Sports Leagues Aim to Capture Gen Z and Gen Alpha Fans

Embracing AI, influencers, and internet trends to reach the next generation of sports fans

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Sports leagues are racing to capture the attention of Generation Z and Generation Alpha, the younger demographics that are proving to be a tricky target. With changing media habits and diverse attitudes towards sports, leagues are experimenting with AI-powered content, partnering with social media influencers, and tapping into internet trends to stay relevant and resonate with these elusive fans.

Why it matters

As the next generation of potential sports fans, Gen Z and Gen Alpha represent a crucial demographic for leagues to engage with. However, their media consumption and interests differ significantly from previous generations, requiring sports organizations to constantly adapt their strategies to stay connected with these younger audiences.

The details

Leagues are embracing unorthodox connections to reach Gen Z and Gen Alpha, such as partnering with social media creators, leveraging AI-generated content, and tapping into popular internet trends. The NBA is hosting over 200 creators with a collective footprint of over 1 billion followers for its All-Star festivities, while the NHL has an advisory board of teenagers to provide insights on marketing, content, and fan engagement. Partnerships with gaming platforms like Roblox and Fortnite are also being explored to immerse younger fans in the sports experience.

  • The NBA is hosting its All-Star festivities this weekend in Los Angeles.
  • The International Olympic Committee announced a collaboration with Roblox in 2024 that created Olympic World on the popular online gaming platform.

The players

Trevor McOmber

A Chicago Blackhawks fan and the father of 14-year-old Tye McOmber.

Tye McOmber

A 14-year-old on the border of Generation Z and Generation Alpha, with unique media habits and diverse attitudes towards sports.

Uzma Rawn Dowler

The chief marketing officer for Major League Baseball.

Mark Beal

A communication professor at Rutgers University who studies Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Bob Carney

A senior vice president for digital and social content at the NBA.

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What they’re saying

“Something that we might have done two or three years ago to capture this audience is changing based on how they consume, the way they consume, the way that content is packaged to them as well.”

— Uzma Rawn Dowler, Chief Marketing Officer, Major League Baseball (wbal.com)

“That is a Gen-Z dream right there. You put a Gen Z-er in that between period one and two of a game. By the time they get done … they've live-streamed it, they've shot it, they've put it out on TikTok.”

— Mark Beal, Communication Professor, Rutgers University (wbal.com)

“For our growth audiences, we partner with influencers in relevant adjacent spaces, whether it's food, fashion, other culturally relevant sort of spaces to reach that casual perspective fan to bring them into the baseball ecosystem through the side door and feed them that adjacent baseball content through the lens of players or influencers to then ultimately have them convert to be that core fan.”

— Uzma Rawn Dowler, Chief Marketing Officer, Major League Baseball (wbal.com)

What’s next

The International Olympic Committee's collaboration with Roblox to create Olympic World on the popular online gaming platform is set to launch in 2024.

The takeaway

Sports leagues are embracing innovative strategies, from AI-powered content to influencer partnerships, to capture the attention of the younger Gen Z and Gen Alpha demographics, whose media habits and interests differ significantly from previous generations. Adapting to these evolving trends is crucial for leagues to stay relevant and build the next generation of loyal sports fans.