Survey suggests ​live sports are an opportunity for AI

US-based intelligence company Hub has unveiled the Evolution of Sports survey, which centres on how US sports fans view AI-enhanced insights in sports.

The survey, of 3,753 US sports fans, specifically asked about Prime Vision, an AI-enhanced interface available as an alternate feed on Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night NFL games.

Viewers choosing the alternate feed see an enhanced view of the field with on-screen graphic overlays of player stats and insights happening in real-time.

Hub’s survey established that many fans who watched Thursday Night Football tried the new features.

The key findings of the report show that:

• 57% of NFL fans with Prime Video said they’d noticed at least one of the Prime Vision features during the game.
• 70% of fans who saw Prime Vision were positive about the features.
• 26% “loved” them and said it made the game more exciting and immersive.
• Only 6% didn’t like Prime Vision.

Fans who are positive about Prime Vision are also more excited about sports becoming widely available on streaming. Among those who said they “liked” or “loved” the Prime Vision experience:

• 82% said they were excited for more sports content to become available on streaming services (compared to 56% of all sports fans).
• 80% said they like it when streaming services that don’t typically offer sports, add sports content (compared to 54% of all respondents).
• 76% said that if the same game were available on both streaming and cable, they’d choose to watch on a streaming platform.

Jon Giegengack, Hub founder, said: “These findings underscore that new tech won’t engage consumers, just because it’s new. Many ‘enhancements’ in the past haven’t added value, or worse, have gotten in the way of the experience. But Prime Vision appears to elegantly thread the needle, improving the experience for fans who choose to use it and instilling confidence in fans about Prime as a ‘home’ for sports content in the future.”