Sport drives streaming video obsessions as Aussies turn downtime into prime time

THE love of sport is driving a new streaming video obsession as cheeky Aussies watch their favourite Olympic moments while on-the-go.

Usain Bolt of Jamaica has been watched by millions on their mobiles during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Picture. Brett Costello

AUSTRALIANS increasing love of watching streaming video on their mobile devices is revealed in new figures that show we are watching streaming video when they are in the bath, when they are at weddings and when we’re standing on the sideline of fields on Saturday mornings apparently watching their children play sport.

The figures show an expected peak in video streaming during the morning and evening commutes between home and work, but also a further spike at 9pm when people catch up on their viewing as they’re getting ready for bed.

Telstra executive director media Michelle Garra has released new research that shows video streaming is growing at more than 30 per cent a year and sport is one of the biggest drivers.

“What we’ve seen in the last week is a watershed in consumers accessing live sport on their mobile,” Ms Garra said.

“People have said to us that they’re at the sidelines watching their own kids sport while watching their own teams play. We describe it as never missing a minute.

“We always thought there was a lot of latent demand but now we’re really seeing that behaviour kick in.

The Rio Olympics 2016 Men's Basketball game between the Australian Boomers and the USA Dream Team. The game was one of Australia’s most watched moments on mobile. Picture: Adam Head

“We’re at a tipping point in terms of consumers enjoying the sports that they want in the moment. The Olympics couldn’t be a better proof point than that.”

The Telstra research shows that the increasing obsession with streaming media shows that people have transformed their downtime into “the new prime time”.

One in four people who stream video on their mobile device so that it is a multi-tasking act, with 11 per cent streaming video and music at work, seven per cent streaming content when walking and 10 per cent streaming content when in the car.

Some of the more unusual places people admit to watching streaming video is at someone’s wedding, while sitting in a rowboat and on their mobile device hidden in a cupboard at the office.

While the Olympics has been a driving force for many people wanting to see all the action while on the go, the AFL and NRL figures show a similar trend in an increase with mobile video traffic.

Canada's Andre De Grasse, left, and Jamaica's Usain Bolt smile at each other in a Men's 200m Semi-Fnal, at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Picture: AP

Telstra customers have watched more than 2 million hours of NRL streamed to their mobile device this season, which is an increase of 76 per cent compared to last year, while the average streaming video live audience of AFL games has increased by 184 per cent this season.

Telstra released the research along with new deals coming out next week aimed to encourage video streaming. The deal offers Telstra customers a three-month subscription to Netflix, Stan and Presto although, unlike Telstra’s offer with the Apple Music service, the deal will not be data-free streaming. Telstra is also launch the Telstra TV+ app that will let people search for search through the more than 25,000 movies and TV shows across streaming services.

The top Olympics moments

Australia versus USA men’s basketball — 25 per cent of total mobile network traffic at that time.

Men’s 100m final sprint with Usain Bolt — 24 per cent

Rugby women’s final Australia versus New Zealand — 19 per cent

Women’s 100m freestyle swimming final — 18 per cent

Men’s 100m freestyle swim final — 13 per cent

*Based on Telstra streaming data traffic