Marketing to Sports Fans - US - September 2017

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Definition
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
Figure 1: Sports Fans, by type, July 2017
The issues
Game length may lead to multi-tasking viewers
Figure 2: Attitudes about passion for sports, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, July 2017
Cost of attending sporting events can be prohibitive for families
Figure 3: Avid Fans’ attitudes about issues for sports, by sport followed, July 2017
Sports compete with a variety of activities for consumers’ leisure time
The opportunities
Real-time viewing still dominates
Figure 4: Devices used by Avid Fans to watch sports – TV, by sport followed, July 2017
Access to fans during games transcends the TV
Figure 5: Sports Fans’ concurrent sports viewing activities – digital and mobile items, July 2017
Fans’ engagement with sports extends beyond just watching games
Figure 6: Fantasy sports and eSports engagement, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, by age, July 2017
What it means
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
America’s top sports leagues brought in $35 billion in annual revenues
The most dedicated of fans, Avid Fans, skew young and male
Different sports have different types of fans
Sports compete with consumers’ attention and interest
Tech advances benefit fans but hurt cable/satellite providers
MARKET SIZE
Major US sports leagues generate more than $35 billion annually
Figure 7: Revenues of major US sports leagues ($ billions), 2016-17 season
Figure 8: Key stats of major professional sports, 2016
WHO ARE SPORTS FANS?
85% of adults aged 18+ are Sports Fans, 43% are Avid Fans
Figure 9: Sports Fans, by type, July 2017
Avid Fans tend to be young, partnered/married, men…
Figure 10: Sports Fans vs Avid Fans, by gender, age, and marital status, July 2017
…who are parents (most likely dads), middle-income earners, and…
Figure 11: Sports Fans vs Avid Fans, by parent status and gender, and household income, July 2017
…Hispanic, employed, and urban dwellers
Figure 12: Sports Fans vs Avid Fans, by race/Hispanic origin, area, and employment status, July 2017
KEY DEMOGRAPHICS OF AVID FANS BY SPORT
Football goes…all…the…way…for older adults
Figure 13: Avid Fans of professional football, by key demographics, July 2017
Basketball is a slam dunk for multicultural and young adults
Figure 14: Avid Fans of professional basketball, by key demographics, July 2017
Baseball is a grand slam for parents and Hispanics
Figure 15: Avid Fans of professional baseball, by key demographics, July 2017
Younger, more affluent Avid Fans are hooked on hockey
Figure 16: Avid Fans of professional hockey, by key demographics, July 2017
Young, Hispanic crowd gets a kick out of soccer
Figure 17: Avid Fans of professional soccer, by key demographics, July 2017
MARKET PERSPECTIVE
Endless entertainment options could impact passion for sports
Sports Fans embrace the second screen
Figure 18: Sports Fans’ concurrent sports viewing activities – digital and mobile items, July 2017
Sports may motivate fans to travel to other cities
Experience-based rewards elicit greater interest among young travelers
Figure 19: Interest in reward redemption options – Select items, by age, March 2017
MARKET FACTORS 
Spending habits point to growth in leisure market
Figure 20: Perceived change in leisure and entertainment spending – Spending more or the same, 2014-17
Cable and satellite dish subscriptions are down…
Figure 21: Household cable and satellite dish subscriptions, 2010-17
…while smartphones are increasingly used for sports content
Figure 22: Attitudes about cell phones/smartphones – To keep up with news or sports, 2010-17
KEY PLAYERS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 
Fans have wider access to watch sports and connect with athletes
Politics, cost, and health are on fans’ minds
Ads on jerseys, split-screen play, and Vegas are changing the game
WHAT’S WORKING?
Non-traditional platforms joining the sports viewing space
Connecting with athletes (and fans) is seamless through social media
Fantasy sports continue to boom
WHAT’S STRUGGLING?
For families, going to games means dishing out some serious cash
Political stances and criminal issues are having NFL fans tune out
CTE studies impact support and concern for athletes’ health
WHAT’S NEXT?
Fast-paced lifestyles impact changes to the game
The next pro sports hub: Vegas, baby
Non-stop watching, thanks to in-screen advertisements
NBA opens opportunity for brand sponsorships on jerseys
Disney’s ESPN to have its own sports streaming service
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 
America loves football (no…not soccer)
TV beats out streaming and real-time trumps recorded sports viewing
Viewing on social media/apps most popular for pro soccer, tennis fans
Fans prefer to watch their teams’ games/events at home
“Distracted” viewing allows for greater opportunity to reach fans
Team sports fans more likely to indulge in unhealthy food while watching
Home or away, hockey fans are willing to pay to watch their team
Football fans love to talk about their team and to watch with others
Connecting with friends is an important component of fantasy sports
Attending sports games/events on trip is a fun activity
Game length is an issue for three in 10 Avid Fans
Attending games is pricey and fans are more interested during playoffs
SPORTS FOLLOWED
Football is America’s most followed sport
Figure 23: Team sports followed, by engagement, July 2017
Individual sports garner less interest than team sports
Figure 24: Individual sports followed, by engagement, July 2017
College sports elicit similar interest to professional team sports
Figure 25: College Sports followed, by engagement, July 2017
DEVICES USED TO WATCH SPORTS
Sports Fans still watch their sports in real-time
Figure 26: Devices used to watch sports, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, July 2017
Football fans most likely to watch games live, soccer fans record and stream
Figure 27: Devices used by Avid Fans to watch sports, by team sports, July 2017
Avid Fans of individual sport least likely to view in real-time
Figure 28: Devices used by Avid Fans to watch sports, by individual sports, July 2017
PLATFORMS USED TO WATCH SPORTS
Nearly one in five Avid Fans use real-time updates for their team
Figure 29: Platforms used to watch sports, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, July 2017
Soccer fans most likely to turn to digital to watch games
Figure 30: Platforms used by Avid Fans to watch sports, by team sports, July 2017
One in three tennis fans watch competitions on social media
Figure 31: Platforms used by Avid Fans to watch sports, by individual sports, July 2017
PLACES WHERE SPORTS ARE WATCHED
At-home viewing is most common
Figure 32: Places Avid Fans watch sports, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, July 2017
Sports bar viewing is most common among basketball and soccer fans
Figure 33: Places Avid Fans watch sports, by team sports, July 2017
Viewing games in-person is most common among college sports fans
Figure 34: Places Avid Fans watch sports, by college sports, July 2017
CONCURRENT SPORTS VIEWING ACTIVITIES
Majority of Sports Fans do something else while watching sports
Figure 35: Concurrent sports viewing activities, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, July 2017
Soccer fans skip commercials, stream music, listen to radio while watching
Figure 36: Concurrent sports viewing activities of Avid Fans, by team sports, July 2017
Avid Fans of pro golf are least likely to socialize while watching
Figure 37: Concurrent sports viewing activities of Avid Fans, by individual sports, July 2017
FOOD-RELATED BEHAVIORS
Unhealthy foods are a part of the game for three in 10 Avid Fans
Figure 38: Food-related behaviors, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans July 2017
Football fans indulge most in unhealthy food while watching sports
Figure 39: Food-related behaviors of Avid Fans, by team sports, July 2017
Fans of individual sports most likely to recognize athletic spokespeople
Figure 40: Food-related behaviors of Avid Fans, by individual sports, July 2017
VIEWING-RELATED BEHAVIORS
Avid Fans travel and pay extra to watch sports
Figure 41: Viewing-related behaviors, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans July 2017
Hockey fans most likely to have cable primarily to watch sports
Figure 42: Viewing-related behaviors of Avid Fans, by team sports, July 2017
Golf and tennis fans more likely to have cable, record events
Figure 43: Viewing-related behaviors of Avid Fans, by individual sports, July 2017
Avid Fans of college sports watch at home and go on-the-road
Figure 44: Viewing-related behaviors of Avid Fans, by college sports, July 2017
SOCIAL-RELATED BEHAVIORS
Not all Sports Fans are “big sports fans”
Figure 45: Social behaviors, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans July 2017
Social component of sports is most important for football fans
Figure 46: Social behaviors of Avid Fans, by team sports, July 2017
Individual sports fans don’t need to bond with others to stay passionate
Figure 47: Social behaviors of Avid Fans, by individual sports, July 2017
TRADITIONAL SPORTS ALTERNATIVES: FANTASY AND ESPORTS
Participation in fantasy sports/eSports is low…but growing
Figure 48: Fantasy sports and eSports engagement, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, July 2017
Young adults drive fantasy sports participation
Figure 49: Fantasy sports and eSports engagement, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, by age, July 2017
Fantasy sports helps users stay connected – with others and their sports
Figure 50: Attitudes toward fantasy sports, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, July 2017
Adults aged 25-44 enjoy the connecting element of fantasy sports
Figure 51: Attitudes toward fantasy sports, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, by age, July 2017
ATTITUDES: SPORTS AND TRAVEL
Most Avid Fans consider sporting events to be a fun trip activity
Figure 52: Attitudes about travel for sports, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, July 2017
Football fans are least likely to travel to watch live sports
Figure 53: Avid Fan’s attitudes about travel, by team sports, July 2017
Tennis fans are willing to travel to other cities to watch live sports
Figure 54: Avid Fan’s attitudes about travel, by individual sports, July 2017
ATTITUDES: PASSION FOR SPORTS
Sports Fans are just as likely as Avid Fans to think games last too long
Figure 55: Attitudes about passion for sports, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, July 2017
Soccer fans struggle most with season and game length
Figure 56: Avid Fans’ attitudes about passion for sports, by team sports, July 2017
ATTITUDES: ISSUES FOR SPORTS FANS
Majority of fans think attending sporting events is too expensive
Figure 57: Attitudes about issues for sports, by Sports Fans and Avid Fans, July 2017
Tech advances impact soccer fans more than other major team sports
Figure 58: Avid Fans’ attitudes about issues for sports, by team sports, July 2017
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES AND ABBREVIATIONS
Data sources
Consumer survey data
Consumer qualitative research
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
Terms
APPENDIX – MARKET 
Figure 59: Revenues of major US sports leagues ($ billions), 2016-17 season
Figure 60: Household cable and satellite dish subscriptions, 2011-17
Figure 61: Attitudes about cell phones/smartphones – to keep up with news or sports, 2010-17
APPENDIX – CONSUMER 
Figure 62: Team sports followed, by Sports Fans, July 2017
Figure 63: Individual sports followed, by Sports Fans, July 2017
Figure 64: College sports followed, by Sports Fans, July 2017
Figure 65: Team sports followed, by Avid Fans, July 2017
Figure 66: Individual sports followed, by Avid Fans, July 2017
Figure 67: College sports followed, by Avid Fans, July 2017