The poll, which has measured US sports fans’ attitudes and behaviours to over 40 sports for the past 15 years, will now be extended to France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. If enough partners show support for the project after the first wave, the research will monitor the five countries permanently.
Artie Bulgrin, senior vice president at ESPN, says other European markets are on ESPN’s ‘to do list': “No study like this has ever been done in the region. We’re trying to build a brand across Europe,” he said.
“We want to learn what the interest in American sports is and what sports are emerging in each country, asking questions about international sports like handball and field hockey, but also about mixed martial arts and extreme sports.”
Rob Fox, senior vice president at TNS, added that the research will raise interest among European sports leagues even though the main subscribers in the US are sports sponsors such as Anheuser-Busch Inbev, Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble.
TNS’s existing internet panel in Europe will be employed to interview 500 people in each country from the second week of December, with the first results expected to be published in February.
