Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- The issues
- Fans of the future: Fandom down among kids
-
- Figure 1: Percentage of kids who watch sports on TV at least occasionally, December 2007-December 2014
- Female fans: Under-targeted and under-engaged
- Money, money, money: Fans think the sports industry is too greedy
-
- Figure 2: Attitudes toward sports and money, May 2015
- Extra! Extra! Bad publicity dampens enthusiasm for sports
- Time is of the essence: Being a sports fan can be time consuming
- The opportunities
- No child left behind: Targeting kids
-
- Figure 3: Following sports as a family bonding activity, by parental status, May 2015
- Market like a girl: Engaging female fans
- These fans ain’t loyal: Both team and player loyalty are important
- Spin control: Preventing bad behavior from tarnishing a team’s image
-
- Figure 4: Impact of negative press on opinion of team/sports, by parental status, May 2015
- What we think
The Market – What You Need to Know
-
- Sports generate nearly $64 billion in North America
- Fans also spending on extracurricular sports-related activities
- The majority of US adults are sports fans
- Mobile devices, cord cutting impact how fans watch sports
- Following sports competing with more leisure activities than ever before
Market Breakdown
-
- Sports generate nearly $64 billion in North America
- Americans place billions in illegal bets each year
- Fantasy sports generate $3.6 billion annually
Sports Fan Breakdown
-
- The majority of US adults are sports fans
-
- Figure 5: Dedication to following sports, May 2015
- Men, Millennials and more affluent likely to be sports fans
-
- Figure 6: Sports fans, by gender, generation, household income, May 2015
Market Perspective
-
- Mobile devices impact how fans watch sports
-
- Figure 7: Cell phone/smartphone and tablet ownership, February 2007-March 2015
- Cord cutting may hurt sports industry
- Following sports competing with more leisure activities than ever before
- Increasing involvement in fantasy sports may improve engagement
- Kids’ interest in sports ebbing, could impact the industry down the road
-
- Figure 8: Percentage of kids who watch sports on TV at least occasionally, December 2007-December 2014
Key Players – What You Need to Know
-
- “Connected” is the name of the game – in more than one way
- Keeping an eye on future fans and bad publicity
- Technology’s impact on sports only in its first inning
Winning Moves
-
- Sports make people feel more connected
-
- Figure 9: “#THIS: Pence opts to avoid arm wrestle with young fan,” online video, 2015
-
- Figure 10: “Football is our everything,” online video, 2015
- Figure 11: “Chicago Basketball is Home – Derrick Rose,” online video, 2014
- And making sports more “connected” opens new opportunities
-
- Figure 12: “#49ersInHaiti playing catch with local children after hosting a football clinic,” Vine video, 2015
- More game-watching options keeps fans engaged
- Spotlighting celebrity fans can raise a team’s profile
-
- Figure 13: “LHN – All Access with Matthew McConaughey,” online video, 2014
Losing Plays
-
- Failure to engage fans of the future could spell disaster
-
- Figure 14: Percentage of kids who watch sports on TV at least occasionally, December 2007-December 2014
- Bad publicity may deter fans
- Less popular sports still struggle, could benefit from increased involvement
What’s on Deck?
-
- Wearable technology goes pro
- The stadiums of the future
-
- Figure 15: “Capture Your Moment,” online video, 2014
- All about access
- Daily fantasy sports could lead to more engaged fans
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
-
- Football is America’s favorite sport
- TV shows and networks most popular, fans prefer to watch full games
- Home is “home base” for watching sports
- Fans likely to watch alone, with housemates
- Men more interested in details and commentary, more likely to play in fantasy leagues
- Water and soda help fans stay hydrated
- Salty snacks, meat, carryout fuel fans
- Following sports provides a sense of belonging
- Greed puts off fans, negative press dampens enthusiasm
Sports Followed
-
- Two thirds follow professional sports, four in 10 follow college teams
-
- Figure 16: Engagement in professional and college sports leagues – Sports fans, May 2015
- Football: Professional and college – is a fan favorite
- Football draws the crowds
-
- Figure 17: Sports followed at least occasionally, May 2015
Who are Sports Fans?
-
- Sports Fans population skews male
- Black fans drawn to fast-paced sports
How Sports Fans Stay Up-to-date
-
- TV shows and networks most popular, fans still prefer to watch full games
-
- Figure 18: Resources sports fans use to stay up-to-date, May 2015
- Social media important, Facebook in particular
Watching Companions
-
- Fans likely to watch alone, with housemates
-
- Figure 19: Watching companions, May 2015
- Female fans bring the family together
-
- Figure 20: “Play Like Me!” and “#FuelGreatness with School Breakfast,” online videos, 2014-15
- Millennials – always looking for an experience – more likely to watch with others
Where Fans Watch
-
- Home is “home base” for watching sports
- Millennials are key target for out-of-home viewing
-
- Figure 21: Watching venues, by generation, May 2015
- Sports bars are the venue of choice for the biggest fans
-
- Figure 22: Watching venues, by level of sports dedication, May 2015
Information of Interest and Related Activities
-
- Fans follow players, team news
-
- Figure 23: Information of interest and related activities, May 2015
- Men more interested in details and commentary, more likely to play in fantasy leagues
- Millennial sports fans are significantly more engaged
- Fantasy websites provide access to high-income fans, dads
- Hyper-fans predictably more engaged
Food and Drink Consumed While Watching Sports
-
- Water and soda help fans stay hydrated
-
- Figure 24: Beverages consumed while watching sports, May 2015
- Millennials are the thirstiest sports fans
- Urban fans opt for alcohol
- Hyper-fans’ taste more sophisticated than may be expected
- Salty snacks, meat, carryout fuel fans
-
- Figure 25: Food and snacks consumed while watching sports, May 2015
- For Black fans, watching sports works up quite an appetite
- Hyper-fans eat healthy snacks
- Eating, drinking, and watching sports go hand-in-hand-in-hand
Motivations for and Barriers to Following Sports
-
- Following sports provides a sense of belonging
-
- Figure 26: Motivations for following sports – Any agree, by generation, May 2015
- Greed puts off fans, negative press dampens enthusiasm
- Fans believe pro sports more about money, being a fan is too expensive
- Time is money
- Bad publicity may deter fans
-
- Figure 27: Barriers to following sports – Any agree, by generation May 2015
Consumer Segmentation
-
-
- Figure 28: Sports fans segmentation, May 2015
- The Die-hard Fans (35%)
- The “Not a fan” Fans (38%)
- The Other Fans (27%)
-
- Figure 29: Attitudes toward sports, by sports fans segments, May 2015
-
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
-
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Consumer
-
-
- Figure 30: Engagement in professional and college sports leagues, May 2015
-
- Figure 31: Percentage of kids who watch sports on TV at least occasionally, December 2007-December 2014
-
- Figure 32: Kids’ ownership of any licensed sports clothing, December 2007-December 2014
-
- Figure 33: Sports league apparel owned by kids, December 2007-December 2014
-
- Figure 34: Percent of kids who play sports video games, December 2007-December 2014
-
Back to top