Illustrative engagement. A representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work in sport. It does not describe a specific client; outcomes are described qualitatively.
Industry overview
What is shaping sport
Sport connects leagues, clubs, brands and fitness businesses with fans and participants. Engagement, sponsorship value and participation trends shape investment.
- Fans follow sport across TV, streaming and social
- Sponsors want measurable value
- Fitness participation is growing in cities
Client background
A professional sports league, working in India. This is an illustrative engagement: a representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work, not a named client project.
- Organisation
- A professional sports league
- Sector
- Sport
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Consumer panel, Online surveys
Client challenge
The league wanted to grow its fan base beyond core cities.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: understanding fans of a sports league.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of fans.
- Produce results that can be compared across groups and locations.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 5 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 3,000 fans.
- fans3,000
Audiences we typically reach in sport
Fans and viewersPlayers and participantsSponsorsGym and fitness membersParents of young athletes
Geographic coverage
Coverage: India. Market: India.
- India
Research methodology
A structured quantitative design, so results could be compared across groups, locations and time.
- 1Brief
- 2Fan survey
- 3Insight
We surveyed fans about following, viewing and attendance.
Consumer panelOnline surveys
Sampling strategy
- fans
- 3,000
- Online respondents were drawn from verified panel members who matched the screening criteria, with quotas on key profile attributes.
Data collection
- The online survey was mobile-friendly and offered in respondents' languages.
Data quality & validation
- Digital fingerprinting and duplicate checks
- Attention, speed and straight-lining checks
- Review of open-ended answers
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
Key findings
- Fans in new cities followed through digital highlights.
Digital builds fans before stadiums do.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: digital builds fans before stadiums do.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: fans in new cities followed through digital highlights.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The league expanded digital content.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: what do fitness members value?