Basketball superstars Caitlin Clark and LeBron James have emerged as America’s favorite athletes across all sports, according to YouGov’s latest report, Star power: The role of individual athletes on sports fandom.
The report finds that 35% of US sports fans consider Caitlin Clark to be their favorite female athlete, with Simone Biles a distant second at 18%. As for male athletes, LeBron James leads with 14%, closely followed by his basketball contemporary Stephen Curry at 10% and the NFL’s Patrick Mahomes at 8%.
Beyond championships, star athletes are also winning when it comes to consumer trust. Nearly half of US sports fans (47%) say they trust product endorsements from athletes, significantly more than they do from musicians (36%), actors (34%), or influencers (24%).
The report explores how individual athletes shape fan loyalty, influence brand perception, and fuel deeper engagement across the sports landscape.
Key findings from the report include:
- Younger fans follow sports for the athlete, not just the team: 25% of fans aged 18–34 say they follow a sport because of a specific athlete, compared to 15% of fans 55+.
- The power of the endorsers: Nearly two thirds of 18-34 year old US sports fans trust athlete endorsements (63%).
- Athletes attract new fans: One in five US sports fans (20%) have started following a new sport because of an athlete, rising to 22% among 18–34-year-olds.
- What fans want on social media: Among US sports fans who follow athletes, 34% want game highlights, 31% seek personal life updates, and 24% are interested in athletes’ charitable efforts.
- Nike leads in athlete endorsement fan recall: 73% of US sports fans associate Nike with athlete endorsements, more than double the share who say the same of Adidas (32%) via unaided recall.
“In today’s dynamic sports and media landscape, individual athletes are not just representatives of their teams, they are influential brands in their own right,” said Nicole Pike, Global Head of YouGov Sport. “Their voices carry weight, especially when they speak out on social issues, and their platforms often rival those of the organizations they play for. Our research shows that the power of athlete influence is especially evident among young adult sports fans.”
This report sources insights from YouGov’s research panel of 29+ million consumers globally, including YouGov Surveys: Serviced, which provides rapid answers from the right audience.
YouGov’s report is available for download here.
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