Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- More than two thirds of Avid Fans follow multiple sports
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- Figure 1: Number of sports followed by Avid Fans, May 2016
- Future fandom driven by early participation
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- Figure 2: Motivations to follow sports – History, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, May 2016
- Football dominates sports culture, but there is a decline in youth participation
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- Figure 3: Kids’ participation in popular sports, January 2009-December 2015
- The opportunities
- Women could be an incremental audience for fantasy sports
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- Figure 4: Sports engagement, by gender, May 2016
- Professional leagues can improve perceptions among fans and non-fans
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- Figure 5: Perceptions of sports leagues, select attributes, May 2016
- New media channels have low penetration even among Avid Fans
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- Figure 6: Keeping up with sports, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, May 2016
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- US sports bring in more than $27 billion in annual revenues
- Avid Fans are typically young, White, males
- Sporting goods market is strong, but some chains fail to compete
- Fantasy sports grow in unlikely areas
- Youth sports participation declines, but kids are still fans
- A strong economy boosts leisure spending
Market Size – Major Sports Leagues
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- Major sports leagues in the US reap more than $27 billion annually
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- Figure 7: Revenues of major US sports leagues ($ billions), 2013-14 season
Key Demographics of Avid Sports Fans
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- Avid football fans reflect the demographics of average Americans
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- Figure 8: Profile of avid NFL fans, indexed to all Avid Fans, by key demographics, May 2016
- Baseball wins with families
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- Figure 9: Profile of avid MLB fans, indexed to all Avid Fans, by key demographics, May 2016
- Young fans gravitate toward basketball
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- Figure 10: Profile of avid NBA fans, indexed to all Avid Fans, by key demographics, May 2016
- American soccer fans are young and affluent
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- Figure 11: Profile of avid soccer fans, indexed to all Avid Fans, by key demographics, May 2016
Market Perspective
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- Sports Authority loses footing amid $44 billion sporting goods market
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- Figure 12: Estimated annual sporting goods stores retail sales, 2005-13
- Fantasy sports leagues expand into new areas
- The NFL soars in popularity, but kids less likely to be devoted players
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- Figure 13: Kids’ participation in popular sports, January 2009-December 2015
- Slight decline in licensed gear among kids, but NFL apparel continues to be popular
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- Figure 14: Kids’ ownership of licensed college/professional sports apparel, January 2009-December 2015
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- Figure 15: Kids’ ownership of licensed college/professional sports apparel, by sport, January 2009-December 2015
Market Factors
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- Economic stability can boost recreational spending
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- Figure 16: Perceptions of financial health, 2013-16
- Experiential spending provides personal satisfaction
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- Figure 17: Perceived change in spending – Spending more, by category, 2016 versus 2013
Key Trends – What You Need to Know
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- Sport marketers go beyond TV
- Stadium amenities aim to please
- Golf participation and viewership flags
- Brazil faces Olympic-sized challenges
- Female fans may be hard to gain in light of bad PR
- Daily fantasy sports face legal battles
- NFL admits link to CTE, only after settlement is reached
- Alternative sports may convert non-fans
What’s Working?
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- Marketers create breakthrough ads to engage fans
- Stadium amenities turn up the dial on the fan experience
- Social platforms create dedicated spaces for Sports Fans
What’s Not Working?
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- Golf participation is down, and TV ratings have followed
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- Figure 18: Adults who participate in golf, February 2009-March 2016
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- Figure 19: Masters final round TV audience (millions of viewers), 2007-16
- Drug scandals, Zika concerns, and safety issues threaten the success of 2016 Summer Olympics
- Will watching sports impact the health of fans?
- Misogynistic sports stories float to the surface in 2016
- Fantasy leagues face restrictive legislation
- High-priced sports packages may lead more to cut the cord
- CTE threatens the future of football
What’s Next?
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- Fans turn to alternative sports for something new and different
- “Moneyball” strategy influences more than just MLB
- Stadiums get smarter
- Some Rio events to be broadcast in virtual reality
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Avid Fans watch all the sports
- Football continues to dominate
- Let’s go. While we’re young.
- Fans watch sports news to keep current
- Avid Fans demonstrate more “fanatical” behaviors
- Pro leagues may want to polish their images
- Athletes can step-up as role models
Sports Followed
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- An avid fan of one sport, is an avid fan of many sports
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- Figure 20: Number of sports followed by Avid Fans, May 2016
- Professional football reigns
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- Figure 21: Sports followed, May 2016
- As expected, men over index as sports lovers
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- Figure 22: Sports followed, by gender, May 2016
- College sports are for more than just students
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- Figure 23: Sports followed, by age, May 2016
- Hispanics are interested in fútbol, but also football
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- Figure 24: Sports followed, by Hispanic origin, May 2016
- Olympic sports and combat sports draw crowds
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- Figure 25: Other sports followed, by frequency of write-in entry, May 2016
What Drives Fandom?
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- A history of sports engagement drives future followers
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- Figure 26: Motivations to follow sports – History and entertainment May 2016
- Non-fans are not entertained
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- Figure 27: Barriers to following sports, May 2016
- Some fans driven by pride, or connecting with their past
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- Figure 28: Motivations to follow sports – Connection and pride, May 2016
- Women more attracted to the entertainment aspect of sports
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- Figure 29: Motivations to follow sports, by gender, May 2016
- White Sports Fans feel closely connected with teams
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- Figure 30: Motivations to follow sports, by race, May 2016
- Connecting with friends motivates young Sports Fans
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- Figure 31: Motivations to follow sports – Connecting with friends, by age, May 2016
- Fans of all ages enjoy the strategy behind the game
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- Figure 32: Motivations to follow sports – Strategy, by age, May 2016
How Fans Keep Up with Sports, Teams, and Players
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- Traditional media keeps Sports Fans in the know
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- Figure 33: Keeping up with sports, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, May 2016
- Older fans read the newspaper, but not magazines
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- Figure 34: Keeping up with sports – Paper sources, by age, May 2016
- Women less likely to actively keep up with sports news
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- Figure 35: Keeping up with sports, by gender, May 2016
- Hispanic Sports Fans use digital means to follow their teams
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- Figure 36: Keeping up with sports – Digital sources, by Hispanic origin, May 2016
- Sports fans of all races use sports news as a main resource
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- Figure 37: Keeping up with sports – Popular sources, by race, May 2016
Engagement with Sports
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- Most fans keep it casual
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- Figure 38: Sports engagement, May 2016
- Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who are the biggest Sports Fans of all?
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- Figure 39: Perception of being an above-average sports fan, by sports followed by Avid Fans, May 2016
- A quarter of fans are interested in sports stats
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- Figure 40: Sports engagement – Statistics and gambling, May 2016
- Women less likely to be “super fans”
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- Figure 41: Sports engagement – Statistics and gambling, by gender, May 2016
- Young fans devote their time to sports-related activities
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- Figure 42: Sports engagement – Fanatic behaviors, by age, May 2016
- Northeasterners believe they are the biggest fans
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- Figure 43: Perception of being an above-average sports fan, by region, May 2016
- Black Sports Fans less likely to believe they are “bigger fans than most”
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- Figure 44: Sports engagement – Fan behaviors, by race, May 2016
Perceptions of Leagues
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- Perceived strengths and weaknesses of professional leagues
- Methodology
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- Figure 45: Correspondence Analysis – Perceptions of professional sports leagues, May 2016
- College sports decidedly affordable and appealing to young fans
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- Figure 46: Correspondence Analysis – Perceptions of professional versus college sports, May 2016
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- Figure 47: Perceptions of sports leagues, May 2016
Attitudes of Sports Fans
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- Sports fans split on league issues
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- Figure 48: Attitudes toward sports issues, May 2016
- All ages urge professional teams to take a stand
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- Figure 49: Attitudes of Sports Fans - Controversial issues, by age, May 2016
- Sports Fans perceive leagues in a more positive light than Non-fans
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- Figure 50: Attitudes toward sports league player treatment, by Sports Fans and Non-fans, May 2016
- Hispanic fans see the virtue in professional athletes
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- Figure 51: Attitudes of Sports Fans, by Hispanic origin, May 2016
- Fans aged 25-44 are key purchasers for team-related gear
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- Figure 52: Attitudes of Sports Fans toward ownership of team apparel, by key demographics, May 2016
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – Market
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- Figure 53: Revenues of major sporting leagues, 2013-14 season
- Figure 54: Kids’ participation in popular sports, January 2009-December 2015
- Figure 55: Kids’ ownership of licensed college/professional sports apparel, by sport, January 2009-December 2015
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- Figure 56: Kids’ ownership of licensed college/ professional sports apparel, January 2009-December 2015
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