The latest 'Fan Engagement Playbook' from experience agency WongDoody reveals that television remains the most popular method for Australians to consume sports, with 68% of fans tuning in via broadcast or cable TV.

The research, which surveyed 2,000 sports fans globally, identified key factors driving fan loyalty and interest. However, it also highlighted that Australian sports fans are the least digitally engaged compared to other regions, lagging behind their counterparts in the US, UK, and Italy in terms of device, social platform, and watching platform usage.

"Sport is synonymous with Australian culture and with 2024 being such a big year for sporting events, it felt right to conduct research to find out what drives fan engagement," said Chief Experience Officer at WongDoody, James Noble.

The study found that 65% of Australians feel most engaged with sports when their friends and family are involved. The top factor for enjoyment across all regions (42%) was centred around a specific player, correlating with the growing popularity of up-close and personal content, such as Netflix documentaries and social media.

Despite streaming services being the least preferred method to watch sports, Kayo Sports took the number one spot in Australia for paid sports streaming, beating Optus and Foxtel. In the US, YouTube was the top channel for sports fans to consume their sports content. When discussing sports, WhatsApp was the most popular in Australia (33%), Italy (74%) and the UK (62%). Facebook groups were most popular in the US.

"As organisations navigate an increasingly competitive landscape, understanding these key drivers of fan engagement will be essential for sustaining and growing their audiences, teams and leagues. The insights offer a clear roadmap for leveraging the power of existing, emerging platforms and technologies to grow community, star player influence, and flexible, immersive content to capture the hearts of sports fans," Noble said.

The 'Fan Engagement Playbook' includes a framework for sporting organisations to better connect with fans, highlighting four areas: Motivators, Behaviours, Channel, and Content. "The importance of organisational buy-in around fan-centricity cannot be understated. It's a fact that organisations which place fans at the heart of their operation achieve better engagement and bottom-line outcomes," Noble said.