While cord-cutting has been on the rise for years, Gen Z is the 1st generation to grow up as true digital natives, per Mic. As a result, they’re far less likely to watch live sports than previous generations.
This finding isn’t lost on professional sports leagues, who are finding new ways to engage with young sports fans.
Examples include:
- The NFL partnering with livestreamer Ninja in 2018 to co-stream a game on Thursday Night Football
- The MLB running a contest where budding TikTok influencers could win the chance to be ambassadors
- The NBA partnering with Take-Two Interactive to launch the NBA 2k esports league
However the leagues reach Gen Z, one thing seems clear — the future of fandom will be decentralized.
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