Gen Z’s sports fandom is driven by the voices they listen to (literally). YPulse’s Sports and Athletes report shows 63% of 13-24-year-olds consider themselves sports fans. Much of that fandom is thanks to Gen Z’s investment in the voices behind sports as well as the game itself. From sports content creators and show anchors to podcast hosts and athletes, these commentators are keeping young audiences engaged beyond live broadcasts. This reflects a shift among young sports fans; they aren’t choosing between broadcasts, social media, and streaming platforms to follow sports, but rather using each to feed their fandom. And this kind of engagement is changing their listening habits too; according to Vision Insights data, 18-34-year-old sports fans are two times more likely to listen to sports podcasts and 1.8x more likely to listen to sports radio. Among 18-34-year-old sports fans, radio sponsorships are now more memorable than TV sponsorships, insights that offer brands a way to connect with young sports fans instead of commercials alone. (Ad Age)
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