African-American Fans Have Distinctive Sport Consumption Habits Compared to Other Races, According to Recent NYU School of Professional Studies/FOX Sports Research

New York, February 22, 2023 - - According to recent research by The NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport, in collaboration with FOX Sports, the sports consumption habits of African-Americans are distinct from those of fans of other populations.

The research report, “Re-Visiting The Black Market: Re-Examining African-American Sport Consumers in the 21st Century,” co-authored by Dr. Brandon Brown, clinical associate professor at the NYU SPS Tisch Institute, Ben Valenta, senior vice president, FOX Sports, and David Sikorjak, president, Dexterity Consulting, uses FOX Sports’ new Value Score.

The research’s unique Value Score accurately measures fandom by understanding one’s passion for a given team or sport, by considering diverse factors, such as attending or watching live events, watching sport-related programs, and participating in sports gambling.

“A better understanding of how fans across all demographics engage with their favorite sports and teams is critical for sports executives and marketers looking to retain and grow their fan base,” said Dr. Brown of the Tisch Institute. “This new research delivers that insight to today’s sports business professional.

“Despite spending significantly less time than their racial counterparts consuming live sports events, the results show that African-Americans engage more with sport content in the form of documentaries, highlights, and game analysis, than other populations. Thus, resulting in African-Americans’ high Value Score,” added Dr. Brown.

“Our study suggests that African- Americans are a valuable population, worthy of pursuing as a critical target market. This population possesses a strong buying power that is expected to increase to $1.8 trillion by 2024 and a strong Value Score, significantly higher than the majority population in the US,” concluded Dr. Brown.

“FOX Sports is excited to partner with the NYU SPS Tisch Institute on this important initiative,” said FOX Sports’ Valenta. “We believe in the power of sports fandom to positively impact society, and Dr. Brown is a genius when it comes to understanding and engaging with today’s fans. It was an honor to work with him and the Tisch Institute on this initiative.”

To read the full white paper on this report, please visit this link: “Revisiting The Black Market: Re-Examining African American Sport Consumers in the 21^st Century.”

NYU School of Professional Studies
 

For more than 87 years, the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) has been a deeply respected institution of higher education grounded in applied learning. From its early years, training returning World War II veterans to fulfill the nation’s urgent need for skilled technical workers, it has evolved into a professional education powerhouse that offers 21 graduate degrees, 13 bachelor’s degrees for traditional and degree completion students, four associate degrees, and a plethora of continuing education courses and credentials.
 

NYU SPS is home to world-renowned academic programs, such as the NYU SPS Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport; well-known global industry conferences, including the NYU SPS Institute on Federal Taxation, the Schack Institute of Real Estate’s Capital Markets Conference, REIT Symposium, and National Symposium of Women in Real Estate, and the Jonathan M. Tisch Center’s International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference; and innovative industry initiatives like the NYU SPS Metaverse Collaborative. The School’s invaluable connections to industry leaders is a truly distinguishing factor in the education that it provides. In addition, students can learn from and network with more than 41,000 NYU SPS alumni who live, work, and contribute to innovation in global industries. To learn more about NYU SPS, visit sps.nyu.edu.