61% of Consumers Plan to Watch Super Bowl LVIII, Numerator Reports

Taylor Swift to Draw New Gen Z and Millennial Viewers; Michelob Ultra Wins with Chiefs Fans, Modelo with 49ers Fans

CHICAGO, IL January 31, 2024 (GlobeNewswire) – Numerator, a data and tech company serving the market research space, has released findings on consumer behavior related to Super Bowl LVIII. The analysis leverages Numerator’s verified purchase data, a sentiment survey of over 1,000 consumers, and psychographics data to provide data on celebration, shopping, and viewing plans of Super Bowl LVIII, as well as behavioral nuances among NFL fans, Kansas City Chiefs fans, and San Francisco 49ers fans. Sports fandom is one of more than 2,500 demographic, psychographic, and media consumption attributes that panelists elect to share with Numerator.

Super Bowl Survey Findings Include:

• 3 in 5 consumers plan to watch Super Bowl LVIII, and most plan to do so in the comfort of their own homes. 61% of US consumers are planning to watch this year’s Super Bowl, and the most popular place to watch is their own homes (82%). 67% plan to watch at home alone or with their household, 15% plan to host gatherings at their home, 16% plan to watch at someone else’s home, and 4% plan to watch at a bar, restaurant or other public space. Gen Z and Millennials are twice as likely to watch the Super Bowl away from their own homes.
• The game might take center stage, but many consumers tune in for the advertisements. Super Bowl watchers say they are looking forward to watching the game (66%) and the commercials (60%). About half (48%) say they are looking forward to the halftime show, and 47% are looking forward to eating and drinking.
  • Older generations are focused on the game, while younger generations are more about the experience. Boomers+ are much more likely than younger generations to say they are looking forward to watching the game (75% vs. 59% of Gen Z and Millennials). Younger consumers are equally looking forward to the commercials, halftime show, and eating and drinking (all 55%).
• A Taylor Swift appearance will likely draw more Gen Z and Millennial viewers. While most consumers (79%) say an appearance by the pop star would not impact their likelihood of watching the game, 12% of consumers say they are more likely to watch if Taylor Swift attends. This number jumps to 20% for Gen Z and Millennial consumers.
• Soda is the most popular beverage for Super Bowl celebrations, with beer in second place. Half of Super Bowl watchers (50%) say they will purchase soda for the game, followed by beer (37%), spirits (22%), wine or champagne (22%), sparkling water (15%), juice (13%), hard seltzers (10%), ready-to-drink cocktails (9%) and THC- or CBD-infused beverages (3%).
  • RTD cocktails, hard seltzers, and cannabis-infused drinks are more popular with younger consumers. Gen Z and Millennial consumers are twice as likely as older generations to say they will celebrate with RTD cocktails (20%), hard seltzers (18%), and THC- or CBD-infused beverages (6%).
• Chips and classic game day favorites top the Super Bowl food shopping list. Three-quarters (75%) of Super Bowl watchers plan to buy chips, followed by dips / salsa / guacamole (67%), pizza (47%), chicken wings (42%), and nachos (22%).

Consumer Profile and Purchase Data Findings Include:

• The average NFL fan is more likely to be an older, high income male. Compared to the average consumer, those who watch or attend NFL games are 10% more likely to be Boomers+, 16% more likely to have an income of 125k+, and 14% more likely to be male.
  • 49ers fans are young, diverse, and avid about their sports fandom. San Francisco fans are 5x more likely to be Hispanic/Latino and nearly 5x more likely to be Asian compared to Chiefs fans. They are also 10% more likely to say that they are avid sports fans compared to Chiefs fans.
  • Chiefs fans tend to be older and enjoy in-person college sports. Kansas City fans are 30% more likely to be Boomers+, 26% more likely to have attended a college football game in the past year, and 49% more likely to have attended a college basketball game, compared to 49ers fans.
• Advertising is informative and entertaining for NFL fans. Compared to the average consumer, NFL fans are 21% more likely to say that advertising keeps them up-to-date and 20% more likely to find advertising entertaining.
• NFL fans spend more on beer and snacks than the average shopper. NFL fans make five additional trips per year for beer and snacks compared to the average consumer, spending almost $100 more annually on beer and $52 more on snacks.
  • Kansas City Chiefs fans and San Francisco 49ers fans differ on their most popular beer brands. While Chiefs fans are most likely to reach for Michelob Ultra, 49ers fans opt for Modelo as their top choice.
• Television plays a large role in the daily life of NFL fans. 51% of NFL fans say they watch TV for over three hours each day, with 15% watching more than six hours per day. NFL watchers are 83% more likely than the average consumer to tune into ESPN.
  • Three-quarters of NFL fans own a smart TV and subscribe to a variety of streaming services. 73% of NFL fans own a smart TV, making them 15% more likely to do so than the average consumer. They are also heavy streamers, with 69% subscribing to Amazon Prime Video (which broadcasted Thursday Night Football games during the 2023-2024 NFL season). Other popular streaming platforms for NFL watchers are Netflix (62%), Hulu (45%), and Paramount Plus (30%) – which will be streaming Super Bowl LVIII.
• Three-fifths of NFL watchers use social media several times a day. The top platforms for NFL fans are Facebook (82%), Instagram (54%), Snapchat (26%), and TikTok (26%).

Top Beer Brands by Household Penetration

Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers, Numerator Insights 

Numerator’s Super Bowl LVIII survey was fielded 1/25/24-1/26/24 to 1,119 consumers.

About Numerator:

Numerator is a data and tech company bringing speed and scale to market research.  Numerator blends first-party data from over 1 million US households with advanced technology to provide 360-degree consumer understanding for the market research industry that has been slow to change. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Numerator has 2,000 employees worldwide; 80 of the top 100 CPG brands’ manufacturers are Numerator clients.