World Cup SMS Interaction high during TV Broadcasts

For many years, our team at QWASI has always wondered how text messaging (SMS) interacts with live sporting events on a large scale. We know from focus groups and polling that customers text while watching TV. Today, consumers multi-task online and mobile while watching TV. And texting is a large draw. Why?

SMS is interactive. It’s two-way. It builds community and connects people. With a huge sporting event that rivals the Olympics in viewership worldwide, the World Cup soccer tournament (football for all of you in the UK), brings together people of many countries together huddle around their TV (online and mobile) – so getting data on texting usage for this event is like a kid in a candy store.

Text Message Volume over the Orange Wireless Network in the UK during a World Cup Game - England vs. United States

Here’s what our friends at FlowingData had to share. They received data from O2, a popular UK mobile service provider that shows texting volume during the World Cup and highlights the points of interest for UK Cell Phone customers. England scored a goal and lit up the texts – Goooooooooooal.

Here’s a similar response during Rooney’s rant at the games.

Text Messages over the Orange Wireless Network in the UK during a Rant from Rooney during the World Cup

Bottom Line: Texting proves the go-to medium to share in the ups and downs… the points on net and the points on your team… The same holds true while tuning into shows in the US. Nothing has been published on this scale, so this is great insight into how people are still human – they love to communicate. And SMS is just that – interactive.

June 29, 2010 in Blog   |   No Comments