By Jim Caruso
Marketers love the idea of the Olympic halo. They also routinely underestimate it. Too many brands still treat the Olympics as a short-lived campaign, something that burns bright for a few weeks and then disappears from consumer consciousness. That view misses how the Olympic ecosystem actually works—and how much opportunity exists in the months and years between Games.
Elevate recently analyzed Olympic fans using EPIC (Elevate Performance and Insights Cloud) to understand who they are and how they interact with the Olympics and Olympic-pathway sports. The findings point to an audience with financial strength, year-round attention patterns, and a strong alignment with purpose-driven brands. For companies planning their approach to LA28 and beyond, the message is clear: the Olympics aren’t a moment. They’re a marketplace.
According to our analysis of EPIC data, Olympic fans skew toward Gen X (36%) and show a slightly higher share of women (51%), placing them squarely among established household decision-makers with meaningful purchasing influence.
If marketers want access to consumers with real spending power, this fanbase offers it. Olympic fans are 22% more likely to have a credit score of 800 or higher, and one in 10 has a household net worth above $500,000. They are more likely to own stocks and investment accounts, and they actively grow their wealth. They also appear more frequently among top earners, with a more than 50% higher representation than among other sports fans.
Compared with the general population, Olympic fans spend more across several lifestyle categories, including fitness and wellness, apparel, women’s fashion, and dining. They’re also more likely to purchase team and athlete merchandise, adopt new technology earlier, and attend live sporting events, extending sponsorship value into hospitality and experiential opportunities.
This combination of lifestyle spending and financial stability makes this audience especially attractive to partners in retail, travel, financial services, technology, and consumer wellness. This is the consumer segment that brands compete for. They spend across categories, seek premium experiences, and support organizations that deliver long-term value.
Values are only one dimension. Just as important is how often these fans show up long before the torch is lit. These fans want brands that demonstrate intention, not just visibility. According to Harris Poll research cited in Elevate’s Olympic analysis, nearly two-thirds of Olympic fans say they prioritize values alignment when evaluating sponsorships, and more than one-third report being motivated by cause-related campaigns. They gravitate toward athletes and organizations that show discipline, community involvement, and long-term commitment. When brands activate with real purpose, the emotional connection becomes stronger and more durable.
Just as importantly, this connection goes beyond preference. It becomes personal. Nearly half of Olympic fans say sports give them a strong sense of community belonging, and more than 60% say the Games increase their pride in their country when fandom becomes part of how people see themselves. The brands that show up consistently become part of that identity as well, deepening emotional connection and loyalty over time.
The belief that Olympic fandom rises every four years and then recedes is simply outdated. Olympic fans don’t just show up for the Opening Ceremony; they follow the sports that lead to the Games all year long. They’re actively watching Girls’ High School Basketball Specials, NCAA Women’s Basketball Studio programming, and engaged with other Olympic-pathway sports like volleyball, track, swimming, and tennis—long before the Olympic spotlight arrives.
This behavior reflects a year-round appetite for the athletes and sports that ultimately define the Olympic stage. Trials, qualifiers, federation events, digital storytelling, and community programming keep the movement active long after the closing ceremony. Brands that only activate during the Games are choosing to participate in a fraction of the opportunity.
As Milan ‘26 approaches and Los Angeles ‘28 moves into planning, the brands that succeed will be those that view the Olympics as a multi-year ecosystem. The commercial touchpoints are expanding. Year-round events, digital platforms, grassroots efforts, and athlete storytelling create continuous engagement between Games, not just during them.
During Paris 2024 alone, YouTube reports that viewers watched more than forty billion minutes of Olympics content, reinforcing just how powerful the peak can be—but also how much momentum brands can build before and after it.
The takeaway is direct. The value comes from staying connected to the movement, not just the moment. Brands that pair consistent presence with meaningful purpose will see the most substantial returns. Those who still plan for a brief spike of attention are competing for a smaller outcome, while a larger opportunity sits in plain sight.
The next era of sports marketing is not just global. It is year-round, purpose-driven, and shaped by fans who expect more from brands that ask for their time. Marketers who recognize this reality now will be the ones leading the conversation when the torch arrives in Los Angeles.
Jim Caruso is the chief innovation officer at Elevate.
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