New research from ACC finds Gen Z is discovering sports via athletes, creators, entertainment and culture long before becoming fans of the sport itself.

LOS ANGELES, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly half (49%) of Gen Z sports fans say they have become interested in a new sport or athlete because of fan-created content or something entirely outside the sport, from a Netflix documentary or TikTok fan edit to an athlete's personal relationship. Meanwhile, 32% say they support individual athletes over specific teams, and 25% of Gen Z overall would rather follow an athlete's personal story than watch them compete.

Originally published on the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.