Every fall, football takes over our screens, timelines, and group chats. It’s a cultural moment marketers love to tap into. But here’s the twist – you don’t need to buy game-day media to drive football fan engagement.
Because the truth is, these fans don’t just live in the stadium or on Sunday Night Football. They’re on your apps, your streams, your email lists and other channels. And once you understand how they think, spend, and engage, you’ll realize they’re the kind of audience every brand should want more of.
That’s why we ran the numbers. Using AnalyticsIQ’s predictive PeopleCore consumer data, we went beyond the obvious to explore what sets this group apart and why marketers should be paying closer attention.
Football fans aren’t just passionate. They’re powerful.
Let’s start with the data.
These fans aren’t just watching—they’re spending:
- $123K+ average household income
- 7.8% more discretionary spend than average
- Higher spending on dining out, education, and travel
That means fans are more likely to be ready to buy—not just browse. And they’re not waiting for the next touchdown to do it.
They’re not just sports fans. They’re trendsetters.
Here’s where it gets interesting. Football fans are:
- 122% more likely to be early tech adopters
- Nearly 1 in 3 are likely avid gamers (console + freemium)
- More than half are likely to listen to podcasts
- Over 30% are likely to spend $200+ per month on streaming
- 65% more likely to use AI than the average consumer
This isn’t your stereotypical sports crowd. These are modern, multichannel, and multi-device consumers who explore, test, and buy across platforms. If you think football fan engagement should only take place on Sunday, you’re missing the real opportunity.
“But I don’t advertise during football games…”
Great. You don’t have to. This football fan engagement goes well beyond the broadcast.
In fact, our data shows:
- They’re more likely to take action from podcast ads than TV spots
- They’ll scan a QR code on a screen, but they’ll also skip your ad if it’s not relevant
- They convert best when the message hits their interests, values, or curiosity
So instead of asking, “Do I advertise during football?”
Try asking, “How can I reach that valuable audience across all the other places they spend their time?”
If you are already marketing during football… make your campaigns smarter.
Don’t just buy eyeballs. Target smarter. Personalize deeper. Layer in predictive data.
With AnalyticsIQ’s PeopleCore insights, you can:
- Build custom segments around fans who are likely to donate, travel, or invest
- Personalize creative based on motivations (value-driven vs status-driven)
- Extend campaign reach across channels like podcasts, CTV, and social where fans already live
TL;DR:
Football fans are:
✅ High-spending
✅ Early-adopting
✅ Cross-channel
✅ Purchase-ready
✅ Not just for sports brands
They’re the kind of audience you want—whether you’re selling travel, tech, media, insurance, or something entirely different.
And if you’re already investing in football media? Data like this helps you maximize value from every impression.
📥 Want the full data deep dive on football fan engagement?
Download the Football Fans report and see the behavioral, financial, and psychographic signals that can help you connect with this audience all season long—and beyond.