With all the money pouring into sports TV programming, networks/streamers will need future modern audiences such as Gen Zers to be more evolved into whatever new types of association they have with sports video content.

Is there also an end game -- especially with the next generation of TV/streaming viewers?

Gen Z's 18- to-29-year-olds may be the next generation of sports fans. But not exactly in the way you think of. It revolves around that buzzword “fandom.”

New research suggests they might not necessarily be in-depth watchers of NFL, Major League Baseball, NHL, gymnastics, Formula 1 or championship frisbee.

Instead, they might just like to follow content created by athletes, fans, and other viral videos.

Forty-nine percent of Gen Z respondents do this, with data from a study by the USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism and ACC, the Acceleration Community of Companies.

In addition, the study says 78% of Gen Z say they have or would attend a sporting event primarily for “outside experiences” that are associated with those events. That could be going to parties, watching celebrity appearances at halftime or other get-togethers.

Sports leagues and groups are taking notice. Think about the recent half-time FIFA World Cup match between Spain and Argentina featuring its first time ever music show featuring Madonna, BTS, and Shakira.

Although only 26% of those surveyed may identify as diehard fans who have watched a full sports game for at least one sport, short videos on sports content and sports-related content can be consumed on social media and other platforms.

One of the biggest moments for Gen Zers started up a few years ago with the NFL and Kansas City Chiefs.

Yes, there was a lot of excitement around the Chiefs' Travis Kelce dating popular singer-composer Taylor Swift. And now they are married.

Those initial games where Swift attended had the NFL and its TV/streaming partners doing some research. It was noted that the percentage of young women viewers was rising -- although small actual numbers -- with fans tuning into Chiefs’ games to catch a glimpse of their favorite musician.

How can marketers join in on this? The idea is not to market to “sports fans” rather the different
“fan modes.” It could be music, gaming, gossip, fashion, or other interests.

Can traditional sports content providers find more ways to score here?