London – Two years after the pandemic, awareness of sustainability, climate change and diversity is growing among consumers and sports fans.
That’s what a new survey from British institute YouGov found, analyzing the impact of social and environmental priorities among fans.
Research conducted in more than 50 countries revealed that global fans miss these issues, which is reflected in club campaigns, event sponsoring companies and even the actions of athletes.
Sports fans are more concerned with environmental issues than the global average
YouGov’s “Global Sport 2022” report is the result of combining data from several surveys conducted in more than 50 markets, including Brazil, that explored various aspects of the relationship between fans and sport, athletes and brands.
With 76% of adults worldwide following at least one sport frequently, brands that sponsor or participate in such events have the opportunity to create positive associations in the minds of the consumer by tailoring their strategies to this highly engaged audience.
However, in the year of the World Cup in Qatar, a conservative country with a history of oppression by the media and minorities, companies may have trouble retaining fans. veto for kiss scene between two women in children’s movie “Lightyear”.
This is because, as survey data reveal, fans of all types of sports are more socially and environmentally engaged.
Movements that have gained ground around the world in recent years, such as Black Lives Matter, Me Too, and Extinction Rebellion, have shown that activism is on the rise.
Younger generations in particular prefer brands that are committed to positive and sustainable action, and this is reflected among fans of all kinds of sports.
YouGov data shows that more than half (53%) of global sports fans agree with the statement “I consider myself an environmentalist”.
Also, 68% of fans agree that “green energy is the future” and almost half (48%) agree that they would be willing to “pay more for sustainable energy”.
Sports fans are more likely to agree with these statements compared to the global average and are also more likely to commit to purchase only from socially conscious companies.
The survey found that these attitudes towards the environment and sustainability affect purchasing behavior in different ways around the world.
Almost half of fans say they only want to buy from socially and environmentally responsible companies. The prominent countries are Indonesia (59%), India (58%) and the United Arab Emirates (51%).
In Argentina and European countries such as Great Britain, Spain and France, only a third admitted to being concerned about it.
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Diversity and inclusion in sports are important to fans
According to a YouGov survey, fans are more concerned about diversity and inclusion than the average consumer.
Because sports can bring people of different cultures and nationalities together, 65% of participants agree that diversity and inclusion should be considered when hosting events.
Nearly seven in ten global sports fanatics think more can be done, and 68% agree that “sports needs to be more inclusive” and clearly suggest there is room for improvement in the industry.
Interestingly, the report notes that there is less age-diversity around inclusive themes than environmental issues, and those over 55 also support the claim that “diversity and inclusion should be considered when hosting sporting events.”
However, a larger proportion of women than men agree with the same statement.
YouGov found that the desire for sport to be more inclusive resonated most with Italian (84%) and Argentinean (77%) fans.
Support for considering diversity and inclusion in the organization of events is also not limited to a continent or region, with Indonesia and Germany being the two countries with the highest level of agreement among sports fans (75% and 74%, respectively).
The strength of diversity and inclusion support is evident in all regions, with more than half of fans in all countries agreeing that sports should be more inclusive and that diversity should be considered when organizing events.
Who are the ‘socially conscious fans’ brands should look out for?
For the report, YouGov defined “community-conscious fans” as those who agreed with one of the following statements: “I only try to buy from socially and environmentally responsible companies” or “I like brands that are willing to engage in social life. matters.”
Socially conscious fans represent 59% of the world’s population and more than two-thirds (67%) of the world’s total sports fans.
The global median age of fans is 39, and only one year younger among those who are socially conscious (38).
According to the British institute, socially conscious sports fans differ from broader fans in areas of life stage and attitude. For example, 40% of socially conscious sports fans have children under 18 at home, compared to 36% of fans overall.
“These data suggest that the social and environmental values of these younger generations in the family can be passed on to their sports-enthusiastic parents.”
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Fans prefer brands that make social commitments
YouGov research reveals that when it comes to brands, fans are slightly more likely than the global population to think positively about companies that convey ethical messages (59% versus 62% of the global total) and are willing to engage with social issues (49). % – 45% of the global total).
Plus, 66% of global sports fans agree that a brand’s success should be based on genuine connection with its customers.
“Fans seek more from brands and companies than just the products or services they offer, but they want the brands they choose to align with their values and make a positive contribution to society,” the report states.
“Not only do sports rights holders and sponsor brands have an important role to play in making a difference and acting as good corporate citizens, but more and more athletes now recognize that they are role models and can often use and influence their image. to drive change.”
Global fans also recognize the importance of athletes in advocating for socially and environmentally responsible attitudes, with 65% of respondents agreeing that “professional athletes should act as role models” (compared to 61% of the global population).
This is even more evident among socially conscious fans as the figure rises to 71%.
Who and what are sports fans around the world consuming?
A YouGov survey reveals that more than three-quarters (76%) of adults worldwide play sports.
While men are more likely than women to watch or follow almost any type of sport, the age differences are not that great, with the strongest sports being followed across all age groups.
It’s not surprising that it ranks first in the analysis of the three sports most watched or followed by fans: Football is the most popular sport worldwide, followed by basketball and swimming.
The popularity of the sport, in which Brazil is a five-time world champion, is evident in 9 of the 16 countries studied.
American football and Australian football are top three in the USA and Australia respectively, while ice hockey is a favorite in Canada. In India, cricket dominates the fans, while in China basketball is the number one sport.
The full report can be viewed here.
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source: Noticias
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