Thanks to social media, today’s athletes are full-blown influencers; in addition to watching their games, their fans can spend more time than ever keeping up with their lives. According to YPulse’s Sports and Athletes report, Gen Z are more likely to watch sports monthly or more this year compared to 2022—and the numbers of teens and young adults who say they do have both increased. Our data also shows 56% of 13-17-year-old sports fans follow professional athletes on social media. Teens are the most likely to say they follow team-specific accounts too, making athlete influencers a great way to engage with Gen Z. But what’s even better? Going straight to their fave individual player—which we have the data on too. Gen Z values the effort athletes put into their sport: YPulse’s Celebrities and Influencers report data shows Gen Z is more likely to say athletes are talented than TV / movie actors, online celebs, and music celebs. And they have a significant influence over young consumers’ purchases, too:...
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