Sports popularity among Gen Z U.S. 2022 | Statista (2024)

FAQs

What sport is most popular with Gen Z? ›

1. NBA (National Basketball Association) The NBA has successfully captured the hearts of Gen Z fans through its dynamic gameplay, engaging personalities, and strong digital presence.

According to a 2021 study, only 23% of Generation Z describe themselves as passionate sports fans, as opposed to 42% of millennials, 33% of Generation X and 31% of baby boomers.

During a February 2022 survey in the United States, almost half of respondents stated that they were fans of the National Football League.

Podcasts are also gaining popularity among Gen Zers, with podcast listening projected to rise significantly by 2027. Gen Z is all about gaming, showing higher engagement rates compared with previous generations. This generation's media habits reflect a clear shift toward digital experiences and interactive content.

Social media content from athletes is the single largest driver of Gen Z sports engagement, with 63% of Gen Z saying content from their favorite athletes increases their engagement (versus 42% of non-Gen Zers), according to the Oliver Wyman Forum research.

Gen Z's standout priorities for 2024 are centered around self-enrichment: things like starting new jobs, learning new skills, reading more, or finding love.

Gen Z is continously active on social media. By building relationships and creating communities and digital platforms from a very young age forward, you've got their attention. Better, connect with them and let them create such an environment. Focus more on your stars in the game rather than on your teams.

The study, which was conducted in October, found that nearly half of Gen Z respondents (47%) and a third of millennials surveyed said they prefer to watch social video and live streams, compared to 24% and 27% who prefer old and new TV shows and 11% and 18% who prefer old and new movies, respectively.

For one thing, Gen Z has more exposure and access to information about health and wellness at an earlier age than other generations have had (FitTok alone, a corner of TikTok where people share workouts, food plans, and other fitness-related content, has amassed more than 64 billion views).

What is the least popular sports in America? ›

More than half of Americans (53%) say America's sport is football – about twice the share who say it's baseball (27%). Much smaller shares choose one of the other four sports we asked about: basketball (8%), soccer (3%), auto racing (3%) or hockey (1%).

“Pickleball is a growing sport.” In fact, pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country. More than 35 million Americans have picked up paddles for the sport, which has grown more than 200% over the last three years, according to “Pickleheads.”

Lindeman's was the leading wine brand among Gen Z consumer in the United States in 2021/22.

Journaling, meditating, running and painting have been hobbies Gen Z uses to recenter and relax in the chaotic and fast moving world. A lot of Gen Z will take to social media in order to track their progress and hold themselves accountable for their selfcare journeys. It is trendy to be healthy and balanced.

Things like ComicCon, food festivals, film/TV conventions, and influencer-run events appeal to Gen Z because they're a chance to have conversations with others who share the same interests.