--- title: "Infographic: The Return to Sports" description: In this infographic, we take a look at how consumers filled their time while sports were postponed, their feelings on the return to action, and more. image: https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/hubfs/vienna-reyes-Zs_o1IjVPt4-unsplash.jpg --- [![vast.png](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Inspira%20Wordmark.png?width=480&height=206&name=Inspira%20Wordmark.png "vast.png")](http://inspiramarketing.com) - [Default HubSpot Blog](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog) # Default HubSpot Blog ## [Infographic: The Return to Sports](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/infographic-the-return-to-sports) Jul 29, 2020 3:05:31 PM / by [Rob Patterson](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/author/rob-patterson) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) For the 56% of consumers who reported missing sports a lot during the pandemic, the return of the NBA, NHL, and MLB has been a welcome change. Fans don't just miss their favorite teams; they also miss the traditions and the escape from day-to-day life. Below, we take a look at how consumers filled their time while sports were postponed, their feelings on the return to action, and their sentiment on returning to stadiums when fans are allowed.   ![The Return to Sports](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Return%20to%20Sports.jpg?width=1720&name=The%20Return%20to%20Sports.jpg)   Here are four things you need to know about the return to sports:   **Americans Missed their Sports** While not everyone is a diehard fan, sporting events mean more to Americans than just the games themselves. Here’s what they missed most about sports: - 31% Watching/Spending Time With Friends/Family - 15% Escape from Other Things - 14% Suspense and Thrill Did you know? 30% of sports fans said they would watch whatever sport or league comes back first, regardless of whether they were fans before or not. **Pandemic Sports Substitutes** With most of the major sports postponed in the United States, Americans found alternatives. Though 59% turned to non-sports shows and movies, 28% found new sports to follow: - 40% Esports - 34% International Soccer - 32% MMA - 31% Golf - 31% International Baseball   **Timing is of the Essence** When asked whether now is the right time for the return of live sports, consumers were divided. - 39% believe the return is too soon - 34% say it’s just the right time - 11% say it’s too late **Return to Stadium Status** Players returning to action is one thing, but fans in the stadium is another. Here’s where consumers stand in terms of when they’ll return to sporting events post-COVID-19. - 24% 4-6 Months - 20% Not Until There’s a Cure - 19% 0-3 Months - 16% 7-9 Months - 12% 10-12 Months - 10% Over a Year While a fair amount of fans are raring to go, others have legitimate concerns: - 59% Inability to Maintain Social Distance - 55% Other Fans Not Following Protocol (e.g. masks) - 51% Lack of Sanitation Products With that being said, 78% of respondents are comfortable sacrificing some of the standard parts of the stadium experience (e.g. tailgating, concessions) if it means they can return sooner. Topics: [Infographics](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/topic/infographics), [Sports & Entertainment](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/topic/sports-entertainment) ![Rob Patterson](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/e1a05c73af5188138a1c9a81f2768bad) #### Written by [Rob Patterson](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/author/rob-patterson) ### Subscribe to Email Updates - Recent - Popular - Categories ### Lists by Topic - [Insights (179)](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/tag/insights) - [Experiential (120)](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/tag/experiential) - [Infographics (95)](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/tag/infographics) - [Inspira in the News (70)](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/tag/inspira-in-the-news) - [Social Media (64)](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/tag/social-media) - [Employee Spotlights (49)](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/tag/employee-spotlights) - [Inspira News (49)](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/tag/inspira-news) - 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