The role of social media: How sports fans engage online
The role of social media
The majority of sports fans follow their favorite teams and athletes on social media
This increases to 7 in 10 among sports fans aged 18-34.
More than 4 in 10 sports fans aged 55+ follow athletes, demonstrating the importance of social media for engaging all fan groups, tailoring the platforms and content to align with their online behaviors.
How likely, if at all, are you to follow your favorite teams and athletes on social media?
% answered: Much more likely or more likely
YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025.
Sports fans by age - unweighted average of 15 markets: [AU, CA, DK, FR, GB, DE, IN, IT, MX, PL, SG, ES, SE, UAE, US] n> 2,900. N/A - I don't have a favorite team/athlete, N/A - I don't use social media respondents excluded.
Which types of content do you enjoy seeing athletes posting on social media? Please select all that apply.
Game highlights
Training routines
Personal life updates
Interaction with other athletes
Cause/charity efforts
Nutrition/health content
Participating in social media trends
Interactions with celebrities / influencers
Brand/Product recommendations
Sponsored content
YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025.
Sports fans - unweighted average of 15 markets: [AU, CA, DK, FR, GB, DE, IN, IT, MX, PL, SG, ES, SE, UAE, US] n> 11,100. "Don't know" and "None of these" responses not shown.
The role of social media While game highlights are the most popular content type, fans also want off-pitch insight to develop personal connections
Interaction with other athletes are enjoyed by 1 in 4 sports fans, highlighting the opportunity to use this to bring in fans from different sports through collaborative content.
Brand/product recommendations and sponsored content are rated lowest, with fans being suspicious of corporate messages. Looking for ways to align these with more popular areas, such as nutrition/health content, will help them land as authentic and aligned with fans' interests.
The role of social media Generation spotlight: What each age group enjoys on social
Younger sports fans want to see a wider range of content from their favorite athletes, with interactions with celebrities/influencers and seeing their favorite athletes take part in the latest social media trends highly sought after. The 35-54 sports fans group are more similar to their younger counterparts than older fans in their content preferences, with the 55+ group having the least interest in off-field posts.
YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025.
Question: Which types of content do you enjoy seeing athletes posting on social media? Please select all that apply. Sports fans by age - unweighted average of 15 markets: [AU, CA, DK, FR, GB, DE, IN, IT, MX, PL, SG, ES, SE, UAE, US] n> 3,500. "Don't know" and "None of these" responses not shown. Top 5 options with highest differences shown
The role of social media Gender spotlight: What men and women enjoy on social
Female sports fans are significantly more likely to enjoy personal life updates compared to their male counterparts. Men, on the other hand, are significantly more likely to enjoy game highlights and interactions with other celebrities and influencers.
Which types of content do you enjoy seeing athletes posting on social media? Please select all that apply.
YouGov Surveys, March 14 - April 9, 2025.
Sports fans by gender - unweighted average of 15 markets: [AU, CA, DK, FR, GB, DE, IN, IT, MX, PL, SG, ES, SE, UAE, US] n> 5,100. "Don't know" and "None of these" responses not shown. Top 5 options with highest differences shown
