More than two million households are at war over who gets to watch the big screen when the football is on[1], according to new research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
Close to one million unlucky fans have been relegated to watching the football on a secondary screen after a family member won the battle to watch their home’s main television[2]. Meanwhile, nearly one million homes are being torn apart by family members who support different teams[1].
More than 21 million people are avoiding the summer of football, and say they will not watch a single game[3]. Over four million people plan to go shopping when the football is on, while more than two million say they’ll walk the dog instead of watching a match[4].
For football supporters, watching with a non-fan in the same room can be a frustrating experience. People talking loudly over a game (30%) is ranked the most annoying behaviour, followed by someone constantly asking when a match will end (16%). Another common annoyance was a family member deciding to vacuum the floor in the middle of a game (15%)[5].
For people who aren’t tuning into the football this year, many intend to spend some time binge-watching classic TV series, with the most popular being Friends, followed by Only Fools And Horses and Game of Thrones[6].
Uswitch.com is offering tips for fans on how to get the best possible experience when watching matches from home. This includes advising people on how to reduce the lag when watching live online sport in 4K, and how to improve picture quality when streaming TV shows and films. This could mean making sure other internet-enabled devices are turned off when streaming, and positioning your router closer to the on-screen action.
Catherine Hiley, streaming expert at Uswitch.com, said: “Tournaments are hugely exciting times for football fans, but spare a thought for those who groan at the thought of three matches a day for weeks on end.
“The good news is that there’s plenty of ways to escape the football if you’re not a fan, and you can always stream something different on a laptop or tablet instead.
“If several people are planning to stream different programmes at the same time, make sure your broadband connection is up to the job by running a speed test.
“Should you find your stream is buffering, you can try turning off other internet-enabled devices or reducing the quality of the broadcast you’re watching.”
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