1. Women attribute the origins of their fandom to family influence
Every sports fan has an origin story. More than one female sports fan (36%) said they became a fan because of their siblings or parents. A slightly smaller percentage (27%) say they became a fan because of their participation in youth sports. However, among male sports fans, nearly 40% attribute their fandom to youth sports, with 23% citing parents and siblings. This difference may be reflected in the proportion of men and women who say they have played or currently play sports. Across generations, men are more likely than women to say they play or have played sports at some level (75% vs. 62%, respectively).
2. Women engage in sports in different ways, and women who play sports engage at higher levels than women who do not play sports.
Women who love sports are just as passionate about fandom as men, and in some cases even more so. For example, women surveyed are more likely than men to say they watched a sporting event on TV or online, or attended a live sporting event in person in the past 12 months. They’re also more likely to say they bought sports equipment or memorabilia during that time period.
Participation in sport (past or current) is a key indicator of women’s involvement in sport. Our data show that women who play sports or are involved in sports rate themselves higher on sports fan measures than non-sports fans, and that this leads to lower sports engagement. seems to lead to an increase. This difference between athlete fans and non-athlete fans is especially pronounced for women. The gap between female athlete and non-athlete female respondents, and how highly they rate themselves on the fan scale, is the same between male athlete fans and male non-athlete fans. almost double the gap.
Women who have played sports are much more likely to say they have watched a live sports event on TV or online than women who have not participated in sports. Our research shows that women who have played sports are more likely to bet on professional sporting events, participate in fantasy sports leagues, and maintain season tickets or ticket packages than women who have not played sports. (Figure)
3. Female sports fans are more interested in niche sports
Our research shows that most fans, both male and female, say they follow major sports such as soccer, basketball, and baseball, with a smaller percentage of both groups also following ice hockey and soccer. I’m following you. But when you look at less popular sports, differences emerge. For example, women are more likely than men to say they play volleyball, gymnastics, winter sports (such as skiing or ice skating) or water sports (such as swimming, diving, or water polo). These sports coincide with some of the most popular events of the Olympic Games.Five— Attracts many female viewers6 And there are usually about equal numbers of male and female athletes participating.7 Among the women who responded to the fan survey, there were noticeable differences between generations. Interest in gymnastics, winter sports, and water sports is primarily driven by Gen X and Boomer women, while interest in volleyball is surging among Gen Z and Millennial women. .
4. Sports content consumption appears to be different for women, leaning more towards behind-the-scenes content
When asked how they watch sports content, fans of both genders ranked live events, highlights, and clips at the top. However, compared to men, female respondents are particularly interested in seeing behind-the-scenes content, such as athlete interviews and team social media videos. In general, women are more likely to use social media to consume sports content, and on these platforms they are particularly interested in athletes’ own posts and videos of teams and athletes participating in the viral trend. I have.