Professional sports in the United States have evolved over the years to now being a tight-knit community of fans invested in the future of their sport and have grown to expect more from the leagues (and their players). The most notable change in recent years is the renewed energy from players expressing their support of social justice issues.
MarketCast is dedicated to conducting ongoing research into social justice topics among sports fans. In our latest study, we surveyed over 800 NHL and NBA fans and asked them what social justice topics they care about, their opinions on athlete activism, and their spending habits based on a brand’s commitment to social justice.
1. Eliminating racism is the top priority for fans.
From boxing legend Muhammad Ali refusing to be inducted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War to African-American athletes raising a fist during the U.S. national anthem at the 1968 Olympic Games, athlete activism is not new. While the athletes behind these actions were often met with criticism at the time, they also sparked a worldwide conversation about these topics.
When considering social justice, fans of the NBA and NHL reported “tackling racism” is most important, followed by “women’s rights” and “reforms to reduce homelessness.” While eliminating racism has been at the forefront of the media for years, fighting for women’s rights has become increasingly prevalent, especially amid the United States women’s national soccer team’s fight for pay equality. As the world turns to watch the Women’s World Cup, we expect interest to continue to rise.
In addition, a growing concern for fans across leagues is the increasing rate of homelessness and housing insecurity in the U.S., which, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, has been climbing 6% every year since 2017. These numbers were only exacerbated by the pandemic and have worsened since government aid ended.
It’s also worth noting that “criminal justice reform” is the second most important issue for fans of the NBA (59 percent) compared to ranking fourth among fans of the NHL (45 percent.) The NBA statistically has a higher percentage of Black fans, and both the league and its players have been outspoken in the last few years against law enforcement’s disproportionate treatment of Black citizens. In 2020, the NBA and NBPA (National Basketball Players Association) established a social justice coalition that includes “advocating for meaningful police and criminal justice reform.”
Overall, while fans of both leagues expressed the importance of supporting social issues, NBA fans show slightly stronger engagement in social justice factors (34 percent) compared to the NHL (30 percent.)
2. A majority of fans support athletes speaking out about social justice issues.
75 percent of fans surveyed agree athletes have the “right to express” their support of social justice causes. However, only 50 percent of fans surveyed believe athletes “have a responsibility” to support social justice causes, suggesting that while fans support athletes speaking out on issues that matter to them, they don’t think every athlete has an obligation to do so.
This latest study among NBA and NHL fans is consistent with MarketCast’s 2021 Athlete Activism report, done in partnership with The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), which found 65 percent of fans approve of how athletes use their platform to protest racial injustice.
Fans of the NBA and NHL show marginally higher approval for individual players expressing their support for these causes versus the leagues’ governing bodies.
3. Fans will support companies that promote social justice initiatives.
Our latest study found three in four NBA fans support companies that promote social justice initiatives, while two in three NHL fans feel similarly. Furthermore, over 40 percent of NBA and NHL fans have expressed they are likely to spend more on a product or service if that company promotes its social justice initiatives.
With the sports market growing increasingly saturated with brand sponsors, fans have more choices than ever when it comes to which brands earn their business. Expressing support for a social cause can be a differentiator in the market, and a powerful way to connect with sports fan customers who align with that cause.
While they did not make it into the top four, fans of both leagues also expressed support for “immigration reform” and “LGBTQ+ rights,” which have been topical issues recently. While LGBTQ+ rights have taken center stage of late in politics and sports, most notably during last year’s World Cup in Qatar, the topic of immigration reform has yet to breakthrough as a social justice topic for either athlete or league activism.
Stay tuned for more sports fandom learnings from MarketCast as we continue to survey fans across the major sports leagues to understand the impact of sports sponsorships and their thoughts and feelings about social justice and other topics.
Contact us to learn how you can put MarketCast’s sports fandom and sponsorship expertise to work for you to help your brand succeed!