Heineken 0.0 Proves Sports are Better When Watched Together

Heineken 0.0 has launched new findings from their first of its kind Match Day Experiment which is part of Heineken 0.0’s wider ‘To The Sports That Bring Us Together’ campaign, championing the power of sport and social connection. With new research showing that people are only likely to get together to watch the match at home or in the pub from the semi-finals onwards and missing out on the craic to be had in earlier tournament stages, Heineken® 0.0 is championing the power of togetherness from the very first whistle of the tournament whether in a packed pub or a cosy front room.

Teaming up with cutting edge neuroscience tech partner Neurons and research partner Bounce Insights, the experiment set out to prove what our hearts have been telling us all along - that sports are better when watched with others, from the first round to the final.

The Heineken 0.0 Match Day Experiment monitored and measured the differences in enjoyment levels when watching a match alone versus with others. Recruiting two Irish sports legends as subjects in the experiment, Heineken 0.0 teamed up with Ireland and Munster rugby star Peter O’Mahony and Republic of Ireland Men's national team assistant manager and former player John O’Shea. No strangers to that sense of match day magic, John and Peter headed to Dublin pub John O’Dwyers ahead of a big game. Peter was set up to watch the match with a group, while John was separated to watch alone. Both sports stars were kitted out with EEG caps ahead of kick off. Throughout the game, tech partner Neurons closely tracked John and Peter's emotional reactions using neuroscience tools like EEG (to measure brain activity) and eye-tracking (to track eye-movements) to accurately measure emotional reactions to pivotal match moments.

Lo and behold, the results are in…

Social Viewing Boosts Emotional Engagement in Key Moments.

Watching a game with others amplifies excitement—boosting motivation by 24% before kick off and keeping emotional stimulation 20% higher during slower moments throughout the game.

Solo viewing is less motivating and emotionally engaging before kick off and during slower in-game moments. It is also more mentally demanding, with mental effort increasing by 22% before kick off.

Social Interactions Turn ‘Lulls In Play’ into High-Engagement Phases.

Social interactions skyrocket engagement during slower moments of the game—boosting emotional stimulation by 20%, motivation by 12%, and keeping emotions alive.

On the other hand, watching alone during these moments leads to lower emotional stimulation and disengagement, making slow game moments feel even slower and less engaging.

Solo Viewing Increases Focused Attention, While Social Viewing Creates a Dynamic Experience.

Watching alone locks attention on the game - the viewer stays focused 173% longer on the screen. In contrast, social viewing creates a much more dynamic experience, balancing game focus with social interactions.

This means solo viewers may catch more details of the game, while social viewers experience a richer, more interactive atmosphere.

Supporting the hard hitting neuroscience findings, new research carried out by Bounce Insights in partnership with Heineken 0.0 found that over 80% of people agree that match day moments are better enjoyed when watching with friends, increasing feelings of sociability, enjoyment, excitement as well as a better sense of connection. Despite this perception, results also found that people are only likely to watch a match with friends from the semi finals onwards with 75% of people watching together for finals versus only 42% of people watching with friends during league and group stages.

Fiona Curtin, marketing director at Heineken Ireland said, At Heineken 0.0 we always keep good times and sociability at the centre of what we do and the Match Day Experiment really encompasses that. We wanted to champion the power of togetherness by getting the hard hitting statistics and data to prove that sports are better when watched together - whether that’s at home or in the pub. Who better to help us put this to the test than Peter O’Mahony and John O’Shea?’

Mark Noble, marketing manager at Heineken Ireland said, Heineken® 0.0 is delighted to be sponsoring the UEFA Champions League and the Investec Champions Cup again this year, and the Match Day Experiment was the perfect way to celebrate these partnerships. It’s no secret that the atmosphere on match day is electric when enjoyed with friends and family but we really wanted to put this to the test and prove that sports are better watched together. Seeing from the research that most people only get together for the final stages versus league and group stages, we want to encourage people to enjoy sports together, soaking up the craic from the very first whistle.

Peter O’Mahony, Ireland and Munster rugby star said, “I was delighted to team up with the guys at Heineken 0.0 to help them put to the test and prove that sports are better when watched together. I’ve always believed that match days aren’t just about the goals or tries, they’re about getting together with pals and having a laugh. Sharing some snacks in the middle of the table and a couple of pints. It gives Irish people that sense of craic and camaraderie that we’re always craving.”