Nielsen Sports SA hosted the latest edition of its ‘Annual Trends’ breakfast at Livy’s restaurant in Dunkeld at the end of August.
The event hosted key sports industry stake-holders eager for insight into the latest developments in sport, audience behaviour and market trends – both locally and globally.
Nielsen Sports SA Managing Director, Tumelo Selikane presented research findings into the globalisation of sport and the expansion of market opportunities for brands and rights-holders, emphasising audience fragmentation’s impact and the growing interest in women’s sports.
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Selikane was joined on stage by Nielsen colleagues, Chief Operating Officer Amy Daley, Commercial Manager Nwabisa Sauls, and Strategic Director Annalie Watt.
Watt delved into the critical findings of the July 2024 Nielsen Fan Insights report, highlighting significant fan engagement shifts, analysing a wide range of data sources and touchpoints to understand what sports fans are buying, listening to and watching across media sources.
South African sports fans apparently lead the pack, with loyalty to their national teams and champions remaining strong. This year, these and other significant events featuring South African contenders saw exponential growth, according to the Nielsen team. Most notably, the title defence of South Africa’s UFC world champion, Dricus Du Plessis against Israel Adesanya drew 1033% more live viewers than the previous Du Plessis fight.
“Critical take-outs included other key insights such as a noticeable shift in the role of sports influencers, who are now becoming direct revenue generators rather than just brand amplifiers, significantly impacting how sports content is consumed and monetised,” said Selikane.
The breakfast event concluded with a Betway SA20 panel discussion, featuring Lynn Naude – Chief Operating Officer, Betway SA20; Graeme Smith – SA20 Commissioner; and Mark Rowles, Head of Marketing at Betway.
The panel discussed the success and impact of the fast-growing Betway SA20 tournament, showcasing its role in elevating the local sports landscape.
“The value of data-driven insights for brands and rights holders cannot be emphasised enough,” said Selikane. “The sports media landscape is rapidly changing and the most successful brands will be those that leverage accurate, up-to-date information to engage and retain fan attention.”
To access Nielsen’s latest report, contact Sauls at nwabisa@nielsensports.co.za.
