The dynamic of sports viewership continues to morph per our viewing appetite. Although streaming platforms are now the integral force behind the change in the TV and movie industry, sports have always had a different dynamic.
TV companies have had a pincer-like grip on broadcasting rights, and especially in the US, it’s a vast business – contracts to broadcast football games can run into the tens of millions of dollars. Although the college football market is considerably less than the NFL, millions still tune in.
Examining The Online Shift
More streaming companies have expressed an interest in showing sports. Unlike TV and movie ideas, which can be notoriously hit and miss, sports like football and college football in the US bring in a dependable, stable audience season after season.
Football betting patterns have moved online because it’s become more accessible to place bets that way. There’s nothing too complex about it. Betting on our smartphones is the quickest and most convenient way to place any wager. Ever since the early 2000s, with the emergence of online casinos and sports betting companies following suit – it became increasingly clear that online platforms were the way forward.
Obviously, there are differences between playing at an online casino and betting on college football – but one thing they do share in common is that placing wagers in either market has been expedited by the presence of digital gambling companies.
As online casino companies have highlighted, redirecting a customer base to a digital alternative can pay dividends. However, although TV companies have explored the potential of digital and mobile apps – sports coverage is one of the few traditional media bastions people still continuously seek.
TV Ratings, Football & Betting Markets
Soccer is the most gambled-on sport in the UK, not just because it is so entrenched in the nation’s sporting culture and psyche but also because it is continuously the most watched sport. Sport continues to defy the general trend, highlighting that younger people, especially, seek out other means of entertainment via streaming services, content creators on YouTube, and other platforms.
Herein lies the most substantial connection. Football TV ratings in the US are another example of how the continued popularity of sports offsets the general downward trend. More eyes equals more activity in the betting markets – and while that might sound reductive, this is genuinely the biggest factor behind the success.
College Football Betting & Viewership
Although college football has often followed traditional TV routes, Disney has landed the rights for college football playoffs between now and 2026 – the deal is said to be worth over $1 billion.
While the playoffs might not attract the same level of viewership as the NFL – college football is still one of the most watched sports in the US – especially when it reaches the crunch end of the season. Some college football audiences have exceeded 25 million in the last few years, and with the rights costing considerably less than the NFL, it seems the obvious move for streaming giants looking to encroach into America’s number one sport.
College football was a billion-dollar market at the beginning of the century, and now that dozens of states have made it easier to place sports bets, the market has grown enormously. Underlying markets help fuel the interest, too, whether it’s college football blogs, Bowl projections, or podcasts that highlight the future NFL stars and their performance in the college leagues.
Weighing Up Other Variables
Although the current climate in US sports betting is prosperous, it’s the combination of mass smartphone accessibility and growth in market innovation, particularly in-play betting, live streaming, and the growth of traditional markets, that has helped college football betting markets flourish to their full potential. TV ratings are impactful, but they comprise one piece of a bigger puzzle.
Summary
As with any sport, its popularity will result in people seeking out betting markets that will allow them to supplement their viewing, but this isn’t the only driving force. Without the TV ratings, there’s no doubt that the betting markets would see less activity; you only have to look at how low the viewing figures are outside the US and compare it to how much activity those college football betting markets generate to see how much they intertwine.
Like any sector or industry that goes through a golden period, there are never just one or two factors that result in exponential growth. College football betting is very US-centric. However, the broader components of smartphone growth and betting market expansion in Europe and further afield have also helped create a foundation that has witnessed college football betting flourish.
It’s difficult to find any economic projection that thinks sports betting will plateau or fall off between now and 2030. So long as college football continues to generate viewing figures and appeal, the betting markets will have no qualms that the markets will remain just as popular.