Athlete or team allegiance: What drives sports fandom in Britain?
Athlete or team allegiance? Across all British sports fans, team allegiance is the biggest driver of fandom
Half of all British sports fans say that the team they follow is an influential factor (51%) – almost three times more than due to an athlete (18%).
Ensuring a sport is easily accessible to watch is key for 39% of fans, ranking second as a key reason for following. For sports with a broadcast product behind a paywall, creating other channels where fans can freely consume some level of content is crucial for reaching new audiences.
Which, if any, of the following factors are influential in your decision to follow a particular sport? Please select all that apply.
Following a team
It's accessible to watch
My family follow the sport
I play/played the sport
My friends follow the sport
Following an athlete/athletes
I like to follow it on social media
YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025. GB sports fans n> 1,300. "Don't know" and "None of these" responses not shown.
Athlete or team allegiance? Younger fans are significantly more likely to follow a particular sport due to an athlete compared to older sports fans
The importance of teams remains high for all age groups, however it is the impact of athletes that shows large variations across generations. For female sports fans, the role of family in driving interest is stronger. Creating opportunities to share sporting moments with parents, partners, children and siblings is something to consider for rights holders when looking to bring in more female fans.
Which, if any, of the following factors are influential in your decision to follow a particular sport?
YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025. GB sports fans by gender and age. n> 350.
Among male sports fans:
say "following a team"
say "family follows the sport"
say "following an athlete/athletes"
Among female sports fans:
say "following a team"
say "family follows the sport"
say "following an athlete/athletes"
Athlete or team allegiance? Teams play a greater role in fan support in rugby union than football or cricket
Of the primarily individual sports, the team aspect of golf has a stronger appeal than tennis, with team fandom and rivalries developed through events like the Ryder Cup, as well as newer properties with a team-leaning focus such as LIV Golf and TGL. Motorsports, for example F1, with both a team and individual driver element, see the most even split of fandom with a slight preference for the individuals.
Football
Cricket
Rugby union
Motorsports
Tennis
Golf
Question: For each of the following sports, are you a fan of the individual athletes, teams, or equally a fan of both? YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025. GB sports fans: Football fans n> 550, Cricket fans n> 200, Rugby Union fans n> 200, Motorsports fans n> 250, Tennis fans n> 250, Golf fans n> 100
Athlete or team allegiance? 1 in 5 sports fans would start supporting a new team as well as their current team if their favourite athlete moved
Leveraging players' personal audiences can be a key route for sports teams to grow their fan bases in Britain.
Only 5% of British sports fans said they would start supporting the new team instead of their current team, highlighting the loyalty that British fans have to the teams they follow.
If your favorite athlete joined a different team in the same league, how would it affect your support?
I would follow the athlete, but not support the new team
I would start supporting the new team as well as my current team
I would stop following the athlete
I would start supporting the new team instead of my current team
YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025. GB sports fans n> 1,300. "Don't know" responses not shown.
Athlete or team allegiance? Nearly 1 in 2 young fans would support a new team if their favourite athlete moved - either alongside or in place of their current team
36% of the 18-34 group would start supporting the new team that their favourite athlete joined in additional to their current team, with a further 10% supporting the new team instead of their current team.
If your favourite athlete joined a different team in the same league, how would it affect your support?
Question: If your favourite athlete joined a different team in the same league, how would it affect your support? YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025.
YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025. GB sports fans by age n> 350. "Don't know" responses not shown.
Athlete or team allegiance? 1 in 5 sports fans have started following a new sport because of a specific athlete, showing the impact a star can have on amplifying a sport to a wider audience
With the growing consumption of sport through social media platforms and the ability to get content in front of those outside of owned channels, the opportunity exists for engaging athlete-led posts to capture new fans and bring them into the sport's ecosystem.
Have you ever started following a new sport, league, or team because of a specific athlete?
"Started following a new sport because of a specific athlete"
British sports fans
British sports fans: 18-34
"Started following a new league because a specific athlete"
British sports fans
British sports fans: 18-34
"Started following a new team because of a specific athlete"
British sports fans
British sports fans: 18-34
YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025.
GB sports fans by age n> 350
