2017 Sports Fan Study

Simmons Research announced the release of its Sports Fan Engagement Study, a trusted solution that provides in-depth insights into sports fandom in the United States. 

Among its many findings, Simmons’ 2017 Sports Fan Study revealed significant increases in ad influence, spending, and shifting fan attitudes. Highlights included:  

•     Reported fan spending of over $10.5 million on tickets to live sporting events, an increase of 35% YOY
•     32% of fans reported noticing the brands that teams or athletes use or wear during games and events.
•     Reported fan spending of over $6.2 million on sports cable TV packages, an increase of 13% YOY
•     Over a third of fans (36.4%) believe that sponsors of sporting events are critical to the success of sports
•     25% of fans reported following brands that sponsor their favorite teams or athletes on social media, an increase of 107% YOY
•     68% of fans agreed that sports can bring people from different walks of life together

To help inform this comprehensive study, Simmons has assembled a sports measurement advisory council of industry stakeholders. Members include representatives from the MLS, Endeavor, Red Bull and a dozen other media, advertising, eSports, and professional sports league experts.

“Measurement of sports fandom in the United States has many challenges, but is an area of interest for agencies, media companies, and advertisers alike,” said Jackie Anderson, Chief Client Officer at Simmons Research. “Existing solutions fail to incorporate psychographics, or more specifically, the attitudes that drive sports fan spending, engagement and behavior. Working closely with our advisory council, Simmons designed a study to deliver the highest-quality sports fan insights. We’re excited to help our clients build informed strategies to understand, find and target their sports fans.”