When surveyed in January 2025, it was found that the age group with the highest share of NBA fans was the 35 to 49-year-old demographic. In total, 26.2 percent of respondents in this age bracket were fans of the world's leading basketball league. Meanwhile, 7.2 percent of 13 to 17-year-olds were NBA fans.

A survey conducted in January 2025 in the United States revealed that over half of NBA fans were Caucasian. Meanwhile, 20.7 percent were Hispanic.

This graph shows the distribution of the NBA regular season ********* TV audience by age group. Viewers aged 18 to 34 comprised ** percent of the NBA regular season television audience in the ******* season.

As of March 2024, NASCAR fans in the United States tended to be younger on average than the general population, with most fans being aged under 44. Only 16 percent of NASCAR fans were aged 65 and over, compared to 21 percent of the wider U.S. population.

In a January 2025 survey, it was revealed that **** percent of WNBA fans in the United States were aged between 35 and 49-years-old. This made it the age group with the highest proportion of WNBA fans. Meanwhile, only *** percent were aged 13 to 17-years-old.

An average of **** million viewers tuned in to watch NBA regular season games across ABC, ESPN and TNT in the 2024/25 season. This marked a slight decline in the number of viewers from the previous season.

First held in 1947, the National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft is an annual pre-season event through which teams in the league select recruits from a pool of college and professional men's basketball players. The 2025 NBA Draft was shown on ESPN and ABC in the United States and attracted an average viewership of **** million viewers. The previous year had reached a record-high of **** million viewers.

The 2025 NBA Finals were watched by an average of **** million viewers in the United States. This marked a decline from the previous year when **** million viewers tuned in to watch the Boston Celtics clinch a record 18th NBA championship win against the Dallas Mavericks. How did the 2025 Finals play out? The 2025 championship series was contested between the Oklahoma City Thunder, champions of the Western Conference, and the Indiana Pacers, winners of the Eastern Conference. The Thunder emerged victorious in a back-and-forth seven game series, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander adding a championship ring to his NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP awards for the 2025 season. Celebrations, however, were somewhat overshadowed by a horror Achilles heel injury sustained by Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton in Game 7. How did viewership of the NBA Finals compare to other major US sporting events? In 2025, NBA Finals viewership was only a fraction of the number of viewers of the Super Bowl in the U.S., with the latter exceeding *** million that year. Meanwhile, viewership of the World Series was more comparable to that of the NBA Finals, reaching over 14 million in 2024.

This graph shows the average age of the TV audience for selected sports in the United States in 2017. According to the source, the average age of the audience watching NHL on television in 2017 was 49 years old.

As of 2024, the largest luxury tax bill footed by a team in the NBA came in the 2023/24 season, when the Golden State Warriors were taxed 176.9 million U.S. dollars by the league. The Warriors also held the other top-three spots, bringing their overall luxury tax payments from 2021/22 to 2023/24 to 510.9 million U.S. dollars.

According to a January 2025 survey, **** percent of WNBA fans in the United States were female. Meanwhile, the same survey revealed that the largest ethnic group among the WNBA's fanbase was *********.

The 2024 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) regular season games were watched by an average of ******* viewers across media platforms in the United States. This was a significant increase from the previous year and made the **** season the league’s highest-viewed regular season in the last 24 years.

During a 2022 survey of members of Gen Z aged between 13 and 25 in the United States, 53 percent identified themselves as either casual or avid NFL fans. Meanwhile, one fifth of Gen Z respondents were fans of Formula 1.

Founded in 1996, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is a professional basketball league composed of 12 teams from the United States. The Indiana Fever registered the highest average attendance across the 2023 season with 17,036. That season, the Fever secured the services of college basketball sensation Caitlin Clark, who went on to break a series of rookie and all-time records. One such record was the number of assists made in a single WNBA game. Player salaries in the WNBA Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces was the highest earner in the WNBA in the 2024 season, having earned an annual salary of 252 thousand U.S. dollars. Meanwhile, looking at the average annual salaries in the WNBA vs. the NBA, the average WNBA player took home around 120 thousand U.S. dollars at the end of the year, which was nearly 100 times lower than the average NBA player salary. WNBA league records Since the opening season in 1997, former and current WNBA players have been setting high standards and surpassing old ones throughout the course of the competition. Sue Bird was the career games leader of the WNBA, having played 580 professional games prior to her retirement in 2022. Meanwhile, the WNBA's all-time scoring leader was Diana Taurasi, who began her career with the Phoenix Mercury in 2004. Overall, three WNBA teams held the record for most WNBA championships during the history of the league, all winning four championships apiece.

Licensed Sports Merchandise Market Outlook

The licensed sports merchandise market size was valued at approximately $33 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $48 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 4.2% over the forecast period. This growth is driven by an increasing global interest in sports and sports-related activities, alongside a rising trend of sports fandom that spans across different age groups and demographics. The industry has seen a robust expansion due to the proliferation of various sports leagues and international events which have further amplified consumer interest and spending on licensed products. The surge in digital engagement and the growth of e-commerce platforms have also played a pivotal role in broadening the reach and accessibility of licensed sports merchandise.

One of the primary growth factors for this market is the immense popularity of sports events and leagues such as the FIFA World Cup, Olympics, and the NBA which have established a broad and enthusiastic fan base worldwide. These events encourage fans to express their loyalty and support through purchasing licensed merchandise, which includes everything from apparel and footwear to accessories and home décor. Furthermore, the globalization of sports leagues has led to a significant increase in international viewership, contributing to higher demand for team-branded products from a diverse and global customer base.

Technological advancements have also been a substantial growth driver in the licensed sports merchandise market. The rise of online platforms has made it easier for fans to access a wide array of products, facilitating impulse buying and increasing sales. Social media platforms, too, have played a crucial role in marketing sports merchandise to a broader audience by creating fan-focused content and campaigns that enhance brand visibility and engagement. E-commerce flexibility, coupled with secure payment options, has paved the way for easier transactions, which has been particularly beneficial for customers looking for limited edition or exclusive items.

Another significant factor contributing to market growth is the increasing inclination towards athleisure, a trend that combines athletic and leisure wear. This has broadened the appeal of sports apparel beyond just sports fans to include the general fashion-conscious public, thereby expanding the potential consumer base. Additionally, collaborations between sports teams and high-profile fashion designers have resulted in unique merchandise offerings that attract consumers from both sports and fashion spheres, further driving the market growth.

Regionally, North America currently holds the largest market share due to the presence of popular sports leagues like the NFL, NBA, and MLB, as well as a high level of consumer spending on sports merchandise. However, the Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth rate over the forecast period, driven by the increasing adoption of western sports culture and the rising disposable income of consumers in countries like China and India. The European market is also significant, with a strong following for football and rugby, contributing to the demand for team-branded merchandise.

Product Type Analysis

The product type segment of the licensed sports merchandise market is broadly categorized into apparel, footwear, accessories, toys, home décor, and others. Among these, apparel constitutes the largest share, driven by the enduring popularity of jerseys, t-shirts, and other team-branded clothing among sports fans. The fashion industry's embrace of sportswear, coupled with the athleisure trend, has further fueled the demand for licensed sports apparel. These products are not only used for sporting purposes but have also become a staple in casual wear, thereby increasing their appeal to a broader audience.

Footwear holds a significant position in the market as well, particularly due to collaborations between sports brands and celebrity athletes, which have led to the creation of exclusive and high-demand sneaker lines. These collaborations often result in limited edition releases that drive purchase urgency among consumers, especially sneaker enthusiasts. The growing trend of wearing sporty sneakers as everyday footwear has also boosted sales in this segment, aligning well with both fashion and comfort preferences of modern consumers.

The accessories segment, which includes items like caps, bags, and wristbands, is another vital area contributing to market growth. These products tend to be lower in price compared to a

In 2023, the greatest share of players by ethnic group in the National Football League (NFL) were black or African American athletes, constituting just over ** percent of players within the NFL. Despite the large population of Hispanic or Latino people within the United States, there is a substantial underrepresentation within the NFL, with only *** percent of players identifying as such. National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that was established in 1920 and now consists of 32 clubs divided into two conferences, the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The league culminates in the Super Bowl, the NFL's annual championship game. As the league’s championship game, the Super Bowl has grown into one of the world's largest single-day sporting events, attracting high television ratings and generating billions of dollars in consumer spending. NFL revenues The NFL is one of the most profitable sports leagues in the world, generating a staggering **** billion U.S. dollars in 2022. This total revenue of all ** NFL teams has constantly increased over the past 15 years and, although this figure dropped significantly in 2020, this was largely as a result of the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) containment measures. This significant drop in revenue demonstrates one of the primary impacts of COVID-19 on professional sports leagues. NFL franchises As a result of this profitability in non-pandemic times, the franchises of the NFL are attributed extremely high market values. The Dallas Cowboys were by far the most valuable franchise in the NFL, with a market value of **** billion US dollars in 2023. The high value of NFL franchises can be seen clearly when compared to those of the NBA, MLB, and NHL. Franchises within the NFL had an average market value of approximately *** billion U.S. dollars in 2023.