Gen Z expect more from their sporting events than ever

A new report indicates that sports fans are chasing bucket-list experiences, not just showing up for their local team

Live moments matter, at least according to the 2000 sports fans who took part in a recent survey to track what’s shifted in live sport. Ticketmaster’s State Of Play: Sports 2026 reveals that fans, particularly young adults, are increasingly prioritising the overall experience of a fixture, going to greater lengths to get there and seeking out live moments outside their remit, all in a shift that signifies we’re looking to make memories just as much as we are to support our team.

There’s a stronger crossover between sport and music than between sport and any other live category, with 54% of sports fans buying tickets on Ticketmaster also buying tickets for live music events. These interests don’t exist in separate worlds – 45% of Gen Z say live music makes fixtures more exciting, comparative to 28% overall, and 33% want more live music and entertainment at their sporting events, versus 22% overall. We want more than the competition – we’re looking for truly memorable day out.

Unsurprisingly, this expectation that sport should deliver more than just the game is tied to a boom in the popularity of American sports, where the atmosphere has long been as much of a draw as the action itself. 59% of those who follow US sports say they are more interested in them than they were five years ago, with 84% tuning in at unorthodox hours to catch a game. Here too the live experience is valuable, with 29% of young adults saying the Super Bowl half-time show is the highlight of the event.

Fans are also willing to inconvenience themselves to chase these live experiences, rather than settling for watching them through a screen. 56% of American sports fans in the UK have attending a US sport event on their bucket list – and plenty are making it happen. It’s not just about an afternoon at your favourite stadium anymore. Instead we’re travelling to the events we want to be part of, just as we might for our favourite artists. UK fans would be willing to travel 146 miles on average to see a domestic game, and they’d take an average journey time of 5hours 37mins to see an international fixture.

Of course, no matter how far we travel we still want convenience when we get there. 22% of fans want the ability to order food and drink from their seats, whilst 21% want mobile ticketing and entry.

These shifts are driven by Gen Z, but it isn’t just young people who are enjoying live sport. Younger fans remain engaged, but older audiences are an increasingly large part of the crowd. Gen Z are the ones pioneering an appetite for women’s sport though, with 20% saying they prefer watching women’s sport to men’s, compared to 7% overall. 58% fans say that it’s great to see the rise in women’s sport over recent years, with 46% viewing female athletes as some of the best role models for young girls.

With new fans getting involved year on year and cross-generation appeal widening, sport in the UK is getting bigger in every sense – bigger audiences, bigger spectacles, and more space for all to play.