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The year 2020 created unique, never‑before-seen moments that impacted not only the world around us, but also the world of sports. Despite these changes, sports fans maintained their fandom and were opened to a myriad of virtual experiences that diversified the ways they can fan sports.
In order to keep score on how sports fandom is evolving and explore the trends that are defining the future of TV and sports, we’ve unveiled our first report of Generation Stream: Sports Edition, ‘The Scorecard.’ Here’s a snapshot of a few key themes that emerged:
2020 recentered sports, as fans had to depart from tradition to adapt to the pandemic, protests, and political turmoil. Not surprisingly, sports fans felt the impact.
The sports spectrum is broadening as streaming gives audiences access to new, niche and global sports, as well as new ways to experience sports beyond the game.
It’s official: fewer sports streamers are rooting for their home team. Tipping the scales is Gen Z, a more geographically-agnostic generation, who is spreading their wings to express sports fandom beyond their zip code.
Fewer sports streamers are personally identifying with sports teams, and more are simply following the sports they love.
Social sites have completely changed the game of fandom. 1-in-5 sports streamers say that they built a stronger online community around sports, or engaged with more social media as a way to experience sports during the pandemic.
86%
68%
59%
+47%
93%