Fandom Activated: Powering Sports Purchases through TikTok
Social video is rewriting the rules of sports fandom
For decades, sports fandom roared in stadiums and glowed off television screens. But today the game has moved to the smallest screen—the one in the palm of your hand. Six in ten (62%) sports fans who use social media enjoy watching sports-related content on social and video platforms more than on traditional TV. Social and video platforms are uniquely positioned to deliver accessibility and intimacy. Fans want more than just a game: they want player backstories, behind-the-scenes moments, new sports to follow, and ways to dive deeper into sports and fitness. TikTok, in particular, encourages this style of holistic fandom. Among TikTok users with an interest in sports, four in five train in or participate in sports regularly, and nearly two thirds watch sports, fitness, and performance content on the platform.
On TikTok, participation and engagement fuel discovery. As sports fans watch game highlights or player interviews, they find new sports to try, new creators to follow, and new gear to buy. Social video has evolved into a full-circle ecosystem where fans watch highlights, pick up training tips, and find the products that help them play better. Beyond discovery, TikTok builds trust and reinforces confidence, inspiring purchases. TikTok is the #1 platform most likely to influence recent sports purchases; more than one in three users who made a TikTok-inspired sports purchase bought the item directly through the platform.
Brands need a framework for understanding these trends, adapting to them, and engaging with these new audiences. NRG and TikTok have built that framework. Together, we fielded an in-depth survey of 2,506 sports fans who use social video. The result: a complete roadmap for defining, finding, and engaging with the new sports fan.
Methodology
We surveyed 2,506 social/video platform users aged 18-64 who were interested in or open to sports, had children who are interested in or open to sports, or had purchased sports clothing, footwear, equipment, or machinery in the past 12 months. Unless otherwise specified, all data in this article refers to that study.
The report is broken into four sections: platform, participation, personality, and purchase. Each section details how sports content and sports audiences are changing—and how brands can make the most of the social video era in sports.
The four dimensions defining sports
content on social video platforms
#Platform TikTok is where fans feel community
Brand support
TikTok’s Pulse Suite helps extend that same sense of access and connection to brands. By placing ads directly after top-trending or premium sports and recreation content—from leagues, publishers, and creators—it allows marketers to appear in the very spaces where fans are already most engaged. Pulse gives brands the ability to meet audiences in moments of peak attention, reinforcing the affinity that drives modern sports fandom.
#Participation Sports content motivates fans to exercise IRL
Social video doesn’t just connect fans to athletes—it encourages them to play more and create their own content. Seven in ten (72%) TikTok users say sports content on the platform motivates them to get out and play, and three in ten go on to create their own sports-related content. Social video also fuels discovery around new forms of “play.” Nearly three in four (73%) believe TikTok makes new sports more accessible, and 59% say it introduced them to niche activities like Hyrox or obstacle course racing that they might never have tried otherwise.
#Personality Social video supercharges personalization and self-expression
Sports have never been solely about athletic performance. Fans have always loved finding unique ways to cheer on their team, follow after-action commentary, and stay in the swirl of personalities and identities that surround their favorite sports. The influence of TikTok extends beyond the game itself, with 70% of users saying TikTok teaches them about gear, clothing, or footwear.
Now, with social video, both creators and fans stretch the boundaries of the sports genre and find new ways to connect, express themselves and even co-create. For example, NBA legend Stephen Curry regularly posts shooting drills, warmups, and practice routines that break down the finer points of his craft. He even shares sessions with young athletes, transforming elite performance into something accessible and aspirational. Alongside him, Suni Lee, Olympic gymnast and NCAA champion, uses TikTok to show her training routines, recovery rituals, and everyday life as a student-athlete. Her candid clips turn world-class performance into something relatable and inspiring to her viewers. More broadly, tutorials and educational content like this empower fans to play along. Using TiKTok in this way feels like having a celebrity personal trainer in your pocket. A third (34%) of users say TikTok motivates them to get active by offering new ideas for workouts or sports activities, and 35% of those who purchased sports-related items were influenced by tutorial or “how-to” videos.
Creators also draw in new audiences and deepen connections via comedy, bloopers, and a heavy dose of personality. A quarter of consumers say TikTok is better at introducing them to new sports through funny clips compared to other platforms. And 23% say they would be more likely to follow an athletic brand on TikTok after seeing a sports blooper. Brands such as Barstool Sports cracked the code on sports comedy long ago, rarely posturing as experts, but instead acting like the “loud friend on the couch.” Fans engage with Barstool and similar creators through stitches, duets and reactions. And, by doing so, they transition from being an audience to a community.
Brand support
Within TikTok One, the Insights Spotlight dashboard gives brands a real-time window into what their audience actually cares about—from trending hashtags and creator niches to sentiment and content formats. For brands aiming to lean into personality-driven content, this means fewer assumptions about what works and more confidence that their tone, voice, and creative style will genuinely resonate.
#Purchase Inspiring content ignites intent and conversion
On social video, the line between watching and shopping is almost nonexistent. Consumers try brands they see on social media, and creators who recommend great products build long-term trust with their audience. This pattern—evident in beauty and fashion—holds for sports too.
Nearly half of sports consumers say they’ve discovered a new brand or product through social video. Some fans buy a product after seeing a single video: tutorials, “get ready with me” style videos, and unboxings can drive purchases like a word-of-mouth recommendation. TikTok users are significantly more likely than non TikTok users to buy across different categories (e.g., subscriptions, apparel, accessories, equipment) and many stay online after purchase. TikTok has become the platform where consumers discover new products, take recommendations from trusted influencers, and decide what they’re going to buy next. But it’s not only about discovery. Trust and ease play a major role as well. One in three users say they are more likely to trust TikTok than other social or video platforms because it makes finding new products and brands so easy. And when users have found those products, purchasing is straightforward too; a third of users who recently bought a sports product did so directly through the app.
Brand support
To help brands meet fans at the moment inspiration turns into action, TikTok’s Consideration Ads identify high-intent audiences already exploring products or categories on the platform. By reaching users who are actively researching or engaging with related content, these ads make it easier for brands to move from awareness to relevance—appearing naturally in the same feed where fans are learning, comparing, and deciding what to buy. It’s a way to support purchase decisions without interrupting the discovery journey that drives them.
#Redefining the game
Social video is reshaping how fans consume, connect, participate, and purchase. What began as a way to watch highlights has evolved into a full ecosystem. Based on our research and the TikTok brand ecosystem, here’s how marketers can make the most of the momentum:
Through TikTok One, brands can discover, partner, and co-create with the right creators and communities. Leveraging the Content Suite and Creator Marketplace allows marketers to tap into real-time conversation, spark authentic user participation, and move from bystander to collaborator in the culture of sports and movement.
Harnessing Insights Spotlight allows brands to track emerging trends, hashtags, and general sentiments among target audiences. Knowing what fans are talking about and how they’re expressing themselves helps fine-tune tone and creative, and makes it easier to create partnerships that resonate authentically.
With Consideration Ads, brands can reach high-intent audiences who are already exploring within their categories. These placements bridge the gap between inspiration and action, ensuring brands appear naturally at the moment of the decision, when fans are ready to hit purchase—whether it’s gear, apparel, or memberships that fuel their passions.
Contributors
: Jaclyn Williams, Stephen Pak, Nora Vulaj, Brittany Ross, and Shirley Tsieh
Sports fans still love watching live broadcasts of the Super Bowl, the World Series, and other marquee events. But the heart of modern sports now lies with short-form video. Half of all sports-engaged audiences prefer watching bite-sized highlights or BTS footage compared to full games, with this number rising to 60% among Gen Z. Short videos let fans personally connect with athletes, learn about them, and learn from them. Sports fans under 45 are twice as likely as those over 45 to say the top reason they engage with pro sports is to connect with athletes and find out more about their personal journeys. Additionally, 61% of respondents follow athletes to see their lives play out off the field, and over half follow them for their lifestyle tips and training tricks. And with 27.8 million videos posted in the past year, TikTok is where fans and athletes connect. 1
TikTok’s friendliness and accessibility have also redefined who a sports fan is. Sports watchers on TikTok are twice as likely to be African American or Hispanic compared to non-users. They also prove to be highly curious, with 69% more likely to be the first to try new products or brands. This curiosity translates into buying behavior: 40% of sports purchases influenced by TikTok included the discovery of a new brand, and 44% involved the consumer discovering a new item.
50%
Among sports-engaged audiences:
prefer watching short clips, highlights, or behind-the-scenes moments rather than full games
This is even more prevalent among sports-engaged audiences under 35:
18-24
25-34
60%
Fans want more than the game: they want the backstory behind the athlete
56%
64%
52%
The broader effect on health and community is profound. Eight in ten (80%) Americans now participate in athletic activities—the highest rate ever recorded.2 And our study found that four in five TikTok users in the US regularly train for or play sports. Participation here is contagious: the more fans engage, the more they inspire others to move, share, and ultimately, shop. And TikTok is the platform that instills trust: 59% of TikTok users trust TikTok more than other social or video platforms for sports product/service recommendations.
Among TikTok users
73%
believe that TikTok makes new sports more accessible
59%
learn about niche sports like Hyrox, OCR, or marathon training that they might not have considered otherwise
66%
say that TikTok helps break down barriers that make them hesitant to participate in sports or fitness
72%
say that TikTok motivates them to get out and play
More than 1 in 4
participate in sports-related challenges on TikTok
30%
create and share their own sports, fitness, and performance content on TikTok
TikTok users have posted 24M sports/ fitness videos in the past year2
Youth sports families are 1.3x more likely to share their content
vs. avg TikTok user
6-6-6 Walking Challenge
Trick Shot Challenge
Brand support
To help brands participate in the same creative loop as fans, TikTok One brings together tools like the Content Suite and Creator Marketplace. These are spaces where brands can tap into emerging trends, discover authentic user-generated content, and collaborate with creators who genuinely align with their audience. By connecting with the right voices and moments, brands can move from being observers to active participants in the culture of sport—fueling the same creative energy that keeps fans playing and sharing their content.
29%
35%
34%
say TikTok helps them stay motivated to work out or practice when they arenʼt feeling up for it
who purchased a sports-related item seen on TikTok say the item was highlighted in a tutorial or “how-to” video
say TikTok motivates activity in sports/fitness through giving new ideas for sport activities or workouts to try
#1
Memes or humorous content is the number one type of content engaged with on TikTok
25%
say TikTok is better than other social or video platforms at introducing me to new sports through funny clips
23%
say sports clips with funny voiceover, or humorous sports fails/bloopers would make them more likely to follow an athletic brand on TikTok
of sports-engaged audiences follow athletes to see their lives outside of the sport
of sports-engaged audiences follow athletes for their lifestyle or opinions
of sports-engaged audiences follow athletes to learn about the best training regimens
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65%
wear sports apparel for casual use just as much as for sports and fitness
30%
say TikTok helps me see fitness and sports as something creative
32%
trust TikTok over other social or video platforms to show products that match their personal interests
12M users are interested in sports/fitness content on TikTok4
+88%
Subscriptions
more likely to have made a sports subscription or membership purchase (49% vs 26% TikTok non-users)
+74%
more likely to have made a sports accessory purchase (59% vs 34% TikTok non-users)
Accessories
+72%
more likely to have made a sports equipment/machinery purchase (43% vs 25% TikTok non-users)
Equipment
Hover to reveal
Source: 2 TikTok Internal Data, US, October 2024 to October 2025
Source:
4 TikTok Internal Data, US, as of October 2025
Sports has always involved an element of interactivity and audience participation. The rise of social media in the early 2010s led to the first wave of fitness influencers who shared workout tutorials, nutrition tips, and lifestyle content. What’s changed is the format, intimacy, level of personality, and—critically—frequency and depth with which the audience can participate and co-create.
61%
PLATFORM
PARTICIPATION
PERSONALITY
PURCHASE
HOVER TO REVEAL
: Jasmina Saleh, Natalie Lacey, Jay Kaufman, Kyle Hepburn, Alyssa Dardashti
02
Participate in play
Using tools like TikTok Pulse Suite aligns your brand with the most relevant, high-performing sports and recreational content. When ads appear alongside trending moments and league or creator partnerships, brands become part of the cultural context for fans—earning their attention rather than interrupting their engagement.
Show up where connection matters most
01
Understand your audience in motion
03
Capture intent without breaking
the flow
04
EMPOWERMENT
ENTERTAINMENT
EXPRESSION
Source: 1 TikTok Internal Data, US, October 2024 to October 2025
Among TikTok users
Design by: Katrina Isabelle Labayno and Grace Stees
Tiktok users are...
Tiktok users are...
Tiktok users are...
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Among sports-engaged consumers...
Source: TikTok Marketing Science Sports Retail Study 2025, conducted by NRG