Super Bowl Streaming Data Highlights Rising Expectations for Internet Speed

Super Bowl Sunday is upon us, and football fans and foodies alike will tune in for the big game, with an estimated 100+ million viewers or more expected to watch the Seattle Seahawks vs. the New England Patriots on Sunday, Feb. 8.

Whether viewers tune in for the game itself, the ads, the halftime show, or all three, most Americans won’t be watching from Levi’s Stadium. Instead, they’ll be streaming the Super Bowl from couches, friends’ homes, and sports bars—making a reliable internet connection essential.

So how does most of America watch the Super Bowl? According to our recent data, 64% plan to stream the game through an app (e.g., Peacock) or a live TV app (e.g., Roku); while 19% are tuning in through traditional cable (NBC or Telemundo).

While modern viewing technology has changed the game, buffering, lag, and internet outages remain a common frustration. With so many viewers relying on internet-based viewing, we wanted to understand how disruptive a mid-game buffering issue really is. Is it a mere inconvenience, or a game-altering problem for modern TV watchers? Here’s what the data shows.

What’s the most unforgivable Super Bowl play to miss because of a technical glitch?

In a perfect world, streams don’t buffer and power outages don’t happen, but unfortunately, technical glitches are still part of game day. According to our survey, 55% of respondents say missing a game-changing play due to a technical issue would be “unforgivable,” making it the most disruptive moment to miss.

By comparison, a quarter of viewers said missing the halftime show would be frustrating, while just 7% said missing the commercials would matter. Another 11% said they wouldn’t be bothered at all as long as the wings, dips, and drinks were still flowing.

Those are the moments viewers say they’d miss the most, but how would a technical failure actually make them feel? According to the data, 19% of respondents say they’d feel “total outrage” if their internet cut out during the final two minutes of the game, while another 43% report they’d experience “high frustration.”

Not everyone would lose their cool, though. About 27% of respondents say a mid-game outage would cause only mild annoyance—just enough time to grab a refill and wait for the stream to come back.

When buffering costs your internet provider the game

Football viewers aren’t just upset about missing high-stakes moments—they’re likely to act. Nearly one in three Americans say they’d be “extremely likely” to shop for a new internet service provider (ISP) the following week, while just 8% say they wouldn’t be likely to switch at all.

And fair or not, most viewers point the finger at their internet provider. In fact, 57% of respondents say they’d blame their ISP for buffering or streaming delays, compared to just 28% who would blame the streaming app itself.

How many buffer timeouts are allowed?

Patience is limited when it comes to buffering. One in four viewers say they expect a perfect stream with zero buffering circles, while 28% give their ISP only one or two interruptions before they’re done.

That lag can turn a game-day highlight into a spoiler alert, with 40% of Super Bowl viewers saying a delayed stream has spoiled a major sports moment at least once or twice thanks to an early text or social media post.

How to pre-game your internet before kick-off

High-speed internet has become a daily essential, and expectations for live sports have risen with it. While streaming technology continues to improve, a few simple steps can help set fans up for a near-perfect game-day stream.

Ready, set, run a speed test before kickoff. Check your internet speed to make sure you’re getting the bandwidth you need to stream smoothly (and the speeds you’re paying for)!

If speeds are coming up short, small tweaks can help, like moving your router to a more centralized spot or upgrading outdated equipment ahead of game day.

Check out our expert troubleshooting hub before kickoff.

Methodology

Data comes from a Pollfish survey of 1,000 Super Bowl–watching U.S. adults ages 18+, post-stratified to reflect the general population.