Media - Mobile study: German games reduce Netflix usage
The audience-attracting football championship matches of the UEFA European Championship apparently go at the expense of streaming entertainment during primetime, according to numbers published by mobile carrier Vodafone in Duesseldorf.
The company specifically analyzed Netflix data traffic in its mobile network during the football broadcasts of the EM. According to this analysis, the data traffic of the streaming provider Netflix decreased by around 40% in the Vodafone network during the opening match Germany - Scotland on June 14th, compared to normal days.
The match Germany - Switzerland on June 23rd reportedly reduced Netflix traffic by 35%. The match Germany – Hungary on June 19th supposedly caused a decrease of 20%. Several other evenings without Germany participation reportedly drew football audiences away from Netflix during primetime, resulting in a decrease of up to 15% in data traffic at the best viewing times.
However, there are no fluctuations in the afternoon games according to Vodafone's statements, and the EM did not affect the 18:00 matches - that is, unless Germany was playing.
Vodafone is one of the leading mobile carriers in Germany.
- The European Football Championship matches seem to draw a significant chunk of the audience away from streaming platforms like Netflix during their primetime slots, as suggested by Vodafone's data analysis in Düsseldorf.
- The opening match of Germany against Scotland on June 14th at the European Championship apparently led to a 40% decrease in Netflix traffic in Vodafone's mobile network compared to normal days.
- Similarly, the match between Germany and Switzerland on June 23rd reportedly resulted in a 35% reduction in Netflix data traffic in Vodafone's network.
- The match between Germany and Hungary on June 19th allegedly caused a decrease of 20% in Netflix traffic within Vodafone's network.
- Despite the decrease in Netflix traffic, there were no fluctuations observed during the afternoon games according to Vodafone's statements, indicating that the European Championship only affected primetime viewing when Germany was participating.
- As one of the leading mobile carriers in Germany, Vodafone's findings shed light on the impact of major sporting events like the European Football Championship on audience engagement and consumption habits, especially in the realm of streaming services like Netflix.
- Interestingly, the UEFA European Championship, often referred to as the EM, appears to be vying for viewers' attention alongside popular streaming services like Netflix during primetime, potentially influencing the overall audience size for soccer and television events in Europe.
