• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, August 5, 2008

A new study from Scarborough Sports Marketing reveals that over 128 Million Summer Olympics Fans in the U.S. are gearing up for the torch lighting in Beijing on 08-08-08. Nationally, 57 percent of adults are Summer Olympics Fans, but 67 percent of adults in Denver, CO and Spokane, WA say they're "very, somewhat or a little bit" interested in the Summer Olympics.

The appeal of the games is so wide-ranging in the U.S. that only the NFL and Winter Olympics surpass it (marginally) in national popularity, says the report. Sixty percent of all adults are NFL fans and 58 percent are Winter Olympics Fans. Major League Baseball (MLB) and College Football round out the top five sports leagues.  Fifty-one percent of adults are MLB fans, and 44 percent are college football fans.

Howard Goldberg, senior vice president, Scarborough Sports Marketing, said "In no other sport can an entire nation bond together and support the same team. A sponsor's ability to stretch their message and connect with fans from both urban communities and rural America creates an interesting duality... "

Among fan preferences in several Summer Olympics product sponsorship categories:

• Almost half (49 percent) of Summer Olympics Fans visited McDonald's during the past month, making it the top restaurant for Summer Olympics Fans
• Summer Olympics fans are 22 percent more likely than the average consumer to have used Starbucks during the past month
• These fans are 25 percent more likely to have enjoyed Panera Bread.
• Summer Olympics Fans are seven percent more likely than all consumers nationally to have eaten at a fast food restaurant five or more times during the past month
• They are 15 percent more likely to have eaten at a "sit-down" restaurant five or more times during the past month.
• Among Summer Olympics fans, 22 percent are more likely than the average consumer to own or lease a Volkswagen in their household.

Summer Olympics Fans are slightly more likely than the national average to be male and married. Their appeal crosses income groups, although Fans tend to hail from higher income brackets as they are 24 percent more likely than the average consumer to have an annual household income of $150k or more. Summer Olympics Fans are average for having children in the household.

From a lifestyle perspective,

• Summer Olympics fans are 23 percent more likely than all consumers nationally to have visited China, Japan or the Far East during the past three years. These Fans account for seventy percent of all consumers who traveled to these Asia-Pacific destinations
• Summer Olympics Fans are active and athletic, and engage in leisure activities that are some of the top Olympic events, such as swimming (Summer Olympics Fans are 19 percent more likely than all consumers nationally to have gone swimming as a leisure activity during the past year), running (13 percent more likely), and biking (19 percent more likely)
• Six of the top ten markets for Summer Olympics Fans are in the West, whose residents share a propensity to be active, athletic and enjoy outdoor sports, such as jogging, biking and camping.

N.B. All sports Fans defined in this report are consumers who are "very, somewhat, or a little bit interested" in the Summer Olympics.

For more details about the Summer Olympics Fans, please visit Scarborough here.