Background
Research over the past two years has shown a steady decline in interest in a wide variety of sports. The Huffington Post reports that Americans have become less interested in golf, football, and even baseball. The Guardian traces the same trend in volleyball, tennis, and golf. Formula 1 is not feeling its best either.
Even the Washington Post is sounding the alarm. The bulky and bankable sports industry, built on towers of cash and lucrative television contracts, is confronting a Generation Z (defined as those born between 1997 and 2012) problem. The nation’s youngest cohort is fundamentally different from the generations that preceded it. Having grown up with smartphones in their pockets, its members eschew traditional television viewing and subscribe to digital habits that make grooming a new generation of sports fans a challenge.
That challenge is being met with a sense of urgency in some corners of the sports world and a sense of alarm in others, according to team and league officials, social scientists, research analysts and marketing specialists who focus on Generation Z. Failing to hook young people might not devastate today’s bottom line, but it threatens to muddle the future of every league, every team and every sport.
The major leagues and teams are in no hurry to adapt their offerings for the youngest generation, even though research has shown that representatives of Generation Z interact with the world in a completely different way than representatives of Generation X and baby boomers. And these habits had a negative effect on their exercise, research shows.
You can save the situation either with the help of media personalities, or at the expense of bright, spectacular events. The only disciplines that manage not only to stay afloat, but also to grow are spectacular sports.
“If you lose a generation, it destroys value and the connective tissue,” said Ted Leonsis, principal owner of Washington-based teams that compete in the NBA, NHL, and WNBA. “It’s what some of the big sports leagues are nervous about. Could we lose a generation because we didn’t give them access and the products and services they want?”
“If Gen Z doesn’t think traditional sports are cool, that doesn’t help anyone,” said Monumental executive Zach Leonsis, right, with his sister, Elle Leonsis Helme, and father, Ted. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post)
Sports are struggling to engage Generation Z, as this generation often finds traditional sports less accessible and less relevant.
Key issues include:
Declining Attention Span: Generation Z favors short, engaging content over long sports broadcasts.
Digital-First Mindset: They prefer social media, esports, and interactive experiences rather than passive TV watching.
Diverse Interests: They seek sports that align with personal values, social justice, and inclusivity, beyond traditional leagues.
This shift pressures ROMB to innovate digital experiences and blockchain games and community-driven content to appeal to younger fans.
Generation Z really likes sports, although other digital-focused entertainment is competing for their attention.
They are globally conscious and care about diversity, equality and inclusivity. They get their news from Telegram, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, not from newspapers or news TV shows. And they want unique, authentic experiences — even better if it's something they can share on their social media.
We can offer them something more – thanks to the introduction of advanced blockchain technologies, each of them can become part of our ecosystem, participate directly in the formation of their own sports community, and participate in profit sharing and management. Each of them can take direct part as a spectator, participant, athlete or even manager of their own team.
At the same time, we use the most advanced technologies in our developments and are only one click away from any of the participants in our project.
We create an entertaining sports game and promote sports and a healthy lifestyle in society.
To prevent an unbridgeable gulf opening up between Generation Z and sport, they will have to be given a new experience.
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