Author: Mintel Group Ltd.
Last saved by: HTTP server

Marketing to Sports Fans - US - June 2012

SCOPE AND THEMES
What you need to know
Definition
Data sources
Consumer survey data
Advertising creative
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Market factors
Fewer Americans going to sports, entertainment events
Population growth patterns suggest need to focus on a more diverse fan base
Figure 1: Population, by race and Hispanic origin, percent change 2011-16
Rise in college enrollment may lead to larger sports following
Figure 2: Projected college enrollment figures in the U.S., 2011-20
New stadiums, international events increasing sports enthusiasm
Reality TV impacting viewers’ propensity to see athletes as stars
The consumer
Sports fans tuning in to multiple sports, most following football
Figure 3: Sports viewership and listening, February 2012
Almost all sports fans tuning in to games from home
Figure 4: Where most recent sports program was watched and intentions to watch next time, July 2010-September 2011
More than nine in 10 fans get information on TV, young fans also going online
Figure 5: Methods of catching up on sports, February 2012
Fans wearing apparel to support teams, Millennials and women looking for style, fit
Figure 6: Changes to sports clothing resulting in more frequent wear, by generation, February 2012
More fans of less prominent sports purchasing products
Figure 7: Sports viewership and listening by sporting-related product purchases in the past 12 months, February 2012
Sports fans take a social approach to game watching
Figure 8: Attitudes toward methods of watching sports events, February 2012
Fans not distracted by game-time ads, but they’re not learning from them, either
Figure 9: Attitudes toward sports advertising, February 2012
What we think
ISSUES IN THE MARKET
Can leagues be doing more to encourage in-person attendance?
Are retailers meeting fans’ expectations with sports clothing, apparel?
Can athletes be doing more to serve as role models?
How is the sports industry evolving to cater to growing diversity?
INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Multileague SportsPASS promotions
League-sponsored networking opportunities for fans
Stadium social network monitors
Partnerships between movie theaters, studios, and sports leagues
Figure 10: Top 10 grossing sports films in the U.S., 1976-2011
Partnerships between travel providers and sports leagues
INSPIRE INSIGHTS
Trend: Non-Standard Society
Trend: The Big Issue
MARKET DRIVERS
Key points
Attendance drops may drive leagues to make live events more enticing
Figure 11: Average sports and recreational event ticket prices for a family of four, 2011
Population segments with largest sports following the most prevalent
Figure 12: U.S. Hispanic population, by age, 2011
Figure 13: Population, by race and Hispanic origin, 2006-16
College enrollment growth may increase sports fan bases
Figure 14: Projected college enrollment in the U.S., 2011-20
New stadiums may encourage additional sports enthusiasm
Figure 15: New professional and college sports stadiums in the U.S., 2009-12
Major international sporting events draw new, more enthusiastic fans
Reality TV fans given opportunity to see athletes in new light
Figure 16: Professional and Olympic athletes appearing on Dancing With the Stars, Seasons 1-10
INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS
Key points
Marketing Olympic-themed food and personal care products
Online gift retailer offering personalized sports media books
Figure 17: RedEnvelope personalized The New York Times sports books, May 2012
Tampa Bay Rays incorporating alternative entertainment into games
Livestrong Sporting Park becoming increasingly tech-savvy
Figure 18: Livestrong Sporting Park cell phone charging stations, 2011
MARKETING STRATEGIES
Key points
Sports ad spending growing
Figure 19: National TV sports ad spend and biggest TV advertisers in sports, Q4 2007-Q3 2011
TV advertising
Gatorade—The Fuel you Need
Figure 20: Gatorade TV ad “The Fuel you Need” 2012
General Mills—Very Serious about Cereal
Figure 21: General Mills TV ad “Very Serious about Cereal” 2012
Buffalo Wild Wings—Sprinklers
Figure 22: Buffalo Wild Wings TV ad “Sprinklers” 2012
Arizona Diamondbacks—Dinner
Figure 23: Arizona Diamondbacks TV ad “Dinner” 2012
AT&T—Serving Up Humble Pie
Figure 24: AT&T TV ad “Serving up humble pie” 2012
AT&T—Wherever you Want
Figure 25: AT&T TV ad “Wherever you want” 2012
Indirect marketing through print advertising
ESPN Magazine
Figure 26: ESPN Magazine Tim Tebow cover, October 2011
Sports Illustrated
Figure 27: Sports Illustrated World Cup cover, July 2011
Figure 28: Sports Illustrated Moneyball cover, September 2011
Billboard advertising
Jockey
Figure 29: Jockey Billboard ad, March 2012
Chicago Cubs
Figure 30: Chicago Cubs billboard ad, March 2012
Email promotions
United Airlines
Figure 31: United Airlines Olympic promotion, May 2012
Major League Baseball
Figure 32: MLB summer apparel promotion, May 2012
Tampa Bay Rays
Figure 33: Tampa Bay Rays Earth Day promotion, May 2012
Retail gift card sales
Figure 34: Sports organization gift card offerings, Dominick’s Chicago, May 2012
SPORTS VIEWERSHIP AND LISTENING
Key points
Most tune in to multiple sports, professional football the most popular
Figure 35: Sports viewership and listening, February 2012
Figure 36: Repertoire of sports viewership and listening, February 2012
Youngest viewers and listeners drawn to men’s basketball
Figure 37: Sports viewership and listening, by age, February 2012
Figure 38: Type of athletic/sport shoes bought, by age, October 2010-November 2011
Home is where the sports fans are
Figure 39: Where most recent sports program was watched and intentions to watch next time, by sport, July 2010-September 2011
TV the most common source for obtaining sports information
Figure 40: Methods of catching up on sports, February 2012
Figure 41: Use of the internet/websites to catch up on sports, by key demographics, February 2012
Opportunities to expand mobile offerings with live streaming
Figure 42: Features interested in for sports viewing, February 2012
Figure 43: Features interested in for sports viewing, by key demographics, February 2012
OPINIONS ABOUT SPORTS CLOTHING
Key points
Attitudes toward clothing distinguish between team and sports fans
Figure 44: Opinions about wearing sports team-branded clothing, by key demographics, February 2012
Wearing team-branded clothing most important to hockey, baseball fans
Figure 45: Sports viewership and listening by opinions about wearing sports clothing, February 2012
Women, Millennials want more stylish and fitted sports apparel
Figure 46: Changes to sports clothing resulting in more frequent wear, by gender and generation, February 2012
Figure 47: Opinions on expanding sports apparel offerings for women and men, by gender, February 2012
SPORTS-RELATED PURCHASES
Key points
Team-branded product sales offer the most profit potential
Figure 48: Sporting-related product purchases in the past 12 months, February 2012
Figure 49: Sporting-related product purchases in the past 12 months, by gender, February 2012
Northeasterners lead regional tendencies to buy team-branded products
Figure 50: Sporting-related product purchases in the past 12 months, by region, February 2012
More nonmainstream fans purchasing sports products
Figure 51: Sports viewership and listening by sporting-related product purchases in the past 12 months, February 2012
About one quarter purchasing athlete-endorsed clothing or footwear
Figure 52: Attitudes toward endorsed product purchases, by generation, February 2012
SPORTS FAN INTERACTIONS
Key points
Sports fans tend to interact in person
Figure 53: Methods of interaction with other sports fans, February 2012
Social media interactions most popular among younger fans
Figure 54: Interacting with sports fans through social media, by age, February 2012
More than half view sports viewership as a social activity for the home
Figure 55: Attitudes toward venues for watching sports events, February 2012
SPORTS ADVERTISING
Key points
Most accept, but not informed by, game-time advertising
Figure 56: Attitudes toward sports Advertising, by gender and generation, February 2012
Broadcast and venue advertising not driving purchases
Figure 57: Purchases made based on sports game advertising, by generation and region, February 2012
IMPACT OF RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN
Key points
Basketball a sport of choice among young Hispanics
Figure 58: Sports viewership and listening, by Hispanic origin and age groups, February 2012
Figure 59: NBA Éne-bé-a website, May 2012
More non-whites wearing branded apparel regardless of team allegiance
Figure 60: Opinions about wearing sports clothing, by race and Hispanic origin, February 2012
Hispanics getting sports information online
Figure 61: Use of the internet/websites to catch up on sports, by Hispanic origin, February 2012
More Asians interacting with sports fans often through every medium
Figure 62: Methods of interaction with other sports fans, by race and Hispanic origin, February 2012
Black sports fans the most receptive to game-time advertising
Figure 63: Attitudes toward sports advertising, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2012
CUSTOM CONSUMER GROUPS—PARENTS AND NON-PARENTS
Key points
Sports viewing and listening are family-centric activities
Figure 64: Sports viewership and listening, by parental status and presence of children in household, February 2012
Parents and kids bonding over allegiance to sports teams
Figure 65: Opinions about wearing team-branded sports clothing, by parental status and presence of children in household, February 2012
Figure 66: Changes to sports clothing resulting in more frequent wear, by gender and presence of children in household, February 2012
Parents making sports purchases of all kinds, attentive to endorsements
Figure 67: Sporting-related product purchases, by parental status and presence of children in household, February 2012
Figure 68: Attitudes toward endorsed product purchases, by parental status and presence of children in household, February 2012
Parents going online for sports information
Figure 69: Methods of catching up on sports, by parental status and presence of children in household, February 2012
APPENDIX—OTHER USEFUL CONSUMER TABLES
Sports viewership and listening
Figure 70: Sports viewership and listening, by gender, February 2012
Figure 71: Methods of catching up on sports, by number of times per week, February 2012
Figure 72: Methods of catching up on sports, by frequency per week, February 2012
Figure 73: Sports viewership and listening, by gender and presence of children in household, February 2012
Opinions about sports clothing
Figure 74: Opinions about wearing team-branded sports clothing, by household income, February 2012
Figure 75: Changes to sports clothing resulting in more frequent wear, by opinions about wearing sports team-branded clothing, February 2012
Figure 76: Opinions about wearing sports clothing, by Hispanic origin and age groups, February 2012
Figure 77: Opinions about wearing sports team-branded clothing, by presence and number of children in household, February 2012
Sports-related purchases
Figure 78: Attitudes toward watching the Olympic games, February 2012
Figure 79: Sporting-related product purchases in the past 12 months, by household income, February 2012
Figure 80: Sporting-related product purchases in the past 12 months, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2012
Figure 81: Sporting-related product purchases in the past 12 months, by gender and presence of children in household, February 2012
Figure 82: Sporting-related product purchases in the past 12 months, by marital status and presence of children in household, February 2012
Sports fan interactions
Figure 83: Methods of interaction with other sports fans, by number of times per week, February 2012
Sports advertising
Figure 84: Attitudes toward sporting events and athletes, February 2012
APPENDIX—TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

This report is supplied in accordance with Mintel's terms and conditions.  
© Mintel Group Ltd.