CEA: Super Bowl Boosts HD-Set Sales
Consumer Electronics Association, Sports Video Group: More than 2.4M HDTV Sets Will Be Sold Due to Super Bowl XLII
By Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/24/2008 6:45:00 PM
More than 2.4 million HDTV sets will be sold due to Super Bowl XLII, according to a research study conducted by trade group the Consumer Electronics Association and advocacy group Sports Video Group.
The sales of sets to viewers who want to use them to watch the Big Game will generate $2.2 billion in wholesale dollars, according to the third annual “Sports and Technology” survey conducted by the CEA and SVG.
The total effect on consumer-electronics retailers, the CEA said, will probably be even higher due to sales of HD accessories such as HDMI cables, universal remotes, surround-sound audio systems and mounting brackets.
The survey -- based on an online national sample of 2,278 U.S. adults Jan. 14-21 -- also found that 57% of HDTV owners plan to go online after the game to view highlights or replay television commercials.
“We have long known that the Super Bowl influences HDTV unit sales,” CEA senior director of market research Tim Herbert said in a statement. “We are now finding ties to other technologies consumers use to enhance their Super Bowl experience. This year, 18% of consumers watching the game expect to have a laptop PC nearby to check stats, IM [instant-message] with friends or check betting lines. Another 12% plan to use a PC in another room to check statistics during the game, and 13% expect to use their mobile phone for the same purpose.”
