Just in time for the start next week of Hispanic Heritage Month, Nielsen has released a new study that uncovers “a major shift in U.S. sports culture.”
It is being driven, it concludes, “by the growing influence of Hispanic audiences — an often underrepresented yet incredibly powerful demographic.”
The study, Fanáticos: Nielsen’s Playbook on Hispanic Audiences, Sports, and Media Engagement, highlights how Hispanic viewership is reshaping U.S. sports, presenting “significant opportunities for brands to engage with a highly passionate and influential audience.”
Presented as a 20-page slide deck prepared by SVP of Diverse Insights, Intelligence and Innovation Stacie de Armas, the findings indicate that Hispanic sports fans are more likely to recommend and remain loyal to brands that sponsor the sports they follow.
There’s also ratings-based takeaways of note presented by de Armas, including a “354% surge in Hispanic viewership” for the NCAA Women’s College Basketball Championship between 2021 and 2024, a trend fueled by Caitlin Clark.
There’s also the “Messi effect,” with fan fervor for iconic soccer star Lionel Messi high among U.S. Latinos.
“Hispanics aren’t just watching the game, they’re changing it,” de Armas writes. “Responsible for 71% of U.S. population growth between 2022-2023 and with more than $3 trillion in purchasing power, Latinos have tremendous influence on the U.S. economy and culture. From Latino food and music to business leaders and sports stars, our community is a key part of U.S. society. Now, Hispanic audiences are rewriting the playbook on how the U.S. engages with sports and sports media.”
She points to ratings performances for the Copa América and the 2024 UEFA Champions League Final, both held on July 14. Each telecast drew some of the highest viewership numbers in history.
“These events, long established in global sports, have recently gained unprecedented
traction in the U.S. thanks, in part, to the enthusiasm of a growing Hispanic fan base,” de Armas writes. “The growing appeal of international sports within the U.S. brings fresh excitement and opportunities for fan and brand engagement.”
A preference for flexible, on-demand programming is seen among U.S. Hispanics. However, she says, broadcast television remains a significant player, particularly among Spanish-
language dominant Hispanics, where it captures 28.4% of viewership — nearly 8 points higher than the total U.S.
“This indicates a sustained demand for culturally relevant programming often provided by Spanish-language broadcast networks.”
While cable viewership is considerably lower among Hispanic audiences compared to the general U.S. population, platforms like YouTube stand out among Spanish-language dominant viewers, where usage is as high as 17.2%.
