Sports have always inspired passion in audiences, but today, they’re also inspiring travel. Across the globe, fans are eagerly packing their bags not just to watch their favorite teams compete, but to immerse themselves in live events and experiences. From planning an international trip for a once-in-a-lifetime event to hopping in a car for an away game, there is a growing interest in traveling for sports, and meaningful implications for tourism, event organizers, teams, and brands.
In our Consumer Signals report, Connecting with Sports Fans from Kantar, new insights were shared into the ways global consumers watch and attend sports events. This research includes insights from more than 8,250 consumers from 11 countries, and uncovers the emotions and motivators that influence and inspire sports fans.
The emotional pull: why fans start traveling
The desire to witness sports in-person is steadily growing. 42% of global consumers report they plan to travel to attend a sporting event in the next 12 months.
This trend is fueled by younger generations who crave live experiences. Sixty-one percent of Gen Z respondents expressed an intent to travel to attend a sports event in the next year. Sports fans who report attending live sports in-person in the past year are even higher, with 70% stating they’re likely to travel for sports. Sports fans are no longer just content to turn on the TV to watch a big game or event, they are seeking destinations to be explored.
But what drives someone to hop in the car or catch a flight for a game? The data reveals a popular focus: 76% of these travelers are embarking on "pure-play" sports trips, prioritizing the event itself over traditional sightseeing. Rather than tack a sports event on to a trip planned for other purposes, sports fans see attending a game or event in-person as the ultimate travel motivator.
From local road trips to global flight miles
The heart of destination-sports travel often sticks close to home. Sports fans are more likely to consider traveling a shorter distance, or within their home country, than heading out for an international journey. Domestic travel accounts for 73% of planned sports trips, outstripping international trips (58%) among those who plan to travel to attend a sports event in the next year.
Budget certainly remains a factor in a person’s willingness to travel to attend sports events, but so do factors like level of sports fandom and the presence of children in the household. The most dedicated sports fans, “sports fanatics,” are most willing to pare down their spending in order to devote to traveling for their favorite teams.
The hurdles: what gets in the way of travel
Even plans made by the most enthusiastic fans can be dampened by real-world anxieties. Sports fans cite common concerns like personal safety (43%) and crowd security (39%) as the primary barriers for considering travel, with logistical headaches like travel delays and accommodation issues following closely behind.
While fans are eager to show up to support their favorite teams, they also seek the peace of mind that comes from strong travel infrastructure and general security measures.
Smart planning for a new era of fandom
Today’s sports traveler is more sophisticated than ever. Younger fans aren’t just booking tickets, they’re mitigating risk. Seventy-one percent of Gen Z report they would consider travel insurance specifically to travel for a sporting event, compared to only 44% of Boomers. This proactive mindset in younger fans is also paired with a desire for better tech tools. For example, 70% of Gen Z and Millennials cite improved digital planning tools as a direct motivator to get them off the couch and into the stadium.
The opportunity to travel to attend sports events has matured into a realistic option for many fans, and an aspirational goal for others. Fans are willing to trade their roles as passive observers for active participants, as long as the circumstances support the destinations. The willingness across fans to invest time and money to be part of a live game experience creates new opportunities for teams, brands and fans to connect in a new adventure.
Get more answers
For more findings from this study, access the complete Connecting with the Sports Fans report. Find additional insights into how global consumers are watching and attending sports events, their motivators and the role brands play in the fan experience.
About this study
Using responses from more than 8,250 online respondents from Kantar Profiles’ Respondent Hub across 11 global markets (including Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UK, and the US). All interviews were conducted as online self-completion and collected based on controlled quotas evenly distributed between generations and gender by country.
