Toluna's survey of 1,244 people in the UK found that 71% of respondents plan to watch the 2022 Winter Olympics live on television this year. Despite the rising popularity of streaming services, 78% of those surveyed said they prefer to watch sporting events live on television, with just 16% favouring streaming services to watch live sport.

When asked about the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, only 8% of respondents said they plan to watch the event via streaming services. For those respondents that plan to follow the 2022 Winter Olympics on television, 35% said they would do so because it offers better commentary, with a further 35% attributing their decision to higher video quality and better variety of camera angles.

It is important to note that different audiences value different aspects of communication, as 56% of respondents that usually prefer streaming services to television coverage, cited flexibility and convenience as the main influencer of their decision. Using various channels is key to reaching a variety of different audiences during in the 2022 Winter Olympics, as 17% of those surveyed said they do not have access to a television to watch the event so will look for updates on a phone or tablet.

The research shows that with competition for the attention of global audiences increasingly competitive year on year, brands and businesses must look to offer something beyond standard coverage and incorporate live communications into their creative strategy, both during the Winter Olympics in Beijing next month and beyond.