Phone Fumbles: 45 Million Americans Have Damaged Smartphones While Watching Sporting Events

SAN FRANCISCO – January 30, 2020

This Sunday during Super Bowl LIV, San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs players aren’t the only ones that have to worry about fumbles. According to a survey by SquareTrade, an Allstate company and highly rated protection plan provider, 45 million Americans have damaged a smartphone while cheering on their favorite sports teams. This has led to fans spending a total of $12.3 billion repairing or replacing the phones they damaged while watching games.

The survey also found San Francisco 49ers fans are at a higher risk for damaging their phones—35% more likely to break them than Kansas City Chiefs fans. Twenty-nine percent of Chiefs fans break their phones each year compared to 40% of those rooting for the 49ers.

Additionally, the survey found:

• MVPs of OOPs: The top phone accidents by sports spectators are dropping devices from their hands (57%), devices falling from tables/laps/bars (44%), and phones being damaged by beer mishaps (38%). Throwing devices in anger or excitement (28%) and general liquid damage from toilets, sweat, water, etc. (17%) come in fourth and fifth place.
• On-the-Go Fans: Although watching games on a phone can be convenient, it can come with risks. Seventy-five percent of people who have watched a sports game on their smartphone have dropped or damaged their mobile device in the past year.  

“Whether we’re watching games on our phones or using them to trash-text friends and family, today’s devices are vulnerable to being dropped, dunked and damaged during sporting events,” said Jason Siciliano, vice president and global creative director at SquareTrade. “This Sunday, everyone enjoying the Super Bowl, especially San Francisco 49ers fans, should keep one eye on their phone, too. Because when it comes to smartphones, one fumble could be game over.” 

SquareTrade offers the following defensive tips for a penalty-free Super Bowl:

1. Keep your phone at hand but not in-hand. Just like the precious TV remote, find a safe place for your phone that is close to the couch and easy to find. 
2. Count to 10 after all suspect calls before reaching for the phone.
3. Never take your phone to the bathroom.
4. Drink beer and other alcoholic beverages responsibly.
5. Protect your phone with a (football-themed?) phone cover and a protection plan.
    

Methodology

Data Sources:

1. SquareTrade’s 2020 Super Bowl Study conducted in January 2020 among 1,019 online adults via Lucid. Sampling was balanced to ensure representativeness of the US General Population.

2. U.S. Census QuickFacts’ Population & Household Estimates (2018-2019 figures