On August 23, Nielsen Sports SA hosted the latest edition of its Annual Trends Breakfast. The event hosted key sports industry stakeholders eager to gain valuable insight into the latest developments in sports, audience behaviour and market trends – both locally and globally. Nielsen Sports SA Managing Director, Tumelo Selikane presented crucial insights about the globalisation of sports and the expansion of market opportunities for brands and rights holders, emphasising audience fragmentation’s impact, and the growing interest in women’s sports.
Selikane was joined on stage by his colleagues and fellow experts: Amy Daley, Chief Operating Officer; Nwabisa Sauls, Commercial Manager; and Annalie Watt, Strategic Director for Nielsen Sports SA.
Nielsen Sports SA executive team.
Watt revealed critical findings from 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 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. Most notably, South Africa’s first UFC World Champion, Dricus Du Plessis’ Title Defence Against Israel Adesanya, drew in 1033% more live viewers than previous Du Plessis outings.
Selikane explains: “Critical takeouts 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.”
The breakfast event concluded with a Betway SA20 panel discussion, featuring Lynn Naude – Chief Operating Officer, Betway SA20; Graeme Smith – Former Proteas Cricket Captain and 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.
Summing up the event, Selikane concludes, “The value of data-driven insights for brands and rights holders cannot be emphasised enough. 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 these and more detailed insights into South African sports fans’ media consumption behaviour, contact Sauls at nwabisa@nielsensports.co.za