Athletes Are a Winning Brand Investment

Between the Paris Olympics, a record-breaking WNBA season and Taylor Swift’s high-profile relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce, professional sports — and the athletes that play them — have been central to so many cultural conversations in 2024.

But this state of affairs has also raised a question for those in the industry: Is the buzz translating into legitimate fandom of any sort? 

Fortunately, new Morning Consult data offers an answer — and that answer is yes. 

Americans are embracing new athletes, sports 

One-third (33%) of U.S. adults said they became a fan of a new athlete within the past year, and roughly 1 in 5 (21%) said the same about a new sport. 

These findings are heartening for sports professionals as is — new fans mean new monetization opportunities of every sort — but they become even more impressive when noting that an ever-coveted audience reported the highest overall interest: Gen Z. Forty-two percent of the young cohort became fans of a new athlete in the last 12 months; thirty-six percent became fans of a new sport.

One factor behind Gen Z’s growing sports fandom is, undoubtedly, compelling athletic talent, of which 2024 has produced a lot. 

The Kansas City Chiefs won a second-straight Super Bowl; WNBA rookies like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who themselves are Gen Zers, delivered historic performances all season long, propelling the league to unprecedented success; USA women’s rugby player Ilona Maher and USA men’s gymnast Stephen Nederosik each shot to fame after leading their respective teams to podium finishes at the Paris Olympics. The list goes on. 

However, another reason individual athletes, in particular, are earning new young supporters is increased direct exposure.

No longer is a post-game presser the only way to get facetime with fans. Today, more and more professional athletes are investing in their online presences, creating mini-media empires by prolifically posting informal, personality-driven content in all the places where Gen Z spends time — from YouTube and TikTok to Twitch and Spotify. 

Gen Z is leading the way in new fan behaviors

An interesting aspect of Gen Zers’ newfound enthusiasm for athletics is that it isn’t limited to digital spaces. They’re also engaging with new athletes and sports via more involved behaviors like reading commentary, watching broadcast television and attending games in person — and they’re doing it all at higher rates than the general population.

At present, two of Gen Z’s top three favorite athletes are Simone Biles and Caitlin Clark, another reflection of the ascendance of women's sports. (Travis Kelce rounds out this group.)  

The professional leagues winning most with this cohort, meanwhile, are the NFL and NBA. Both have been especially adept at connecting their sports to many of Gen Zers’ broader interests — including fashion, beauty and gaming — through strategic partnerships and innovative media formats.

That said, sports’ rising tide does appear to be lifting all boats. Another recent Morning Consult analysis found that Gen Z’s engagement with second-tier leagues like the NHL is trending upward as of late, too. 

Athletes vs. influencers 

Still, athletes' appeal extends far beyond this crop of new, largely young, fans.

Three in four (75%) U.S. adults said they find athletes either “very” or “somewhat” likable, which is almost double the share who said the same about another prominent cohort: social media influencers (44%).

While influencers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, their relative lack of popularity among the general public (and penchant for scandal) presents risks for brands that engage them in marketing capacities.

In contrast, athletes are more reliable ambassadors — from both a public relations and performance perspective. Plus, there’s legitimate consumer appetite for them: Pluralities of U.S. adults said they would like to see more athletes in movies, television shows and brand engagements in the future.

Ultimately, it’s clear that the pull of athletes (and sports more broadly) is stronger than ever. And with the NCAA’s name, image and likeness (NIL) ecosystem now turning many collegiate athletes into bonafide mega-stars before they even graduate, this sentiment is unlikely to dissipate in the near future. 

Of course, professional leagues will have to work to ensure that these newfound fans become long-term, die-hard supporters. But brands of all kinds would be wise to get in the game while they can — that is, find ways to tie their message(s) to the broad enthusiasm around athletics. After all, a goal of most brand marketing is cultural relevance, and right now, athletes are as culturally relevant as it gets.