Streaming Lag Leaves NFL Fans Behind The Action: Survey Reveals Biggest Complaints

Half of NFL streaming fans have missed an important moment because of a streaming problem, according to a new survey. HostingAdvice.com asked 1,523 U.S. adults across 15 major NFL markets about their game-day viewing. Cord Cutters News reported the results on October 8. The 52 percent figure covers all of the NFL streamers in the survey, and it climbs sharply among younger viewers. The problems range from a frozen picture to a broadcast that runs behind the TV feed, and fans reacted to each in different ways.

The Biggest Complaints

Buffering or freezing was the top complaint, cited by 24 percent of respondents. Seventeen percent said their stream ran behind traditional TV. Another 11 percent pointed to other streaming problems.

Younger fans were the most likely to miss a moment. Among Gen Z respondents, 63 percent said it had happened to them, and 62 percent of millennials said the same. Only 46 percent of Gen X and 34 percent of baby boomers reported missing a play.

What Fans Are Doing About It

Plenty of viewers are spending money to fix the problem. Thirty-one percent said they had upgraded their internet plan, router, or Wi-Fi for sports, and another 31 percent had thought about it. That puts 62 percent of fans in either group. Among Gen Z respondents, nearly 46 percent had upgraded, and 79 percent had either upgraded or considered it.

Their patience is limited, though. Seventy-two percent said they would put up with five minutes or less of problems before looking for another way to watch. Nineteen percent said they would give up in under a minute. In other words, a stream that stalls during a close game can cost a provider a viewer quickly, even if the outage is brief.