Half of French 18-24s Are Drawn to Creator-Led Sports Events, Webedia Study Finds
Updated: 6 days ago
TL;DR: A Webedia Brand Xperiences study finds young French adults are flocking to creator-led and offbeat sports formats, splitting their viewing evenly between social media and TV.
Where young fans actually watch
Among French 18-24s, social media and TV tie at 42% each for sports content, while 31% use streaming versus just 14% of all 18-64s, according to a Webedia Brand Xperiences study reported by CB News and The Media Leader France.
The research, conducted with Episto among 1,001 French adults aged 18-64 in August 2026, points to a generation that watches sport in fundamentally different places from its elders.
Creators and participation beat broadcast
The appetite for taking part is striking. Some 37% of 18-24s are keener to attend events, against 21% overall, and 40% are drawn to creator-led events, versus just 10% of older groups.
When they watch, they favour practical tips (36%), humour (30%) and behind-the-scenes athlete preparation (25%) - formats a traditional broadcast rarely prioritises.
What they want from brands
On partnerships, young fans respond most to team or club sponsorship (32%), followed by athlete endorsement (19%) and custom branded events (17%). Tellingly, 36% see brands that use innovative formats as 'modern', compared with just 16% of older respondents - a reputation dividend for moving first.
Marketing Minute's read and what to do
Sponsorship money still concentrates on broadcast and elite sport, yet the youngest audiences are migrating to creators, streaming and participatory formats. That gap between where fans are and where budgets go is the opportunity. Move a slice of sponsorship toward creator-hosted events and behind-the-scenes or tips content, and let humour do more of the work.
Quick FAQ
How do young French adults watch sport?
Webedia found 18-24s split sports viewing evenly between social media and TV (42% each), with 31% using streaming versus 14% of all 18-64s.
Are French young people interested in creator-led sports events?
Yes - 40% of French 18-24s said they are drawn to creator-led events, versus just 10% of older groups, in Webedia's 2026 study.
For young fans, the creator in the stands is now as big a draw as the match itself. Budgets have not caught up: the money still flows to broadcast and elite rights while the audience drifts to streams, creators and formats they can join in. The brands that move a slice of spend early will own that attention cheaply. - Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
Move a share of sponsorship from broadcast-only deals toward creator-led events and participatory content to meet young fans where they already are.
Should brands move sponsorship money from traditional broadcast toward creator-led sports events?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: CB News, The Media Leader France.
Related reading
Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
