky Sport, English fans picked this moment as the most memorable and brightest in PL history.The most memorable FA Cup match was Chelsea v Arsenal, with a final score of 6:0. It took place on March 22nd, 2014.<figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:2066/1284;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/aa749152-5580-4a94-9d1d-cb21a3a5d944.png" width="2066" height="1284"><figcaption>by BCC Sport</figcaption></figure>The bitter irony is that this match was a game anniversary—the thousandth anniversary!—of former Arsenal coach Arsène Wenger. Later, Arsenal managed to beat Chelsea on more than one occasion, including in an FA Cup final. The score, of course, wasn’t as impressive.<h2 id="emoji-bonus">Emoji Bonus</h2>Finally, we asked fans to share emojis that reflect their attitude to English Premier League matches. Here are the top 5:<figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1358/1354;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/cf48239b-3eeb-4fe4-bb62-a0f788b35bb9.png" width="1358" height="1354"></figure>Surely, this whole range of emotions represents the entire future of any Premier League season, regardless of what team you actually support.</div>

Here we explore various studies about women athletes and women spectators.

Here, we explore various studies about female athletes and spectators.

Do women watch sports?

<div style="font-size:14px;line-height:1;" id="toc">On this page&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="#where-to-watch">Where can we watch female sports?</a>&nbsp;<a href="#not-as-new-audience">A completely new audience, or not as new?</a>&nbsp;<a href="#how-to-watch">How do women watch sports?</a>&nbsp;<a href="#what-sports-watchers-watch">What sports do women in the Watchers' team watch?</a>&nbsp;<a href="#get-in-touch">Get in touch</a>&nbsp;<hr style="margin-bottom:1vw;">In 2021 and 2022, many information agencies researched how viewing attitudes had changed during the pandemic. How do people watch sports now, and how will they watch it in the future?These studies revealed quite a few exciting things. For example, according to the survey provided by Meta, three out of four sports fans use social media exclusively to follow sports events and their favourite teams. One in five spectators who watch sports regularly don’t identify as sports fans. Also, it turns out that the popularity of women’s sports has risen significantly and that women themselves have become more active viewers. Likewise, they form a more significant percentage of the total TV and online broadcast audiences. Press enter or click to view image in full size<figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1600/1168;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/0af51774-5cfb-4578-b4e7-5b5078735ad3.webp" width="1600" height="1168"><figcaption>By Getty Images</figcaption></figure>The Meta study shows that Latin America boasts the most gender-balanced sports spectators. In Latin America, almost as many women as men watch sports (49% vs. 51%).The most significant difference in watching patterns between the sexes can be seen in the Middle East and Africa. 61% of men watch sports, and only 39% of women do.<blockquote>“Growing up, I didn’t see Muslim women on billboards or TV. I felt like my dreams and goals were limited, because how do you dream bigger without seeing someone who looks like you accomplish those things?”</blockquote>—Asma Elbadawi, the Sudanese athlete, basketball trainer, and poetess, who convinced the International Basketball Federation to remove the ban on hijab-wearing.<h2 id="where-to-watch">Where can we watch female sports?</h2>Despite the growing popularity of women’s sports, finding an online broadcast isn’t easy, and this is even more true on TV.At the end of last year, the Altman Solon company conducted a study in which they surveyed 18 thousand respondents from 16 countries in Asia, North America, Latin America, and Europe. Here are their insights.They found that more than half of women living in the United Kingdom watch sporting events at least once a month. Every fifth woman in the UK says she watches the FA Women’s Super League as her favourite championship.<figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1426/1398;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/b98fe7d8-9e99-4744-8db9-1104053322d4.webp" width="1426" height="1398"><figcaption>Photo: @asmaelbadawi on Instagram</figcaption></figure>Why do these results refer much more to the UK if the poll was international? The answer concerns the partnership which has been active between SkySport, the Women’s Sport Collective, and BBC since 2021. SkySports managers claim audience size and engagement growth were extraordinary due to the integration.According to SkySport, the number of female sports viewers has increased by 49% since 2017. At the same time, in 2017, the International Women’s Cricket Championship final was viewed by more than a million viewers on SkySport platforms—more than the average Premier League match.“The final vs. a regular match?” We might be sceptical of the significance of this statistic, but remember that men’s football is the most popular sport around—and beyond all reach in terms of the overall level of interest. But now women’s cricket can compete with it!<blockquote>Respondents from 33 out of 40 countries indicate that football is the most popular sport. In the USA it is outstripped by American football, in India—cricket, in Canada—hockey, and by basketball in the Philippines.</blockquote><figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1600/900;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/e3af40dd-38f2-4cb6-b6a8-399a8f19befd.webp" width="1600" height="900"><figcaption>©&nbsp;<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ld25.tv/">https://www.ld25.tv</a></figcaption></figure>The Women’s Super League (WSL) broadcasts show the highest ratings. Nielsen estimates that with the rise in WSL fans, the season’s total British audience was 14.5 million, becoming the country’s fourth most popular national League.However, the most crucial part of this picture is a partnership. No league can become famous if sports fans don’t have access to watch its matches.<h2 id="not-as-new-audience">A completely new audience, or not as new?</h2>25% of those who watched women’s cricket had never watched men’s cricket in the past, and six million WSL viewers had never watched Premier League games. The conclusion is simple — if you don’t provide access to women’s sports, you are losing a potential audience.According to research by Travis Schaedler and Audrey Wagstaff in 2020, respondents who described women’s sports as “slower” and “less exciting” didn’t have any experience watching women’s competitions; their knowledge was built on prejudice. In addition, less than 10% of sports media covers women’s sports regularly.<blockquote>The Olympics have become gender balanced. 48.8% of the Olympic athletes in Tokyo were women. At the Olympics in Beijing, this figure dropped a bit — to 45%. According to Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Japanese Olympic games were the first gender-balanced in history.</blockquote><figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:2318/1544;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/71788633-475f-4dfc-9535-46f773bd987a.png" width="2318" height="1544"><figcaption>©Getty Images</figcaption></figure>As the female viewer base grows, so do the top women’s sports leagues. However, according to research, women are more event-oriented and prefer to watch flagship matches and top competitions. These results give rise to great potential for audience growth and the ability to transform female viewers from occasional viewers into more frequent viewers.Let’s look at competitions that women manage to watch not only in the UK but around the world. Compared to men, women are more likely to watch the Olympics, Women’s and Men’s World Cup, including FIFA games and World Tennis Association events. But women rarely watch regular championships, and this only leaves room for growth.<h2 id="how-to-watch">How do women watch sports?</h2>We also surveyed women to learn how they would prefer to watch games: whether alone or together, online or at the stadium—and what they need to make viewing more pleasant.<figure class="image" style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1036/1300;" src="https://cdn.eu.watchers.io/9a9a87de-487f-4aa9-83d5-b44ec1c66311.webp" width="1036" height="1300"></figure>We also asked an open question — what do you need to get pleasure from viewing sports online? Most women reiterated the importance of friends and good company, followed by snacks/food and a lack of advertisement while watching. One of the respondents shared that a bottle of beer comes in handy, “maybe two, if the game is bollocks”.<h2 id="what-sports-watchers-watch">What sports do women in the Watchers' team watch?</h2>"Unfortunately, not all sports close to me can be seen on TV or a video platform, as their broadcasting would be hard to organise, and their entertainment value is low. I would like to see more Open-Water Swimming Championships, triathlon races, and General Aviation Sports (air rally racing, precision flying, and air navigation races).&nbsp;From what the media offers, I watch football and Red Bull competitions. I have never missed a single Red Bull Air Race before, but now, after cancellation, I am following Cliff Diving. These are the guilty pleasures that I watch alone. As for football… Who cheers at the stadium alone? You need company; if we can’t come together with friends, we exchange impressions online”. —&nbsp;Yana Barden, CEO“Different women watch sports differently, just as is true of men. Some like to discuss and be in a crowd, whether real or virtual, because that brings joy. Others follow a game attentively, analysing tactics. I watch football and always react very emotionally. After all, football is like a film — the same strong emotions, editing, and close-ups are all present without any prepared script, and seasons are like series and have plot twists”. —&nbsp;Alina Kuzo, Editor-in-Chief<h2 id="get-in-touch">Get in touch</h2>If you want to build communities on your platform with a trusted and healthy space, and allow your users to discuss sports while watching,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://watchers.io/form">connect with us</a>. We will help you&nbsp;find the most suitable solution.<hr style="&gt;
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 &lt;a style=;margin-bottom:1vw;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/business/news/insights/the-changing-profile-of-sports-fans-around-the-world">Sources:The changing profile of sports fans around the world | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/business/news/insights/the-changing-profile-of-sports-fans-around-the-world">Facebook IQ</a>Analysis: 2021 Sports Survey | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.altmansolon.com">Altman Solon</a>Exposure to Women’s Sports: Changing Attitudes Toward Female Athletes | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thesportjournal.org/article/exposure-to-womens-sports-changing-attitudes-toward-female-athletes/">The Sport Journal</a>Women's Sport: Record viewing in 2021 according to Women's Sports Trust research | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/other-sports/news/29877/12535281/womens-sport-record-viewing-in-2021-according-to-womens-sports-trust-research">Sky Sports</a></div>

Let's take a deep look at the latest studies about sports fans’ toxic behaviour online.

We take a deep look at how moderation works in online sports rooms and at the latest studies about sports fans’ toxic behavior online.

Abuse in sports online communities. How do we fight it?

<div style="font-size:14px;line-height:1;" id="toc">On this page&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="#according-to-the-reports">According to the reports</a>&nbsp;<a href="#is-it-because-of-social-media">Is it because of social media?</a>&nbsp;<a href="#Real-steps">Real steps</a>&nbsp;<a href="#pitfalls-to-avoid">Pitfalls to avoid</a>&nbsp;<a href="#get-in-touch">Get in touch</a>&nbsp;<hr style="margin-bottom:1vw;"><h2>According to the reports</h2>Since 2020, international sports associations, trade unions, and independent analysts have paid attention to the number of hate attacks on athletes that happen during competitions. This awareness has led to extensive research about abusive behaviour in online sports communities. FIFA, FIFPRO, the Conversation, World Athletics, Australian sporting organisations, eSafety, NBPA, and others presented proprietary studies.<img src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/1*6qiCkhXHTxe3Bjmzt_mSRA.png" width="700" height="399">Studies have been conducted about different sports in different countries. The nuances of them are different, but the essence is the same: the core of online abuse is homophobia, racism, sexism, ableism, islamophobia, transphobia, and threats. These are listed in order of frequency of occurrence from the most to the least if you look at the situation as a whole. But in various leagues, different phobias and forms of discrimination come to the fore.<blockquote>“In recent times we have seen female athletes, those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and diverse cultural and multilingual backgrounds increasingly becoming the targets of unimaginable online abuse, hatred, misogyny and racism.” — eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, Australia</blockquote>So, the EURO 2020 Final, ending with the English team losing and the Italian team winning,&nbsp;<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/58e4c303ca2197f5/original/FIFA-Threat-Matrix-Report.pdf">showed</a>&nbsp;an unacceptable level of racism among European and English fans. The African Cup of Nations 2021 Final highlighted fans’ homophobia. Misogyny and sexism traditionally accompany women’s competitions. The Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, which were the first gender-balanced (women’s participation was 49%), showed the highest level of sexism.&nbsp;<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/online-abuse-study-athletes-tokyo-olympic-games">According to studies</a>, 87% of all abusive online messages were addressed to women.<h2 id="is-it-because-of-social-media">Is it because of social media?</h2>Toxicity breeds toxicity. In the beginning, bullying is directed against athletes, then spreads to other fans, training staff, and athletes’ relatives and friends. Toxic comments and messages have no limitation period because they are posted in public accounts on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media; therefore, they continue to get impressions and be shared.<img src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/1*jCKtoMqioaPGVqH3Uz8GdA.png" width="700" height="828">You might notice abusive comments if you've seen sports clubs' and certain athletes' pages and accounts even once, especially during a match or after a loss. Also, you might want to pay attention to Twitter threads, which have become popular and reached the top.If you are not a social media user, you may know from traditional media that athletes and sports organisations have joined boycotts of social media more than once. In April 2021, the Premier League, the English Football League and the Women’s Super League&nbsp;<a style="color:inherit;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56872469">boycotted</a>&nbsp;social media for four days because of persistent disregard for abuse problems. However, two months after the EURO 2020 Final, the English team faced a wave of abuse that prompted FIFA to take action.<h2 id="real=steps">Real steps</h2>Many people think that the reason for abusive behaviour on social media is anonymity, but it's not all that simple. Social media is not a space to be completely anonymous. After the bullying waves during the EURO 2020 Final, a lot of online abusers were called to the police.<img src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/1*CZNd8OCS0KtSVI0RxQrV6w.jpeg" width="700" height="526">Gareth Southgate consoles Bukayo Saka, who missed England’s final penalty in the shootout ©AFPTwitter and Instagram remain the spaces where bullying breeds bullying, regardless of whether the identity of the authors of abusive threads is often fixed or easily revealed. Triggers for bullying can be a game score, a player’s mistake during the game, or even an athlete's photo on their personal account. When anything can be a reason, there are no reasons at all.Following research, FIFA plans to launch a moderation service to search for toxic posts across social media. According to the Threat Matrix company, the two-level check will allow them to solve complex cases (as with the Italian player whose nickname is Gorilla. In this case, the gorilla emoji is acceptable when it is a toxic marker in racism cases.<h2 id="pitfalls-to-avoid">Pitfalls to avoid</h2>Of course, this is not the first attempt to fight toxicity in online spaces. For example, in 2021, Xinning Gui, PhD at Pennsylvania State University, made a presentation at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. She shared the instruments used to struggle with abuse in the cybersport space and how players utilise them for personal value. For example, they flag game competitors, not abusers.<img src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/1*Srxvvc0GGbQo3Kf_w9uHfg.jpeg" width="700" height="401">Sifan Hassan of Team Netherlands celebrates after winning the gold medal in the Women’s 10,000m Final on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (Photo by Cameron Spencer / Getty Images via CFP)The dishonesty of some users is not the only pitfall in fighting online abuse. One tough case was the recent Beijing Olympics, where, along with the hate comments towards athletes, real censorship was applied to Internet users. So, many European athletes claimed they weren’t ready to publicly say anything about negative issues related to the Olympics until they left China. In general, the Chinese system for checking online messages is aimed at posts and comments expressing an anti-government point of view, not for checking abuse.How to find a balance? How do you create a trusted online space for comfortable communication, avoiding abuse, and still remembering freedom of speech?<h2 id="get-in-touch">Get in Touch</h2>If you are looking for a way to increase engagement and provide additional content on your website or app, remember the safety of your users. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://calendly.com/watchers-platform/social-tools-for-your">Book&nbsp;a&nbsp;call </a>with the Watchers team, and we will be happy to find the best solution for your platform.</div>