CURATED READS FOR GEN Z—AND THEIR Z-CURIOUS COLLEAGUES

first up

Do you follow a sports team? Ever buy some merch? The NFL’s chief marketing officer said that “if you don’t acquire a fan by the time they’re 18, you’re most likely never going to get them.” A few years ago, execs feared that millennials would be the death of sports fandom—they were largely wrong, but now it’s Gen Z’s turn in the hot seat. 

On the one hand, viewership is down—only 23 percent of Gen Z said they’re passionate sports fans.  

On the other, sporting apparel is a rare industry that’s seeing real growth postpandemic—global sportswear saw €295 billion ($299 billion) in sales in 2021 and is on track to exceed €395 billion ($401 billion) by 2025. 

And despite our lower budgets, Gen Zers are the least likely generation to reduce spending on sports apparel (like jerseys, snapbacks, the pulled-up crew sock, and more) in the face of rising inflation.

Why the sporting splurges? One survey found that 70 percent of younger consumers said their purchase decisions are influenced by social media. We like to engage with other fans, and that’s moved from the sports bar or the stands to online—some brands have created online sports communities to reach Gen Z where they are.

Official sports team accounts on TikTok or Snapchat might repost edited highlight reels or playfully smack talk other teams’ accounts in the comments section. Those efforts have seen big wins, as brands have astronomically grown their followings among Gen Z and millennials.

Many of us like sports; we just follow them differently—and one survey found that respondents aged 34 and under claimed to follow more sports (an average of 6.3 sports) than older viewers.

Plus, while it’s not the same hot-dog-and-Cracker-Jack affair, esports are booming among Gen Z—tournament prize pots can be in the millions of dollars—as are viewership stats. While online versions of sports like soccer or basketball are well watched, it’s video-game-only events like Fortnite that are truly popular.

Only time will tell how faithful Gen Zers are to traditional sports—but the odds are looking good.

VISUALIZE IT

Sports-apparel sales stayed particularly strong online despite pandemic-era dips, and the industry was back on track by early 2022.

Wait, don’t scroll 

Constant evolution. Esports are rapidly expanding, with millions of viewers worldwide tuning in to watch fantasy, sports, or battle matches online. And with that comes a lot of opportunity for major brand deals.

Don’t compete; collaborate. Actor and former pro football player Terry Crews shares his insights on how to make it to the top—and it’s not only through aggression. Instead, he wants “tough guys” to open up to succeed.

Try something new. Bill Osborne, outgoing president of New Zealand Rugby, shows you can have it all—he was a star player with the All Blacks who also struck it big in business. He shares how his Maori worldview (and his in-game strategy) taught him leadership on a global stage.

NOT US; STILL GREAT

Show me the money. Now that college athletes in the US can make their own brand deals, a few have signed deals worth seven figures, and some with smaller followings are turning to platforms that award small payouts per post. [WaPo]

What a journey. Ever wonder how it became popular for fans (not just the people playing) to wear jerseys to games? Here’s a great throwback article on the history of the commercial jersey. [Sports Illustrated]

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ANOTHER KIND OF GAME

— Edited by Sarah Skinner, Gen Z curation editor, New York