Social Second Screen: WhatsApp and Watching the World Cup

Abstract

In recent years, changes have taken place in television viewing patterns during live broadcasts of major events. One of the most striking changes is the introduction of “second screens” that accompany viewing. The current study adds to the existing research literature by examining viewing patterns and socialization during the live broadcast of major sports games. Specifically, it examines the use of smartphones and WhatsApp among Israeli viewers of the 2018 World Cup games’ televised broadcasts, from the quarterfinals onward. In total, 454 respondents were filtered through a screening question, in a representative panel of Israeli population. Findings show that most viewers prefer to watch the broadcast of a major soccer game together, though co-viewing is not necessarily done in the physical presence of others. Findings also reveal a connection between the viewer’s engagement with the game and the enjoyment of watching the broadcast. Further, this relationship is mediated through the use of a smartphone as a second screen, especially the use of WhatsApp. This study contributes to existing research literature by showing the extent to which game-related communication using WhatsApp contributes to a meaningful collaborative viewing experience, the degree of engagement with the game, and the extent to which it is enjoyed.

Whatsappsport: Using Whatsapp While Viewing Sports Events

“…The study of Weimann-Saks et al (2020) also examined the Whatsapp use in Israel during the 2018 men’s FIFA World Cup. Based on an online questionnaire, the study focused on the effect that Whatsapp presence actually has on fans experience.…”

“…The popularity of the network in Israel, as mentioned, is particularly great and the shift of the discourse of the Whatsapp groups, which in the first place based on groups of friends who know each other outside the social network, to the sports sphere seems completely natural. Moreover, the study of Weimann-Saks et al (2020) even found connection between the viewer’s engagement with the game, Through the Whatsapp, and the enjoyment of watching the broadcast.…”

“…Even isolated viewers can enjoy the benefits of social networks while watching a sports event (Clavio & Frederick, 2014). Weimann-Saks et al (2020) emphasized the shared viewing, strengthening of social connections, and the sense of camaraderie that the second screen provides for the sports viewers. Other studies that examined social media in sports has focused mainly on how networks convey knowledge, strengthen the relationship between fans and the players or the team, and develop business and advertising strategies (Witkemper et al, 2016).…”

Media Multitasking: A Bibliometric Approach and Literature Review

“…In conclusion, while recent reports argue that 72% of adolescents report to media multitask with television and social network sites nowadays (GlobalWebIndex, 2019 ), this is not completely translated into the field of media multitasking research so far. While some studies started to show interest by investigating specific media multitasking behavior with social network sites (e.g., Beuckels et al, 2017 ; Weimann-Saks et al, 2020 ), this particular media multitasking behavior is not yet accounted for within all research topics until date.…”

Guest editorial

“…Recently, researchers have investigated the relevance of social interactions within second screen usage during live sport events (Weimann-Saks et al, 2020). As previously mentioned, research topics were revived due to the disruptive potential of digitalization.…”