• by Wayne Friedman , September 11, 2014

Although the numbers are still relatively small, slightly more U.S. pay TV consumers are strongly considering “cutting the cord” — canceling their pay TV subscriptions.

Now 2.9% of TV pay TV consumers are “very likely” to drop their service, according to a survey from Frank N. Magid Associates. This is up from a 2.7% level in 2013 and a 2.2% level in 2012.

Younger TV consumers are at a much higher level to cut their service — 4.9% of 25- to-54-year-olds say they are “very likely” to cut the cord.

Bolstering those proponents who value sports cable networks, the study also notes that just 1.4% of those ESPN viewers are likely to be cord-cutters.

The study was part of Magid Media Futures, which does an online survey of 2,400 consumers ages 8 to 64, with the sample being matched to the U.S. Census. Data from this study was collected from June 6 -9 of this year, with at average respondent total time of 29 minutes.

Mike Vorhaus, president of Magid Advisors, in speaking at an Goldman Sachs media conference, said: “These are very small numbers in terms of future cord-cutting from American consumers, but in mass media, very small numbers are very important, too."