Nielsen’s Sports Fans Are Changing the Game report shows that fandom has moved beyond the old live-event model, with streaming, non-live content, and second-screen behaviour changing how brands should plan and measure sponsorship. Download the Fans Are Changing the Game report here.
Sports Fans Are Changing the Game Report: Key Takeaways
- Sponsorship Remains Trusted – Nielsen found that 81% of respondents trust brand sponsorships at sporting events. That makes sponsorship powerful for awareness, credibility and conversion when the partnership fits the audience. This reinforces why sponsorship research matters before selecting a property.
- Sports Fan Behaviour Is More Digital – 40.7% of global fans stream live sport through digital platforms. OTT means over-the-top streaming, where content is delivered online rather than through traditional television. This gives sponsors more measurable touchpoints across digital viewing and fan engagement.
- Content Extends Beyond the Live Event – Among sports fans aged 16 to 29, 43.59% watch non-live content linked to live events, such as highlights and recaps. Sponsorship activation should work before, during, and after the main event, especially where content can keep brands visible beyond matchday.
- Sponsorship Can Shift Purchase Intent – Nielsen’s analysis of 100 sponsorships found an average 10% lift in purchase intent among exposed fanbases. This supports measuring sponsorship by effectiveness, not just visibility.
So what does this mean for sponsorship return on investment?
The report shows that sponsorship value is created across the full sports fan journey. Fans move between live sport, streaming, social media, highlights, and athlete content, so brands need activation that follows that behaviour. Sponsorship return on investment should be planned from the start, with clear objectives linked to awareness, consideration, engagement, purchase intent, and commercial action.
Need help reaching sports fans?
If you’re considering using sponsorship within your business, want to identify the best properties to sponsor, and would value evidence-based advice on how best to reach sports fans, Strive can help. Contact us for help building brand awareness, staying top of mind with your target audience, boosting consideration, creating brand salience and differentiation, and improving sponsorship return on investment.
Frequently asked questions
How Do You Measure Sponsorship Return on Investment?
Sponsorship return on investment should be measured through more than media value or logo exposure. Clear sponsorship objectives are the starting point, but metrics such as brand awareness, consideration, perception, purchase intent, and sales impact are all common measures. The key thing to understand is that ROI is specific to each brand, target audience, and partnership – there is no one-size-fits-all measurement set.
Why Are Sponsorships Trusted by Sports Fans?
According to Nielsen’s Fans Are Changing the Game report, 81% of respondents trust brand sponsorships at sporting events. For brands, this shows that sponsorship can build credibility when it is connected to a property, audience, or moment fans already care about.
How Can Brands Improve Sponsorship ROI?
Brands can improve sponsorship ROI by setting clear objectives, choosing the right property, activating across live, digital, and content channels, and measuring outcomes beyond visibility. The strongest sponsorships connect audience insight, creative activation, and commercial measurement from the start.