90% of Gen Z sports fans consume content through social media

A new study from global consultants Deloitte has highlighted changing patterns of sports consumption and fan behaviour, especially among younger fans who have different views on what constitutes the ideal viewing experience at home compared to older audiences.

Drawing from approximately 3,000 responses, Deloitte’s inaugural survey, entitled ‘2023 Sports fan insights: The beginning of the immersive sports era’, discovered a strong foundation of dedicated fans willing to invest time and money into their support of sports and teams - provided these expectations were met.

A key finding from the study is that nearly three quarters of respondents (71%) said live events were their favourite type of sports content. However, this figure drops to 58% for Gen Z and millennials.

In addition, more than 90% of Gen Z fans use social media to consume sports content, including game clips and highlights, live events, athlete interviews, and posts from athletes.

Meanwhile, social interaction plays a crucial role in the sports experience for Gen Z fans. The survey shows that 61% of the time, Gen Z fans are watching live sporting events from home with others. Furthermore, 38% of said having friends with at home would make them more likely to watch sport.

Deloitte added that a majority of Gen Z fans follow an athlete online, with 46% watching a live sporting event from home as a result of following that athlete and another 33% attending a live sporting event in person.

Another find is that fans are redefining their sports consumption habits at home by assembling a mix of engagement channels, with a noticeable shift among younger generations. Three quarters of fans rely on TV to watch events but this decreases to 60% for Gen Z and millennials, indicating that younger fans are watching on a range of devices.

Gambling
The survey also examined the integration of sports betting into the fan experience. Among those surveyed, bettors are more likely to have attended a game in person, bought sports merchandise, paid for a streaming video service to watch sports, bought season tickets, or participated in a fantasy sports league over the past 12 months than those who don’t bet.

Among all sports fans (over the age of 21) that were surveyed, 22% reported betting on professional sporting events in the last 12 months, with the percentage increasing to 30% for Gen Z and millennials. Of all bettors, 35% place bets at least weekly.

Deloitte also provided more evidence of streaming’s surging popularity. Nearly one third (30%) of all fans (and 46% of millennial fans) have subscribed to subscription video on demand (SVOD) services specifically for watching sports in the past 12 months. Streaming now accounts for 22% of sports viewing, with television accounting for 60%.

Experience is cited as a key factor. Indeed, 64% of Gen Z, 71% of millennial and 52% of Gen X fans said that they have a better viewing experience when watching a specific sporting event on a specific streaming provider than on cable or broadcast television.

Deloitte also touched on the rise of digital assets. While Gen Z and millennials are more aware of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and fan tokens, the actual adoption of these remain low. According to the survey, only seven% of Gen Z and millennial sports fans have purchased or received a team fan token, and eight% have purchased or received a sport or athlete-related NFT in the past 12 months.

Fans are also unclear of the purpose of digital assets, including sports-related NFTs. They study found 30% of millennials who are familiar with NFTs in sports say they are a fad, 36% say they are an investment and 25% say they are something fun to express fandom.

Yet, if accompanied with the right benefits, more fans might be willing to purchase fan tokens. The survey found that around 60% of fans would be willing to buy a fan token if it offered them a chance to get free exclusive merchandise or free premium seats at a live sporting event.

Commenting on the findings, Jana Arbanas, Vice Chair, Deloitte, and US Telecom, Media And Entertainment Sector Leader, stated “the rise of streaming services, coupled with changing generational behaviours, necessitates a change in how the industry views engagement

“Gen Z, in particular, seeks immersive, social experiences both at home and at live events, with a noticeable trend towards multiple devices and platforms. Simultaneously, the integration of sports betting and digital assets like NFTs challenges us to redefine fan engagement.

“The future of sports will increasingly rely on weaving a seamless tapestry of live, digital, and interactive experiences that resonate across all generations.”