By Leigh Lavery, head of growth intelligence at The Growth Distillery (and lifelong sports tragic)
I LOVE SPORT!
As a passionate sports fan who grew up on a steady diet of AFL (insert – Go the Dees and now Giants!), cricket (torn between Tugga and Warney), and a sprinkling of rugby league (Big Mal is still my favourite Canberran, as a proud Canberran myself), I’ve seen firsthand how sports fandom has evolved. Now, as a card-carrying Middle Aged Man in Lycra (MAMiL), my excitement for the Olympics, particularly the triathlon events at the Paris Games, is palpable.
Put simply, I’m part of a growing legion of sports fans in Australia – 16 million strong, with 2m new fans joining the club since 2021 according to Roy Morgan.
To break this fandom down even further, The Growth Distillery’s most recent study, Sporting Nation – The Next Generation, surveyed over 3000 Australian Sports fans on how sport tickles their (and my) itch.
The study highlights a fascinating shift in Australian sports fandom compared to when we first distilled sport back in 2021. The research shows that 56% of sports fans are now categorised as “fanatics,” up from 40% from 2021. These “fanatics” are people where sport is not just a pastime but a central part of our identity. We are at the nuffy end of the spectrum where small chat often revolves around the game just gone, or the one coming up.
Fanatics are typically passionate about two sports (think winter code/summer code), but tellingly, the number of sporting codes that fanatics follow overall has jumped from four back in 2021 to seven. This broadening interest is most pronounced among under 40 fans, who are increasingly embracing global sports such as basketball and football, alongside traditional and local favourites like AFL, NRL, cricket, and tennis.
Technology and media fragmentation have transformed our sports tastes into a veritable pick-and-mix. While traditional broadcasters and advertisers might see this as a challenge, it presents a unique opportunity for sports news services who have capacity to cover a wide spectrum. Consuming sports news has now become the number one touchpoint for under 40 fans, with 70% engaging with it, overtaking live coverage at 63%. This shift opens new avenues for brands to engage with sports fans beyond the confines of live events.
Our study also revealed that one-eyed fans do really exist, or at least in a commercial sense. With 59% of fans claiming a strong affinity to brands that back their favourite sport, and 70% likely to act on advertising seen within sports contexts, the implications for marketers are significant. Traditional winter football codes like AFL and NRL remain favourites among the over-40 demographic, however under 40 fans are increasingly gravitating towards basketball and football, putting pressure on the old guard.
The story of sports in Australia is also increasingly a story on the rise of women engaging with the codes. Since 2021, Australia has welcomed over 1 million new female sports fans, fueled by inspiring narratives like the Matildas. Our research highlights a growing appetite for women’s sports also, with 54% of total fans interested in consuming more and 34% of female fans having consumed more than last year (half of this group highlighted the Matildas as a key driver!). New female fans are continually emerging, with each representing a fresh opportunity for brands.
So what does this opportunity mean for marketers? Firstly, they need to embrace this broadening spectrum and partner smartly with platforms that cover a wide range of sports. While the long-tail of niche sports is exciting, there remains a substantial advantage in aligning with the favourites. Doubling down on the top sports while also capturing new audiences—both male and female—is a winning strategy.
The evolution of sports fandom in Australia offers brands a unique opportunity to connect with a diverse and passionate audience. By embracing the changing landscape and strategically partnering with sports platforms that cover the spread (with emphasis on the crowd favourites), brands can not only engage with loyal fans, but also tap into the burgeoning fanbase of new and diverse sports enthusiasts.
Find out who they are by downloading Sporting Nation – The Next Generation from The Growth Distillery website.
See also: Social connection the main motivation for sports fans under the age of 40: The Growth Distillery
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Top image: Leigh Lavery