Superbowls and Smartphones: Exploring Second Screen Usage DuringTelevised Sporting Events

Sunshine BakerSamantha DelgadoMichael GuadagnoMichael Simonelli

University Of Central FloridaQualitative Research Methods

Dr. Denise DelormeSpring SemesterApril 15, 2014

Introduction

With the growth of smartphone and tablet use, people have

increasingly turned to different forms of communication when

watching sporting events on television. The phrase “second screen

viewing” refers to those who use their smartphone or tablet to

participate in different activities and/or communicate with

others while watching television, which is considered the primary

screen (Martinolich, 2012). Second screen usage is becoming more

and more a part of people’s media consumption habits, with 40% of

Americans engaging in it at least once a week (Pham, 2013). An

Advertising Age report noted that using social media while watching

television increased viewer engagement levels (Poggi, 2012). The

researchers had personally observed people posting on social

media during live televised sporting events, and therefore that

type of content was selected for study. The researchers all

shared very active social media habits, which made them more

aware of this type of behavior than others might be. This may

have made them biased towards finding second screen usage in

action.

This research study focused specifically on those who view

sports on television while using their smartphone or tablet.

Several research questions were explored. The first goal was to

better understand why and how people use a second screen while

watching televised sporting events. Second, this study

investigated whether the use of a second screen enhances or

interferes with the viewing experience. Lastly, the researchers

explored the ways in which second screen usage differs when an

individual is watching televised sports alone versus watching

with a group of people. The purpose of this paper is to discover

how and why people use second screens while watching televised

sporting events, and to reveal some of the salient features of

this newly emerging behavior.

Methods

Very little research has been conducted into the use of

second screen devices while watching sporting events on

television. The exploratory nature of qualitative research

allowed the researchers to identify themes without applying

preconceived notions as to the answers or categories present in

the data, and for this reason qualitative methods were chosen.

Three methods were chosen to explore possible answers to our

research questions: observation, in-depth interviews, and focus

group interviews.

Two of the research questions this study seeks to answer are

how and why people use second screens while watching televised

sporting events. "How" refers to the physical and mechanical

ways that the device is being used. "Why" speaks to motivation.

The "how" questions were answered primarily during the

observation phase. Are people using their handheld devices as

second screens? Are people using their handheld devices as

primary screens with the television as background noise or for

companionship? Do people let their device sit on the table and

not access it at all? Or do they access it infrequently? These

and other "why" questions were answered during the interview and

focus group phases.

For the interviews and focus group, an interview guide was

developed based upon a sample provided by Dr. Denise Delorme, a

prominent mass media researcher at the University of Central

Florida. Questions were altered to identify the behavior in

question, which is the use of a smartphone or other device while

watching sports on television. Using the research questions, the

research team added questions that would reveal such behaviors.

Observations

For the observations, two sports bars in the Central Florida

area were selected. The Super Bowl was selected because,

coincidently, this internationally televised event was occurring

just a few weeks after the observation team was assembled. A

sports bar setting was selected for the ease of observation and

the large number of people that would be in attendance.

Observing people at a private party would present a much smaller

sample size. Additionally, the presence of a note-taking

observer at a private party might trigger the Hawthorne effect in

the participants.

The sports bars that were selected are well-known

establishments that routinely advertise sporting events on their

signage by the road. The signage outside these sports bars

routinely change with each sporting season (basketball season,

baseball season, etc.). Large posters on the front door boast

coverage of all the NCAA tournaments. Thus these establishments

are presenting themselves as a great place to hang out and watch

sporting events. Prior to the observation, each researcher

visited the observation site to find out whether the Super Bowl

would be televised there and to find out if the seating

arrangements would be conducive to observation. Once inside, the

sports bar image is reinforced by a multitude of televisions on

the walls. Flat screen televisions tuned to different sporting

events hang above each bar. At each establishment the

televisions are strategically placed so that every patron has a

view of at least one screen regardless of where they sit.

To synchronize the observation period among multiple

researchers at multiple locations, the observation period began

at kickoff and ended one hour after kickoff. All of the second

screen devices observed were smartphones and most of them

appeared to be Apple iPhones. The people being observed were

just regular folks of all ages who wandered into a sports bar to

watch the Super Bowl, hang with friends, and eat.

The three researchers took on the role of complete

observers. Some scholars believe this role is less than ideal

because there isn’t any interaction between observer and

participant. However, this role suited the study because the

researchers were able to surreptitiously observe people using

their smartphones in a natural setting without interference.

During the observation period the most commonly overheard

exclamation was “Yeah!” when the Seahawks made a good play on

offense and “Whoa” when they made a good play on defense. At the

End Zone, no one was wearing anything that would indicate they

were a fan of either team, but it appeared that the crowd was

mostly in favor of the Seahawks. At Doyle’s several patrons were

observed wearing Broncos and Seahawks jerseys. These outbursts

did cause people who were engaged in conversation to stop

speaking and look at the television nearest to them. A couple of

times, people who were using their smartphones would stop and

look up to catch the instant replay.

Conversations were hard to hear over the noise of the

televisions and the typical clamor of a restaurant. A few people

were seen taking photos with their smartphones. Afterwards, it

was difficult to see what they were doing with their smartphones

but it is reasonable to assume they were posting the pictures to

some sort of social media site such as Facebook or Twitter.

One unexpected event did occur at the End Zone. About 30

minutes into the game three of the waitresses huddled around a

pink iPhone. The girl in the center was showing the other two

something that was riveting. They utilized this smartphone for a

good two to three minutes. They were giggling at times, so

whatever they were watching was very amusing. While the to-go

customers were obviously using their smartphones to pass the

time, and it was difficult to discern the dining room patrons

usage, this was an obvious instance of utilizing a second screen

for entertainment.

Throughout the observation period everybody was so

enthralled with the game, and with each other, that the

researchers could easily look around and take notes without being

noticed. At the end of the one-hour observation period, all

three researchers left the sports bar. There weren’t any

gatekeepers to grant access at these public locations, so

disengaging from the site was simply paying the bill and leaving

with their notes.

In-Depth Interviews

For the in-depth interviews, the researchers used purposive

sampling to select participants. Each researcher observed

sports-related comments on their personal Facebook News Feed, and

identified people who were engaging in this type of commentary

during televised sporting events. Each participant was contacted

to request an interview, in order to obtain their personal

reflections about how and why they use second screens while

watching sports on TV. Three interviews were conducted in

private homes, and were audio recorded to preserve the data. The

interviews lasted between 45 minutes and one hour each. The

participants ranged in age from 30 to 45, and all had

professional careers. In each case, the participant and the

researcher were acquaintances but not close personal friends.

During the interviews, the researchers built rapport by

maintaining a friendly manner, and by offering food and using

humor to make the participants feel comfortable. Each

interviewer used probing questions to follow up on the questions

from the interview guide. The participants reported after the

interviews that they enjoyed the process and appreciated the

opportunity to share their experiences. The researchers did not

experience any significant challenges during the interviews, each

interview went very smoothly.

Focus Group

For the focus group interview, the researchers used snowball

sampling. One researcher identified co-workers whom he had

observed posting on social media during televised sporting

events, and asked them to refer others who had similar

experiences. The researcher invited the participants to meet in

a conference room at their office during lunch hour. A total of

seven participants attended the focus group, along with the focus

group moderator and two research team members. The demographics

of the focus group participants are further described in the

Appendix.

The focus group lasted for one hour. The participants

ranged in age from 25 to 50 (see Appendix for detailed

demographic information), and all worked at the same media

company. The focus group moderator did not personally know any

of the participants; they were all co-workers of another research

team member. The researchers built rapport by offering lunch,

drinks and desserts to the participants. The moderator sat at

the head of the table, and the participants sat all around, it

was a long oblong table with comfortable chairs. The atmosphere

was very friendly, with a lot of joking and cross-talk between

the participants. It went very quickly because the participants

were on lunch break and could not stay for a very long time. For

this reason, the moderator began the interview questions quickly,

and everyone was very quick to answer each question, which kept

the process moving quickly. The only issue the moderator

experienced with the focus group was at the beginning. The

participants misunderstood the moderator’s opening statement,

thinking that she was asking about whether they watch sports on

their devices, instead of about using the devices for other

things while watching television. After a couple of opening

questions, the moderator noticed this miscommunication, and

corrected it by clarifying what the research topic was. The two

researchers took notes and drew maps during the focus group, and

also ensured that the audio recording equipment was working

properly. Three separate audio recording devices were used to

ensure that the data would be preserved. At the end of the focus

group, the researchers thanked the participants, who said that

they had really enjoyed the process and that it was more fun than

they had expected.

Coding and Data Analysis Process

This study’s analysis of the data seeks to draw out emergent

themes to further an understanding of second screen usage while

watching televised sporting events. The thematic analysis looked

for three elements: recurrence, repetition, and forcefulness

(Owen, 1984). Recurrence “is present when at least two parts of

a report have the same thread of meaning” (Keyton, 2006, p. 296).

Repetition involves “the explicit repetition of key words,

phrases, or sentences” (Keyton, 2006, p. 296). Forcefulness

would be identified by “vocal inflection, volume, or dramatic

pauses, which serve to stress and subordinate some utterances

from others” (Owen, 1984, p. 276). Each quote is presented

verbatim, as it was stated by the participant. All names have

been changed to protect the identities of the participants.

Data was produced from the three methods through field notes

and transcriptions. Each researcher wrote detailed field notes

immediately after their Super Bowl observations. Following the

interviews and focus group, each researcher transcribed the audio

recordings verbatim. The field notes and transcriptions were

copied and pasted into a large word processing file for coding.

Each researcher read the entire document while looking at the

research questions. As answers to the research questions were

found, the coders wrote the theme of the answers in the margins.

Then each researcher created a separate document which detailed

the answers they found in the data. The research team met

together to discuss each person’s preliminary coding. One

researcher read out the research questions aloud, and then each

team member shared what answers they had found. Each answer was

discussed and agreed upon, and a list was made of themes based

upon these answers.

After this initial meeting, one team member took the role of

primary coder by taking the list and making a document with

headers of each theme. This team member read over the entire

data set and cut and pasted observations and quotes under the

header that applied. The team member shared this document, with

the decontextualized quotes placed into categories, with the team

to obtain their agreement. Once the team members agreed, the

primary coder wrote explanations and introductions for each theme

category, forming the findings and discussion section of this

study. To illustrate and support each category, exemplars from

the data are used. The following excerpts provide examples of

the ways and reasons why people use interactive devices while

watching sporting events.

Findings

The findings here are presented as themes, organized as

answers to the research questions. In addition to the original

research questions, the researchers found some interesting

differences in the ways that people use second screens, with

varying purpose and intensity during live events versus televised

and when with people versus when watching alone. These findings

have been presented as a suggestion for future research.

RQ1: Why do people use a second screen while watching televised

sporting events?

To Feel Part of a Community

Participants reported that they used second screens while

watching televised sporting events so that they could feel a part

of the sports fan community even though they were not with their

fellow fans:

It was a Gator basketball game, and, um, I was watching the

game and I would post Facebook updates just for the communal

experience of talking with other Gator fans about the game

(Tom).

One focus group participant said that he used his smart phone

because his wife was not as excited about the game as he was, and

he wanted to connect with people who were:

If you’re talking football, I guess that would be the most

recent thing, um, I’m generally watching with my wife, and

she’s generally not that interested. So I climb into

another world and I text my friends ... so ... it’s

generally a texting thing for me (John).

Another focus group member shared that he used his smartphone to

text with friends to share big moments in the game:

I guess it was more humorous, but whenever it was the

Auburn-Alabama game, that just recently happened, the play

right at the end, I got about 20 text messages from friends

that I cannot repeat, but it did enhance my experience in a

way because, you know, even though they were from all over

North America, California, Tennessee, or whatever, it was

like in that moment, it was like they were there. So it was

kind of weird, but I guess that was cool (Chris).

To Obtain Information

Some participants reported that the used their smartphones

while watching sports to get information about the game or about

other things. Discovering this information helped them to

understand the game better and to satisfy their curiosity when

they observed something on the program that interested them. One

participant used his smartphone to follow up on interview clips

he saw on television:

If there’s an interview or something like that, then I go on

Twitter or maybe that channel’s website to see if it has

more information on it (Chris).

Another participant said that he would use Twitter on his

smartphone to find out more about what the players and coaches

said about the game.

If you’re using Twitter, I’d say yes, because like I’ve said

before, it gives you insight of stuff like you can’t see

during the game, or if you’re busy during the game, and

it’ll tell me like oh I wonder what’s going on, or the coach

said stuff this morning, it enhances it (Rocco).

These people are using their smartphones to obtain further

information because it enhances their television viewing

experience by giving them a more complete picture of what is

going on.

RQ2: How do people use their second screen while watching

televised sporting events?

Smartphone

During the interviews and focus groups, participants

reported using their smartphones while watching sports. The

researchers also observed this phenomenon when conducting field

work at sports bars during the Super Bowl. The following is a

synopsis of the observed second screen usage:

• Regardless of age or seating location, every person in

possession of a smartphone was much more focused on the

primary screen than on their second screens.

• Among the people that visibly had second screens in their

possession, the young adults were the most frequent users.

• At the End Zone, the most frequent users of second screens

were young adults seated at the bar, but they still devoted

much more attention to the game and their friends.

• At Doyle’s, young adults at the bar were also frequent

second screen users, as were a handful of people seating in

the dining room. Second screen use spiked at the end of the

first quarter when the game was boring.

• With the exception of one elderly lady, every single to-go

customer focused their attention on their second screens and

never viewed the primary screens.

Summation

There were many opportunities to observe second screen

usage, but the frequency of use was less than anticipated. The

researchers expected to see a lot of second screen usage during

the commercial breaks, but that did not occur on a regular basis.

More often than not, people would chat with each other during the

commercials. Many of the people who had their second screens

resting on the table in front of them never picked it up. The

people that did pick up their second screens would do so at any

given time without any discernable pattern.

Overall, the researchers discovered that almost everybody in

the sports bars had two priorities on this Sunday evening: 1) to

watch the Super Bowl, and 2) to socialize with the people they

were with. The researchers believe the party-like atmosphere

that accompanies the Super Bowl makes this sporting event more of

a social gathering than any other. Whether the viewers are

family, close friends, or acquaintances, the atmosphere is

familial. In this context, familial bonds are the primary focus,

the game is secondary, and second screen usage becomes a tertiary

concern, and a distant one at that. Our interview and focus

group data shows that second screen usage occurs more often at

home than when in a group setting at a restaurant or bar.

The researchers observed that people had their smartphones

in front of them while watching the Super Bowl at the sports

bars, and this behavior was also reported during one of the in-

depth interviews:

I wasn’t on my phone the whole time but I had my phone in

front of me and available the whole time (Tom).

The team’s observations and interviews revealed that smartphones

were the primary devices used as second screens during sports

television watching, and that they were always present, though

not always used. The analysis will now turn to the ways that

people use their smartphones while watching sports.

Talk To Friends

Several participants reported that they would use their

smartphones to talk to friends, either by texting, by Facebook

message, by Facebook comment, or by using Twitter.

I commented on other people’s statuses, read through

people’s comments, stuff like that. Yeah, it’s like self-

gratification, I was able to talk about something and people

read it and listen (Rocco).

This participant enjoyed talking to friends while watching sports

because of the response he got back from his group of fellow

communicators.

Check Sports Scores

Several participants reported using their smartphones to

check sports scores for other games, and also to check their

fantasy football scores:

I’ve watched football with Redzone in the last couple of

years, you kind of have to pay attention to it nonstop, well

actually, you’re checking fantasy football scores throughout

the whole day. So you have your iPad with your scores and

then have the RedZone on the TV (Sally).

Look Up Information

Sparked by the sports action, entertainment, and commercials

they saw on television, several participants used their

smartphones to find out related information. One man looked up

statistics about team members:

If anything I just tried to verified the stats of Peyton

Manning as well as the offense of the Broncos as well

(Brendan).

And another man looked up injury information about the players:

I watched a soccer game yesterday, uh the Champions’ League,

and I was like looking at Twitter and getting information

about people on the field that they’d be putting on the

actual broadcast, like who’s injured (Bob).

Not only sports, but also other programming during the Super

Bowl, prompted information searches on smartphones, such as this

man who wanted to find out more about the halftime show

performer:

Uh, to look up the songs by Bruno Mars (Brendan).

And this man who would see hashtags on the television and look

them up on Twitter to find out what kinds of responses people

were making:

Yes. I search hashtags to see what funny things people are

saying (Zack).

These findings reveal that smartphones are not only being used

for game-related activities, but also to look up other things.

Facebook/Twitter

The specific tools used to communicate using smartphones

during sporting events included Facebook and Twitter. One man

revealed during his interview that he would see a post on the

official page for his team and would comment on it while watching

a game:

Well I normally would post either on their page or on a

thread that was about the game (Tom).

This same person would also obtain images from the official

booster club for his team, and would post it on his Facebook page

to start a conversation:

Well usually one of the Gator Booster clubs will post a

sticker for the game, like Beat FSU, Beat Ole Miss, or

something, so I’ll post that. And that may start a thread or

like if I’m about to drive to the game I’ll post a ‘driving

up to the Gator game to see the Gators play and that will

normally start a thread (Tom).

Another interview subject reported using both Twitter and

Facebook while watching a game:

I was, you know, tweeting, Facebooking, enjoying a couple of

beers. Mostly I was tweeting during it and posting on

Facebook a couple of times (Rocco).

Texting

In addition to social media platforms, several sports fans

reported texting on their smartphones while watching games:

Actually, I think I recall I did send some texts during the

game (Brendan).

I’ll probably text someone, like, did you see that play or

something (Martha).

I mean, yeah, I’m sure I texted some people during it

(Rocco).

These three interview and focus group participants reported that

they were sending texts to talk to people while watching the game

on television.

Photography

Some participants reported taking photos of themselves or of

the television with their smartphones during football games.

This was also observed in the sports bar during the fieldwork,

with one woman using her phone to take pictures of her food:

Attractive female in early twenties is sitting in the nook

to the left and this provides the first time an application

of a mobile device can be seen. She is busy setting wings

and beer together on the table and taking a picture of them.

Being familiar with the app, I can tell that she is using

Snapchat to connect with friends and show off her order

(Mike Guadagno fieldwork).

Another researcher observed people taking photos during the Super

Bowl of themselves watching the game:

With about five minutes left in the first quarter a couple

directly in front of me were sitting at a high top table

with friends and they were snapping a picture together. The

man was wearing Seattle Seahawks gear, while his girlfriend

was wearing Denver Broncos gear. They take a picture

together during another low point in the game (Michael

Simonelli fieldwork).

Not During Big Moments in the Game

The discussion will now turn away from the applications that

people are using and more towards their habits and patterns of

smartphone use. The research team observed that people did not

use their smartphones while watching sporting events during

important time periods like kickoff and major plays.

The end of the first quarter did not have any exciting

plays, so everyone was sitting down and looking at their

phones. I could see some people at the table in front of me

texting, while others were on Facebook (Samantha Delgado

fieldwork).

This same theme emerged in the interviews, with this participant

reporting only using her smartphones during downtime in the game:

And it depends on, you know. Let’s say some cases where it’s

a blowout where my focus doesn’t necessarily have to be on

the team I’m rooting for, or whatever, then yeah, I might

pull out my phone to check something out at that point. Like

if there’s an advertisement or whatever I’m interested in, I

may check out like that particular advertiser. Or, just

casually, I might use it for anything else at that time.

But, I mean, if it’s a closer game, oh yeah, I definitely

pay more attention to the game and less likely to use my

smartphone (Brendan).

Focus group participants agreed with this theme, with one of them

stating that she only uses her phone to pass the time during

boring moments in the game:

You’ll get on Facebook if there’s downtime or there’s a

score you don’t care about (Sally).

Thus, we see that people use their smartphones more often during

lulls in action than during important moments in sporting events.

More Use During Commercials

The research team observed more use of smartphones during

commercials in the Super Bowl, with several people leaving their

phones alone until the commercials came on:

During the commercials, more people were focused on their

phones rather than on the televisions. However, there were a

few people during the Bud Light: Epic Night commercial [this

was toward the end of the first quarter] who nudged their

friends and said “Oh, I saw this one online.” (Michael

Guadagno field notes).

The Super Bowl is known for introducing popular new commercials,

so the researchers inferred from this that highly anticipated

commercials will draw people away from their mobile devices.

The interviews revealed a similar theme, with participants

reporting increased usage during commercials:

During commercial breaks I would check Facebook and check

email and keep in touch with stuff (Tom).

Smartphone Use Unrelated to Sports

Several participants reported using their smartphones for

purposes that were entirely unrelated to the game they were

watching. One interview subject said that he used his smartphone

frequently for non-sports reasons:

Facebook, Words With Friends, and checking email. I’d say

it was about 60 percent not related to the game, checking

emails, playing words with friends on Facebook about

other events that were going on (Tom).

During the focus group, the participants concurred, stating that

they also used their smartphones for general purposes while

watching sports.

RQ3: Does the use of a second screen enhance or interfere with

the viewing experience?

Enhance: Get Information, Build Community

Most participants reported that using their smartphones made

their experience watching televised sports better. This

participant said it enhanced his viewing by making him feel that

he’s part of a community:

Definitely enhanced. Well one of the things that I love

about Gator sports is the communal aspect, the reinforcement

that fandom is ok, that there are other people who enjoy

Gator sports as much as I do and enjoy that most of the time

(Tom).

And another man likes the informative aspect of smartphones,

feeling that it enhances his viewing experience:

Well, I mean, in a way it can kind of further educate

yourself on a topic whether it be about the teams or the

musicians. Did it improve the game? I guess in a sense you

could say it did. Only because like, ok, there was a great

play and they said something specific about Peyton Manning

and I’m like “Oh, really, let me just check it” and go to

Wikipedia or something, and ok, well there you go (Brendan).

One interview participant said that his smartphone enhanced his

TV viewing by allowing him to talk with others:

Well, I guess a little, so I could talk about the game with

other people on social media, if that’s what you mean

(Rocco).

And this man was uncertain, wondering whether the smartphone

enhanced or detracted for him personally:

I think it depends on what kind of game. I’m trying to

figure out if it enhances it, or if it’s more of an

annoyance ... because think about how ten years ago, you

stopped everything to watched the game, you read about it in

the paper ... And you used to know so much about the actual

game. But now you kind of take your focus off of what is

actually happening (Zack).

This leads to the next section, where we see that smartphone use

detracted from televised sports viewing for some people.

Detract: Miss Some of the Action When Distracted

During fieldwork, researchers observed that people using

their smartphones sometimes missed major plays and had to watch

the instant replay. One interview subject shared a similar

experience:

Well sometimes I would get distracted and miss plays and be

frustrated, but overall it was a good experience.

RQ4: Does second screen usage differ when an individual is

watching televised sports alone versus watching with a group of

people?

Yes: Less When With A Group

The research team observed in the fieldwork that many people

who were watching the game with others did not use their

smartphones as much as people who were alone. Having to pay

attention both to a companion and to the television left little

time to look at smartphones:

In the dining room people’s attention was split between the

televisions and the people they were with. At times the

television was their primary focus and at times conversation

was their focus. I didn’t see any pattern to it like only

speaking in between plays. They spoke to each other

regardless of what was on TV. Their second screens, about

8-10 of them, sat on the tables unused (Mike Guadagno field

notes).

The research team also asked about how smartphone usage differs

when with a game at a live sporting event, such as watching a

football game in a stadium with friends. One person said he did

use his smartphone, but in different ways:

Um, not as much, but I still do. I still like to post

updates and texts about the game and things that are going

on. If we’re winning that’s a good thing, if we’re not

winning that can be a bad thing. Because your emotions and

cause you to say things that you may regret later (Tom).

This same participant compared his in-person game experience to

that at home, noting that he uses his smartphone to try to

recreate the stadium experience:

Just again to add to the communal experience to be able to

experience the game with other people. I love the experience

of being with 90,000 other people just as crazy as I am. So

whenever I am at home, I’m not getting that same feeling, so

try to connect with people if I can (Tom).

When people are at a sporting event in person, they still use

their smartphones, but for different reasons. This person shares

how he made a video on his phone during an exciting football

game:

Well, one of the most exciting games it was a football game,

that I’ve ever been at, I think it was 2006, we were playing

South Carolina, and there was a game winning field goal and

it was blocked at the last second, so the Gators won the

game. And I was in the end zone at that game, and pretty

much everyone in the end zone all had their camera phones up

and were recording the action. And whenever the field goal

was blocked that was one of the most loudest times that I’d

ever been in that stadium, and it was just such a feeling of

elation and joy. And, um, then you can YouTube that and

find that video, there were thousands of people that posted

it before me. So any time you need a pick-me-up, you can go

on line and listen to that game (Tom).

This participant used his phone to create an artifact, a video

memory of the exciting moment in the game, that he can go back to

in the future to relive that moment. This is a use of the

smartphone that the researchers had not really considered. This

same person also used his smartphone to virtually bring along a

friend to a live sporting event:

Well it didn’t involve social media, but there’s been many a

time when I and a friend there’s normally three of us that

normally go and hang out at the games together. And there

would be two of us at the game, and we would call the third

person at the game and have them yell into the phone to add

to the loudness of the stadium (Tom).

Participants expressed that they would usually only use their

smartphones for game-related activities when at live sporting

events. This is in contrast to what was noted in the interviews

and focus group, with people using smartphones for many reasons

during games.

If I’m taking the time away, I’m posting because something

either really good is happening, or really bad is happening

(Tom).

This person expressed the same thing, that they would use their

phone more at home:

Actually, I would probably use my phone more when I’m

watching at home on TV than at a live event cause live I’m

trying to pay more attention to it. Of course, yeah

(Brendan).

And another participant stated that everyone gets involved during

a live game, so there is no need for smartphone interaction:

A lot of the time, I’m at home my wife will be doing

something else, but if I’m at the game, my wife will be

there, my friends will be there, and I’ll kind of be talking

to them (John).

Several participants reported using their smartphones less, and

in general differently, while at live games versus when watching

at home. The affordances of smartphones during live sports are

very interesting and should be explored with future research.

Smartphone Usage During Sports Versus Regular TV Programming

The researchers asked follow-up questions and general

questions about television viewing, in order to compare and

contrast sports viewing with other types of television viewing.

One major theme that arose through all of the interviews and

focus groups was that people used their smartphones more often

when watching sports as compared to other types of television:

I usually use my smartphone more during sporting events

because I’m usually trying to share a moment with people

that because it’s happening at a specific time, it’s not

like I watched it at one time, oh and I’ll wait for someone

to watch it ... we were all watching the same thing at the

same time. We can connect with other people, like oh did you

see that play, or did you see that shot? (Martha).

One person interviewed stated that he would post sometimes during

other TV shows, but that it didn’t spark interaction like sports

did:

I’ll post something that I’m watching. But it normally

doesn’t start the conversation, maybe one comment or two

comments. It’s not as engaging as everybody talking about

sports (Tom).

The live aspect of sports is a probable contributor to this

effect. People are usually watching sports as they happen, and

all at the same time, unlike other TV programs which are often

pre-recorded for later viewing.

I would be less likely to pause sports than regular TV.

There’s just the live aspect of it (Tom).

One participant pointed out that if a person did pause live

television during a sporting event, they would have to avoid

their smartphone so as not to find out the scores that they had

missed:

That’s an interesting point you bring up, if you pause your

DVR and you don’t put it on for another 30 minutes, you

can’t look at your phone or iPad, you have to stay away from

it (Zack).

People watch sports live so they can see the action as it

happens, and they don’t want to ruin their experience by finding

out the scores:

For regular TV shows I won’t read Twitter because I don’t

watch it during regular time, I’ll watch it on demand or HBO

To-Go or Netflix, so I can’t look at Facebook or Twitter, so

I don’t want to get spoiled. But for sports I normally want

to watch it live because I don’t want to get spoiled (Bob).

These findings reveal that second screen usage is different

during televised sporting events than during regular television

watching.

Discussion

This qualitative study explored second screen usage during

sporting events, and revealed several important findings. First,

people primarily use their smartphones as the second screen, and

they often keep the smartphones in front of them even when not

using them. Sports viewers are motivated by two major goals, to

feel a part of a community and to obtain information.

When people use their smartphones while watching sports,

they are talking to friends, checking sports scores, looking up

information, using Facebook and Twitter, texting, and taking

photographs. They tend to do these things during lulls in the

action, and not during major plays or moments in a game. They

also use their smartphones more during commercials, and sometimes

for purposes unrelated to sports.

Most participants reported that using their smartphones

enhanced their sports viewing experience by building community

and offering information. Some said that it detracted from their

experience by distracting them from the sporting action. People

use their smartphones less when with a group of people and more

when at home alone. There are differences in smartphone usage

when people are attending live sporting events versus watching

them at home, and people also use smartphones differently when

watching other television programs as compared to when watching

sports.

The qualitative nature of this study enabled the researchers

to discover themes in smartphone usage that went far beyond the

original research questions. Such an effect would not have been

possible in a quantitative study, for example, if a Uses &

Gratifications survey had been used to count responses about

motivations for second screen use. This study has revealed

several important trends that merit further research, and will be

useful to practitioners who are seeking to engage television

viewers on their smartphones. The small sample size limits the

generalizability of this study, and further research should be

conducted to discover more about the trends that have been

uncovered.

Practical Implications

This study revealed several practical implications that

could be used by practitioners in the fields of advertising and

social media. Due to the fact that most of the participants

thought that using their smartphones ultimately enhanced their

sports viewing experience, advertisers and social media managers

could definitely build upon current initiatives. For example, the

participants in our focus group did not have high engagement

levels with hashtags - this is an aspect of social media that

practitioners could delve into in order to determine how best to

amplify hashtag usage and expand their social media community.

Additionally, our research showed that the overarching reason

people use their smartphones while viewing sporting events is to

feel a sense of community. Practitioners could take advantage of

this research and create various phone/tablet applications that

provide people with the opportunity to communicate with their

friends and family through brand-specific platforms. For example,

the NFL could create a Twitter-like platform that allows users to

discuss current/upcoming games, all while using hashtags and “@.”

This would allow for the NFL to target a specific audience - an

audience that has been proven to thrive off of a sense of

community through this research study.

Limitations to the research were varied. A short time frame

and a low in sports seasons led to the focus of the field

research to the 2014 NFL Super Bowl. This one time, big sporting

event was not necessarily a routine or repeatable viewing habit

of sports, and therefore the second screen usage could be wildly

varied from normal usage. Being focused on second usage during

sports only is another limitation and does not take into effect

other programming. The focus group consisted of very similar

participants, who for the most part, all had college degrees.

The group members all work at a top tier cable sports network,

and therefore are more in touch with television sports

programming and watch and interact at a different rate than

normal people. Expanding the focus of the study beyond sports

would be a good direction to take. Self-reporting was another

limitation of this study, since such data often paints an

incomplete picture of actual behavior. It would be better to

observe the second screen usage in the participants’ homes, where

it actually takes place, rather than at sports bars. It would

also be helpful to track actual participant actions on their

phones and match it up with a content analysis of the television

programs they were watching.

Future research could focus on different television

programming other than sports, and the interaction of people and

the second screen use for a drama series for example. Sports are

mostly viewed live, as opposed to other programming which could

be consumed on demand or by a digital video recorder (DVR). This

is an exception to modern viewing habits which rely on DVRs and

video on demand (VOD) to time shift their viewing and create

their own schedules. There may be a different usage rate with

traditional programming as compared to sports. Expanding the

research could also be done with viewing of sports and other

television programming via a second screen. A tablet for example

could be a viewing device and a user could also interact with

their second screen or smartphone at the same time. Looking into

the different ways people view television content and their

second screen usage presents many variables, but could also lead

to different studies and it may morph into a quantitative study,

as time viewed, percentage of second screen use and sites

visited, as an example, could be explored further.

References

Keyton, J. (2006). Communication research: Asking questions, finding

answers. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Martinolich, J. (2012). The second screen: graphics on other

devices have to hold viewers’ attention. Broadcast Engineering

World. 27-30

Owen, W.F. (1984). Interpretive themes in relational

communication. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 70, 274-287.

Pham, A. (2013). The Second Screen Takes Center Stage. Billboard,

125(3), 34-36.

Poggi, J. (2012, October 5). Making the Second Screen a Natural

for TV Viewers – and Storytellers. Ad Age.

Appendix

Focus Group Participants Demographics

Chris: 26 year old male. Scheduling Coordinator at a top tier cable sports network. White. Undergraduate degree in International Business from a Florida private school.

Bob: 35 year old male. Manager of scoring ticker and new information at a top tier cable sports network. White. Undergraduate degree from a public North Dakota university in Media.

Karla: 53 year old female. Manager of special projects for the programming department of a top tier cable sports network. White. Undergraduate degree from a public Connecticut universityin business.

Sally: 44 year old female. Production Manager for a top tier cable sports network. White. High school diploma from Florida.

Martha: 27 year old female. Video on Demand coordinator for a top tier cable sports network. White. Undergraduate degree in media and arts from a Mississippi public university.

Zack: 31 year old male. Programming metrics specialist at a top tier cable sports network. White. Undergraduate degree in communications from a public Florida university.

John: 31 year old male. Programming Operations Coordinator from a top tier cable sports network. Latin/Hispanic. Undergraduate degree in communications from a private Florida university.