How do watching and following major sports vary by race/ethnicity?

In the Center’s study of sports fan behavior and media use, we asked people who follow at least one sport in season what sports they followed and watched.

In comparing the answers among different racial/ethnic groups, we found interesting differences.

Most-watched sports overall

The dozen most watched/followed sports in the United States in order with the percentages who said they watched/followed that sport are as follows:

  • NFL football (78%)
  • Baseball (51%)
  • NBA basketball (44%)
  • College football (44%)
  • Olympics (34%)
  • College basketball (32%)
  • Boxing (20%)
  • Ice hockey (20%)
  • NASCAR (19%)
  • Golf (16%)
  • Tennis (16%)
  • Winter X Games (16%)

Now let us see how the viewing of the big twelve varies by race/ethnicity, again in order with the percentages who said they watched/followed that sport.

Whites

  • NFL football (79%)
  • Baseball (56%)
  • College football (46%)
  • NBA basketball (35%)
  • Olympics (35%)
  • College basketball (31%)
  • Ice hockey (24%)
  • NASCAR (22%)
  • Golf (18%)
  • Winter X Games (17%)
  • Boxing (15%)
  • Tennis (14%)


African-Americans

  • NBA basketball (81%)
  • NFL football (77%)
  • College basketball (45%)
  • College football (45%)
  • Boxing (36%)
  • Olympics (31%)
  • Baseball (30%)
  • Tennis (21%)
  • Winter X Games (12%)
  • NASCAR (9%)
  • Ice hockey (8%)
  • Golf (7%)

Asians

  • NFL football (70%)
  • NBA basketball (60%)
  • College basketball (32%)
  • Baseball (30%)
  • College football (30%)
  • Boxing (23%)
  • Ice hockey (23%)
  • Tennis (23%)
  • Olympics (19%)
  • NASCAR (13%)
  • Golf (11%)
  • Winter X Games (8%)

Latinos

  • NFL football (73%)
  • NBA basketball (58%)
  • Baseball (54%)
  • Boxing (33%)
  • College football (31%)
  • Olympics (31%)
  • College basketball (22%)
  • Tennis (19%)
  • Ice hockey (17%)
  • Golf (15%)
  • NASCAR (14%)
  • Winter X Games (13%)

Rankings by sport

Let us look at these findings one other way, by the different racial/ethnic groups ranking for each of the big twelve.

  • NFL football: White (1), African-American (2), Asian (1), Latino (1)
  • Baseball: White (2), African-American (7), Asian (4), Latino (3)
  • NBA basketball: White (4), African-American (1), Asian (2), Latino (2)
  • College football: White (3), African-American (3), Asian (4), Latino (5)
  • Olympics: White (5), African-American (6), Asian (9), Latino (5)
  • College basketball: White (6), African-American (3), Asian (3), Latino (5)
  • Boxing: White (11), African-American (5), Asian (6), Latino (4)
  • Ice hockey: White (7), African-American (11), Asian (6), Latino (9)
  • NASCAR: White (8), African-American (10), Asian (10), Latino (11)
  • Golf: White (9), African-American (12), Asian (11), Latino (10)
  • Tennis: White (12), African-American (8), Asian (7), Latino (8)
  • Winter X Games: White (10), African-American (9), Asian (12), Latino (12)

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August 6, 2018