- Home advantage increases chances of medal success for Olympians by an average of 4.5%, according to new research.
- Nearly a million Brits anticipate hopping over the Channel to cheer on Team GB at the Paris Olympics this summer, spending an average of £4,100 each cheering on their favourite sports stars.
- Dedicated sports fans will spend up to 4% of their yearly salary on supporting their favourite teams and athletes both home and away, with the South East having the fans that spend the most supporting their sporting heroes.
- At the Euros, of the UK teams that qualified to play, England were predicted to have a 24.5% increase in win rate in front of home fans, whilst Scotland were predicted 20.9% more likely to win when playing at home – who interestingly, did not lose any of their home qualifying matches.
- Team GB partner NatWest commissioned the research to mark the launch of its new Travel Reward Credit Card, which gives 1% back in Rewards on all travel spend.
Tuesday 26th July 2024: A home crowd advantage improves the chance of success for sports teams and competitors by an average of 62%, according to new research released today.
A team of statisticians looked at over 30 years of sports results across 25 different sports, tournaments and events, to determine how much home crowds help athletes go the “extra percent”- and found it delivers a significant advantage.
The research, commissioned by Team GB partner NatWest to celebrate the launch of its new Travel Reward Credit Card - which offers customers 1% return on all their travel spending - combined in-depth data analysis by statisticians with a survey of 2,000 British sports fans on how they support their favourite teams and athletes.
The study found that the average UK sports fan will spend £116,188 on supporting their home team and athletes over a lifetime, with well over half (53%) willing to spend over £1,000 annually on travel alone to see our clubs, teams and national athletes competing wherever they are in the world.
Sports benefitting from home support
According to the findings, a home crowd at the Olympics will increase the medal chances of an Olympian by 4.8%. Athletes across the Olympic sports of beach volleyball (17%), triathlon (10%) and judo (9%) are more likely to secure gold in an event at home.
Overall, football, rugby and cycling are the sports where players benefit the most from home support, with top-flight footballers 28% more likely to win on a home ground.
Of the home nations, the England football team have historically benefitted most from home advantage, with the national team 24.5% more likely to win when backed by home fans, whilst for the Ireland rugby team, playing in front of home fans means a 16.9% greater chance of winning. The England cricket team are 8.7% more likely to win at home than they are away across all formats of the sport.
Additional Olympic data shows the top 10 Olympic sports* that benefit most from home support:
1. Hockey (11.11% increase in medals won)
2. Triathlon (10%)
3. Judo (9.3%)
4. Beach volleyball (8.33%)
5. Artistic Gymnastics (7.31%)
6=. Basketball (7.14%)
6=. Water polo (7.14%)
8. Table tennis (6.43%)
9. Boxing (6.03%)
10. Tennis (5.83%)
Summer of sport spending
According to the study, Brits attending this summer’s Olympic Games are expected to spend an average of £4,174 to cheer on Team GB athletes in person. Based on expected spectators and current ticket sales, nearly a million Brits are due to travel to the Games – the most of any nation outside of hosts France.**
The 2024 sporting summer will not only see Team GB going for gold in the Olympics, but also saw England and Scotland’s football teams both playing for Euros glory, with 10% of those polled saying they would make the trip to Germany this summer for the matches.
On average, UK sports fans start saving over two years in advance to attend a big sporting event abroad - and are prepared to borrow up to £1,750 in order to support their favourite teams and athletes. The most fans are willing to spend on a ticket to a big sporting event like the Olympics is £622.
For those not travelling to the action live, money spent on food and drinks at the pub (19%), replica kit and merchandise (17%) and TV streaming subscriptions (14%) are the biggest outgoings for British sports fans when it comes to supporting their favourite team or competitors, with fans spending £161.50 annually on team merchandise.
This summer, two-thirds of fans will consider attending a special viewing party to cheer on their sporting heroes, with over three-quarters (76%) planning to watch the action at the pub.
On average British sports fans will dedicate 4% of their annual income towards supporting their favourite sports, whilst five days of annual leave are given up to cheer on our favourite team. The average sports fan travels over 250 miles a month to support their team.
Nearly one in five (19%) would also choose to attend a big sporting event like the Olympics or the Euros as a ‘big holiday’ for the year, whilst two-thirds (60%) would consider putting their wedding on hold to save up and attend a major sporting event.
Dr Andrea Furst, Sports and Exercise Psychologist: “In my experience, working with athletes across a variety of sports and at different levels, one element consistently stands out - the profound influence of fans encouraging athletes to challenge their limits. In an arena of fine margins, supporters giving their all in cheering on an athlete often triggers a surge in athletes' determination and can create that crucial extra percent. This comprehensive study commissioned by NatWest highlights the psychological dynamic between athletes and their supportive spectators, and reinforces both the importance of fan engagement and the influence they will have about successes in this summer of sport."
Laura Kenny, Olympian and NatWest Team GB ambassador, who is also currently the most successful female Team GB Olympian of all time*: “Fans have always been at the heart of my journey, with their ongoing support and backing in the toughest of moments. When you are presented with the feeling of a whole nation being behind you, it provides the sheer determination to push harder than you ever have before. The journey to the Olympics is demanding and filled with lots of highs and lows, but with the motivation from fans support to help you succeed, you feel you are supported and encouraged every step of the way!”
Martin Wise, Managing Director of Short Term Borrowing at NatWest: “To celebrate our partnership with Team GB we are helping our customers go the extra percent by rewarding them with one percent back on all their travel spend with the launch of our new Travel Reward Credit Card.”
NatWest’s Travel Reward Credit card will give customers 1% back in Rewards on their travel spend at home and abroad and Rewards at our partner retailers. For all other spend customers will receive 0.1% back in Rewards. The card has no annual fee and no fees on purchases for foreign transactions (local fees may apply).
Customers can apply for the card by visiting www.natwest.com/creditcards
For more information, please contact Alex Butler at Taylor Herring – alex.butler@taylorherring.com
