When it comes to low latency and the fastest possible access to live action, over-the-air broadcasters were a clear winner of Super Bowl LX. A new study of various feeds for the big game found that over-the-air broadcasts delivered the action on the field to viewers with only 19 seconds of latency. That is much faster than the 48 to 62 seconds of latency for major streamers, researchers from Stats Platform found.
Cable TV offered the next best low latency at 38 seconds (double the latency of broadcast feeds), followed by Peacock streams (48 seconds), YouTube TV and Hulu (tied at 53 seconds), DirecTV Stream (60 seconds) and NFL+ (62 seconds).
To make the measurements, Stats Perform conducted a comprehensive latency study across leading streaming providers during Super Bowl LIX, that involved building a measurement system using a globally synchronized clock (accurate within half a second) with in-stadium staff to measure when key events occur, such as kickoffs and quarter starts. Remote staff and volunteers then took measurements when these key events happen on their screens across various services and devices. By combining these measurements, they quantified both the average latency behind on-field action and the ranges of lag for viewers on the same platform, known as drift.
Stats Platform also surveyed 1,000 NFL fans aged 18-64 across the U.S. to explore how streaming delays influence viewing habits, expectations, and platform choice. That survey found that feal-time viewing is the minimum expectation of NFL fans, with nearly all NFL fans (93%) say it’s important to watch live games as close to real time as possible, with 45% rating it very or extremely important.
“Ultra-low latency has become a defining factor in how fans expect to consume live sports. This research connects our direct Super Bowl latency measurements with first-party fan data to quantify how delays impact viewing experience, frustration, and engagement, and what that means for streaming providers looking to retain fans on their platforms,” according to Umair Ikram, UX Researcher, Stats Perform.
More information and data is available here.
