BoS | Brand Finance SA Sports Fans Research 2025

Moving beyond eyeballs: Considering the opportunities for SA sports brands and sponsors to enhance value creation through sponsorship

 

Introduction

Sports sponsorship has long been a cornerstone of marketing, but many brands focus solely on reach. Yet, it offers much more; the power to engage audiences and shape positive brand perceptions, driving brand consideration and ultimately business growth.

In 2025, Brand Finance South Africa conducted an in-depth study of sports fans to identify brand growth opportunities through sports and sponsorship. The research provides valuable insights for sponsors and reveals the behaviours and beliefs of South African sports fans at both the team and league levels, highlighting opportunities for rights holders, team owners, and sports bodies to enhance their brands.

This report is the first in a series highlighting key insights from the research and offering strategies to help sponsors and sports brands sustain growth.

South African sports fans are world class

South Africans remain some of the world’s biggest sports fans, with a greater interest in sports than the global average. Our fans are diverse, following an average of 11 different sports. Encouragingly, this enthusiasm is translating into increased physical activity, with 40% of men and 44% of women participating in sports more than they did five years ago.

Table 1: Fans of football, rugby and cricket

Source: Brand Finance global, South Africa, and SA sports research 2024/2025

This creates opportunities for smaller brands to enter the sports sponsorship arena. Even with a limited budget, brands can make an impact by consistently engaging across multiple sports. With fans consuming vast amounts of sports content, smaller brands can create a sense of scale by appearing across various touchpoints. For example, while a brand like Thirsti can’t compete with Coca-Cola’s sponsorship investment, its role as the official water partner for rugby, cricket, football, athletics, and mountain biking ensures an always-on presence, no matter the sport.

Female sports fans: An untapped opportunity

Our research indicates that sponsors and property owners are missing the opportunity to tap into the power of female sports fans. Sports marketing still leans male, often overlooking women as a primary audience. However, Brand Finance SA’s research reveals the untapped potential in engaging female fans, particularly in cricket and rugby, where women make up over half (53%) of the fan base.

The research highlights key differences in how men and women engage with sports. Women are more likely to follow teams or players on social media, while men tend to follow leagues and competitions. This suggests sponsors, especially those involved at the team and competition levels, need a more nuanced approach to social media content.

At a sporting code level, the behaviours are even more nuanced.

In football, most engagement comes from men, with women participating less compared to other sports. This suggests football isn't fully catering to female fans, despite 53% of followers being women. However, only 40% of women are "die-hard" fans, revealing an untapped audience. One wonders how sponsors and rights holders can make football more appealing to women.

In cricket and rugby, both genders engage equally, often watching together. However, women are more likely to purchase products from cricket sponsors, while men tend to favour rugby sponsors. A notable example is women’s higher propensity to bet on cricket – something Hollywood Bets likely considered when sponsoring women’s domestic cricket. These insights suggest sponsors need to tailor their strategies based on the unique dynamics of each sport.

Women’s sport: Not getting the same support in SA as it does globally

Nielsen's 2024 research shows the global women’s sports industry surpassed $1 billion in revenue for the first time, a 300% increase from 2021. This surge in interest isn’t just about diversity or inclusion – it makes solid business sense. With rising global audiences and growing traction among younger generations, women’s sports offer significant commercial opportunities for rights holders and sponsors.

South Africa’s national women’s teams, like Banyana Banyana and the Protea Women’s teams, are excelling internationally while expanding their local fanbases. Women's rugby is also gaining momentum, highlighted by SARU’s launch of the Women’s Super League Rugby competition to create more opportunities for South African female players.

Our research shows that female fans are more likely to support women’s teams and leagues, with significant interest drop-off among men. While 60% of women believe women’s sport is growing, only 46% of men agree. Additionally, 32% of female sports fans are more interested in women’s sports than five years ago, compared to just 27% of men.

Table 2: Fans of teams and leagues (by those who follow the sporting code)

Source: Brand Finance SA sports research 2025

Men view gender inclusivity as creating separate “women’s leagues,” while women see true inclusivity in mixed-gender competition. Despite investments in women’s rugby, cricket, and football, female fans consider events like the Absa Run Your City, Two Oceans Marathon, and Basketball South Africa as more inclusive, while men favour leagues like the Hollywood Bets Super League Women or Rugby World Cup Women as symbols of inclusivity.

While some brands are successfully supporting women’s sports, more male fans need to recognise its value and lend their support. At the same time, female fans should be empowered with tools to amplify their voices and champion their teams.

The real opportunity lies in attracting younger audiences. Nielsen data shows that women’s sports are growing fastest among younger, tech-savvy, affluent, and engaged fans. For sports like rugby and cricket, with ageing audiences, this could be the key to reaching a more youthful and receptive fan base.

Betting brands in sport: Fans view their impact very positively

Despite controversy around the growing presence of betting and gambling brands in sports, fans are largely positive about their impact.

When asked if betting brands should be allowed to sponsor sports teams or leagues, 67% of

South African sports fans disagree with banning them, rising to 72% among female fans. A significant 80% of SA fans believe betting makes the game more exciting. This aligns with similar findings in Italy, Germany, Australia, and Spain, as shown in Brand Finance's 2024 global sports research.

While it's important to manage the influence of betting brands to prevent harmful behaviour, they have a valuable role in the SA sports scene, with fans recognising their contribution to the game.

Graph 1: % of sports fans who DISAGREE with the statement: Betting and gambling brands should not be allowed to sponsor sports teams/leagues

Source: Brand Finance SA sports research 2025 / Brand Finance Global sports research 2024

Harnessing the power of sport to build South Africa’s nation brand

Sport is more than entertainment; it unites the nation and boosts South Africa’s global soft power, both crucial for driving sustainable growth.

Ninety-four percent of SA sports fans believe that victories by national teams positively impact the country. This is reflected in South Africa’s 21st place ranking (out of 170 countries) in sports leadership in the Brand Finance Soft Power 2025 report.

Culture and Heritage, including sport, play a crucial role in shaping South Africa’s international reputation. They foster positive perceptions but also attract foreign direct investment (FDI). When citizens view the country favourably, they are more likely to support government and corporate investments. A positive perception of South Africa's culture is a key driver of FDI in markets like China, the USA, and the UK.

Sport has significant potential to boost tourism, thereby enhancing South Africa's appeal as a destination, especially for audiences in the USA, UK, and Germany.

Brands reviewing their sponsorship portfolios should prioritise sports properties that offer global visibility and build positive sentiment—for both the brand and the country. This includes supporting national teams, leveraging international exposure of South African franchises, and engaging global audiences during key events. Sponsorship marketing should embrace a nation-building component to promote South Africa through our teams and leagues.

For sports rights holders and bodies, there’s untapped potential in integrating sports with the tourism value proposition, both domestically and internationally. This includes hosting global events and ensuring that our teams are properly supported and equipped for excellence on the world stage.

Research methodology

Brand Finance conducted an online survey among South African sports fans during January 2025. 

The survey sample was representative of the online audience, with 1,049 participants.

 “Sports fans” were defined as anyone who follows at least one of the big three sporting codes, namely cricket, football or rugby.

References:

What’s next for women’s sports: Fueling growth by proving value | Nielsen

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