euro 2024

According to recent statistics, three out of five women face sexist abuse in person at football games or pubs, while incidents of sexist chants have quadrupled over the past year.

In response to this issue and with fan zones for the Euros emerging nationwide, White Ribbon UK, a leading charity focused on preventing violence against women and girls, along with safeguarding brand  imabi, have launched a Euro fixtures guide to highlight the prevalence of violence against women and girls in football.

Interspersed with important facts about sexist abuse in the sport and supported by advice on how to help, the guide is designed to get the attention of those who wouldn’t normally pay attention, while also offering ways that fans can make ‘the beautiful game’ enjoyable for all.

Anthea Sully, CEO of White Ribbon UK, said: “Everyone has the right to enjoy watching sports, including football matches, without the fear of violence, abusive language, or harassment. The upcoming men’s Euros tournament is a great opportunity for us to celebrate the good that can come from football and for men to show their allyship to women by making match screenings fun events for everyone. More and more men are challenging the use of harmful attitudes and behaviours towards women, both online and offline. This Euros, by showing your allyship, we can all end violence against women and girls.”

According to Her Game Too, nearly 60 percent have faced sexist abuse in person at football matches or pubs. Whilst, Kick It Out reports of sexist mass chanting quadrupled at the end of 2023.

In imabi’s own recent research, more than half (54 percent) of 2,000 respondents* also said they had witnessed inappropriate behaviour from others – with the most intimidating being unwanted physical contact (according to 65 percent of respondents).

Mark Balaam, CEO of imabi, a safeguarding platform that provides the technology behind safeguarding apps, such as the Railway Guardian, built for the British Transport Police, as well as dedicated school, workplace, community and anti-VAWG apps, said: “Domestic violence is an horrific side effect of football – but it’s not the only side effect. Incidents of violence against women and girls spike in other areas too. From sexist and misogynistic online abuse towards female supporters, to sexist mass chanting: women are all too often on the receiving end.”

The Euros guide not only highlights the upcoming fixtures, which supporters can use to follow and fill in the scores of England’s Group C games, but also raises awareness on the critical issues around violence against women and girls in football. Urging fans to foster a safer and more inclusive environment, the guide includes advice on what people can do in support of this:

• Enjoy the match responsibly: Are you being a team player, or ruining the game for someone else?
• Inclusive chanting: Chanting should be fun for everyone.
• Behaviour check: Would your behaviour pass a VAR check?
• Online conduct: Pull the red card on sexist comments, call it out and report it.
• Challenge inappropriate behaviour: Challenge sexist comments and harassing behaviour. A simple ‘That’s not ok’ can make a difference.
• Report incidents: Seen something inappropriate and need the ref to step in? Report it to a member of staff or police.

The launch of this guide is a step towards helping ensure football becomes an enjoyable and inclusive sport for everyone. By placing this essential messaging in a medium that is more relatable to those who need to heed it, White Ribbon UK and imabi are hoping to create a safer and more respectful football culture.

A digital copy of the Euros Fixtures Guide is available to download via the imabi website www.imabi.co.uk/euros-2024. Supporters can also order a physical copy of the guide via a donation, with any proceeds going towards a mix of White Ribbon UK and imabi’s charitable fundraising arm imabi Community CIC, a not for profit company that exists to help create safer communities and safeguard children in schools.

For more information on White Ribbon UK, please visit: https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/

And for more on imabi, please visit: https://www.imabi.com/

The upcoming 2024 European Championship in Germany will set new benchmarks for the number of people who watch the event on live streaming platforms.

While traditional television broadcasts remain hugely popular in sports, many fans are increasingly using streaming services to consume live content.

According to Total Sports, that trend has been forecast to continue apace as digital viewing mediums become more immersive and sophisticated.

That point is supported by recent research conducted by LG Ad Solutions, which revealed that almost three-quarters of consumers in the United Kingdom are comfortable streaming live sports.

More than one third of respondents use three or more streaming apps to watch live sports, with Sky Sports (57 percent), BBC (55%) and Amazon Prime Video (53%) the most popular.

Intriguingly, while live streaming of sports is often associated with smaller digital devices, the study discovered that connected televisions (CTV) are the most popular with fans.

A whopping 92% of CTV viewers in the UK stream live sports on televisions and more than half of the respondents will be watching Euro 2024 via that medium.

“With digital viewing already on the agenda for half of UK UEFA fans, and increasingly popular among wider consumers, it’s clear that the UK CTV audience has grown to a critical mass, warranting further investment,” said Edward Wale, VP, International, LG Ad Solutions.

“On top of this, as competition increases amongst brands to get in front of these valuable, addressable streaming audiences, innovations in the CTV space like first-screen ads, or CTV Native formats, offer a way for brands to cut through the noise and stand out against the typical 30-second ad slot.”

Second screen usage playing a key role in the growth of streaming

While CTVs remain the primary platform for watching live sports, second screens have become an increasingly important part of the streaming landscape.

The integration of second screen usage has transformed the way fans across the entire spectrum of sports interact with television and digital content.

Around 70% of adults use a second device while watching TV, with smartphones (51%) and laptops (44%) the most popular second screen options.

Seeking more information about the primary content (81%) is the primary reason why people use a second screen alongside their main viewing platform.

Communicating with friends (78%) and using social media (76%) are other popular second screen activities, highlighting how sports viewing has become a more ‘connected’ activity.

Fans aged 18-24 are most likely to use a second screen, although older demographics are becoming increasingly switched on to this way of watching sports.

This shift in habits has forced brands to rethink their marketing strategies to ensure they do not miss opportunities to connect with consumers.

Content synchronisation, social media integration and targeted advertising are among the elements they must consider to stay ahead of the game.

Interactive campaigns across devices also play a key role in helping brands capitalise on the way fans watch live sports in the 21st century.

Euro 2024 streaming will drive online betting revenues

Live streaming of the 2024 European Championships will also have a significant impact on global betting turnover during the prestigious tournament.

Bookmakers are braced for record betting levels on Euro 2024, with a significant proportion of the revenue expected to be generated by in-play markets.

Some analysts have forecast that more than 40 percent of betting activity will be ‘live bets’, while others believe the figure will be even higher.

Smartphone betting has been tipped to account for around half of the wagers placed, further highlighting how second screens come into play in live sports.

European punters will generate most of the turnover, although emerging markets such as the Middle East will likely see a significant increase in wagers.

The Saudi Pro League (SPL) is set to be well represented at Euro 2024, with numerous players from the competition due to play for their national teams this summer.

With restrictions on gambling in the region slowly being eased, the tech-savvy population there will be eager to bet on their favourite players and teams at the tournament.

Live streaming and betting will undoubtedly play a massive role at the next edition of the Euros in 2028 which will be staged in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

The region is one of the biggest markets for football on the planet, while many of the world’s leading betting companies are headquartered there.

While the 2024 tournament will unquestionably push live streaming and betting to another level, the numbers will likely fly off the scale when Euro 2028 is staged.