The summer of 2024 has been a thrilling season for sports enthusiasts, with major international events such as the Olympics, Wimbledon, the Euros, the Grand Prix, and the Tour de France.

These events dominated conversations across the UK, but how did the average person engage with sports during this time? And more importantly, what opportunities does this present for brands looking to capture the attention of sports fans?

Our latest insights study reveals just that.

We conducted market research to understand how the average person in the UK consumed sports this summer, and how these behaviours can inform marketing strategies, even for non-sports brands.

The findings offer key insights to help you go for the gold in delivering effective, targeted campaigns throughout the year.

Key findings on sports viewership

Our study found that over half of people in the UK (58%) watched or intended to watch sporting events during the summer months.

Perhaps because these events tend to attract more casual fans who primarily enjoy the social aspect of watching sports, only a small percentage of sports fans reported purchasing tickets to watch an event in person, whether in the UK or abroad.

Most viewers preferred to watch from the comfort of their own homes or in social settings like pubs and bars. This suggests that high-traffic placements near food retailers and pubs should be a priority for advertisers during major sporting events.

Gender and age-based insights

Our insights highlighted notable differences in fan behaviour based on both age and gender.

Men are more likely than women to watch sports at the pub, buy tickets to events, and subscribe to sports channels. However, young people aged 23-27, regardless of gender, emerged as the most engaged sports fans overall. They are more likely than any other age group to buy merchandise and tickets, travel abroad for a sporting event, or host viewing parties for family and friends.

As a result, promotions relating to event tickets and travel should target people in their twenties and men aged 18-39 who already show a strong interest in sports.

Both men and women chose supporting their team or country as one of the top motivations for watching sports. However, men are more likely to have a general interest in the sport, while women are more likely to prioritise socialising with friends and family as a reason to watch sports.

This presents an opportunity for smaller brands, especially within the food and beverage sector, to reach a younger and more female-skewing audience by highlighting the social aspects of watching sports and casting a wider net in terms of advertising placements.

Engaging families and parents

Interestingly, people with young children are more likely to subscribe to sports channels, buy official merchandise, and watch sports in pubs than those without children.

Brands should explore how they can more effectively target parents in terms of where they advertise and what kind of offers might appeal specifically to families.

Shopping centres and leisure spaces, for instance, could provide viewing areas that allow parents to enjoy sports while participating in other family-friendly activities such as dining out, bowling, or playing mini golf.

Strategic advertising opportunities

Brands should also consider strategic partnership opportunities to engage with users on platforms where they already follow sports.

Ad placements on short form video content across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok would be an effective targeting tool to reach millennial and Gen Z audiences, encouraging them to choose your brand over another while watching sports at the pub or shopping for a viewing party.

Looking ahead to the rest of 2024 and beyond

With the Premier League season already in full swing and the Paralympics getting underway, now is the perfect time to optimise your marketing strategy to reflect the priorities of both casual and die-hard sports fans within your existing and potential user base.

To find out more about identifying and targeting audience segments specific to your brand, get in touch with Clusters today.