Sports Viewership Highlights: A Look at the Most Popular Teams Nationwide
Weekend's approaching, and here's what's got people excited: NFL kick-off weekend! Let the pulsating beats and stomping trombones take over as football season returns with a bang.
For the fortunate few, 77,000 fans will delight in the kick-off in person across 13 major cities. But what about the rest of the 185 million self-proclaimed NFL enthusiasts? It seems there's a disconnect between those who actually tune into the games and those who consider themselves fans. The same observation applies to NBA fans—last year's March Madness Tournament rallying an impressive 10.7 million viewers. But the support extends far beyond the bleachers on social media, with video highlights and reels racking up an eye-popping 18 billion views!
Key Findings:
- A mere 30% of sports fans watch an entire game from start to finish
- The Las Vegas Raiders had the highest viewership with 57% of fans keeping tabs on the entire game
- NFL fans spend an average of 43.2 minutes per game; NBA fans, 31.7 minutes
- LA Chargers had the lowest viewership, with only 12% of fans watching the whole game
Curious about the viewership numbers for these two major sports leagues, we set out to discover the percentage of the game watched, the most-watched teams, and more.
NFL fans are more invested - enduring an average of 43.2 minutes of game time
Is NFL fervor or NBA fandom more tenacious? Both sporting events are more than just games—they're events! In terms of technicality, NFL games run for 60 minutes and NBA games for 48. But with timeouts, halftimes, and other intermissions, both games typically last an average of 3 hours for football and 2 hours for basketball. Guess who makes it to the finish line?
The NFL! With its status as America's favorite pastime, it's no surprise that its followers remain glued to the TV screen throughout the game. An NFL fan will, on average, watch 43.2 minutes ("in-game" time) of the action, translating to a whopping 12.24 hours of viewing during a season. Impressive, huh?
NBA fans might not be watching as much of the game as NFL fans, but they still show plenty of interest, catching approximately 31.7 minutes out of a total 48. Over an 82-game season, including tournaments, fans clock in at an impressive 43.3 hours of viewing time. Not bad!
Spotlight on the teams with the most dedicated fans
Not all fan bases are the same—some don decked-out merch, while others dabble in social media highlights. Interestingly, a few teams managed to captivate their fans while others left fans at the 40-yard line.
Las Vegas Raiders fanatics reigned supreme with a whopping 57% of fans watching the game in its entirety. No time for snack breaks here! The Tennessee Titans and Memphis Grizzlies followed closely behind, with over half of their respective fans loyal enough to watch every minute. On the flip side, Los Angeles Chargers fans and Atlanta Falcons fans were left trailing far behind.
From stadiums to smartphones: where fans get their updates
Let's face it—modern sports viewing is about scrolling through social media updates, not flipping channels every Sunday night. In-depth post-game conversations at the water cooler are becoming a relic of the past. Fans are still passionate, but how they consume sports is evolving.
A sizable portion of fans (46.65%) still catch the news of the game scores through traditional means, like TV and in-person attendance. However, newer methods of viewing are swiftly gaining momentum. Social media currently claims nearly 20% of viewers who find out about the final score, while 16% rely on sports websites, and 12% check sports apps on their phones. A mere 5% learn about the score through word of mouth.
Only the highlights captivate some viewers
When someone asks, "Did you see that game yesterday?" and you reply with a yes based on a few highlights, welcome to the era of modern sports fandom! Highlights provide a bite-sized, less time-intensive way to enjoy the game.
Some fans prefer watching the highlights over the full game, especially in regions like South Dakota, Washington D.C., and New Hampshire, where around 79% of fans choose highlights as a substitute. Perhaps the scarcity of professional sports leagues in these areas plays a role, or maybe their fandom is simply not as all-consuming!
When we asked spectators why they preferred the highlights, over three-quarters (71%) cited a lack of time. Life can be hectic, and a 3-hour commitment to a game every couple of days can be daunting. Nearly 15% admitted a general lack of interest, while a small percentage refused to pay for streaming services. Some viewers even tuned off when things weren't going their team's way. Ah, the fickle heart of a sports fan!
Viewing trends shrink with age
As attention spans decrease and distractions multiply, we examined whether these trends extend to favorite sports games. The reality is, captivating the attention of fans for a 2-3 hour-long game is akin to getting a fish to watch football—pretty much impossible!
Comparing Boomers with Gen Z, there's a staggering -57.6% drop in overall viewership from older generations to younger generations. Boomers were more willing to dedicate their time to a full game (38%), while Gen Z fans could only commit to a game for a fifth of the time (20%).
MethodologyWe surveyed over 3,000 Americans regarding sports and game viewership in September 2023, taking into account various factors such as age, gender, and location. The age range was between 18-70, with all participants currently residing in the United States. Of the respondents, 70% were male, 29% were female, and the remaining 1% identified as transgender or non-binary.
[1] "NFL Finances In 2023 - Salaries, Revenue, TV Rights, Stadium Costs & More." Business Insider, 30 Mar. 2023, http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-finances-salaries-revenue-rights-stadiums-2023
[2] "NBA Finances In 2023 - Salaries, Revenue, TV Rights & More." Business Insider, 30 Mar. 2023, http://www.businessinsider.com/nba-finances-salaries-revenue-rights-2023
[3] "NBA Social Media Accounts - Followers, Growth Rates & Statistics." Sports Media Watch, 10 May 2023, http://www.sportsmediwatch.com/2023/05/nba-social-media-accounts-followers-growth-rates.html
[4] "Betting Trends In Basketball: Decline In Betting Volume, Increased Sportsbook Revenue." Sports Betting Dime, 15 May 2023, http://www.sportsbettingdime.com/nba-betting-trends/
- Some NFL fans might prefer watching highlights over the full game, with regions like South Dakota, Washington D.C., and New Hampshire having around 79% of fans choosing highlights as a substitute.
- In terms of viewership numbers, the Las Vegas Raiders had the highest percentage of fans watching the entire game, with 57% of fans keeping tabs on the entire game.
- While NBA fans might not be watching as much of the game as NFL fans, they still show plenty of interest, catching approximately 31.7 minutes out of a total 48.
- When it comes to sports viewing, social media currently claims nearly 20% of viewers who find out about the final score, while 16% rely on sports websites, and 12% check sports apps on their phones.
