World Athletics has reappointed Nielsen, a global leader in sports information, media measurement and research, as its official supplier of consumer market research services for the next four years (2024-2027).
This ongoing collaboration will give World Athletics access to Nielsen's comprehensive, cutting-edge international research system, which will provide sports data and insights for both sports and World Athletics Series events, including the Tokyo 2025 World Championships in Athletics, the Beijing 2027 World Championships in Athletics, the Nanjing 2025 World Championships in Athletics and the Torun 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships.
Nielsen's comprehensive event impact assessments and broader research program are designed to provide World Athletics with a comprehensive view of its organisation, brands and key stakeholders, as well as keen insights into athletics fans around the world.
These services include consumer research, brand tracking, spectator experience evaluation, host city social and economic impact assessments, and consumer research surveys for sponsors.
The relaunch comes at a time of growing international interest in athletics: according to a survey conducted by Nielsen for World Athletics, athletics ranks fourth in global interest behind soccer, running and swimming, and first among fans interested in men's and women's athletics.
Nielsen research found that 77% of spectators at the Budapest 23 World Athletics Championships said they would like to attend athletics more often, up from 41% who attended the same championships in Oregon in 2022. The Budapest Championships also generated a total event impact of $408 million across Nielsen's five pillars: economy, media, society, environment and spectator attendance.
“Nielsen has provided us with invaluable evidence-based information over the past four years,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.
“This information has allowed us to make important strategic decisions for our sport to ensure it reaches a wider audience in key markets and continues to appeal to fans of all ages and demographics. That's why we're pleased to renew our relationship with Nielsen and build on the success we've achieved to date in our continued efforts to grow our sport and keep it appealing to our ever-expanding fan base.”
John Stayner, general manager of Nielsen Sports, said: “Hosting a major event requires the support of many different stakeholders to justify the investment, fine-tune the strategy, improve the event execution and leave a legacy.
“We are pleased that Nielsen will continue to provide World Athletics with valuable insights to contribute to the success of events that increase spectator attendance, have a social and environmental impact and drive participation in athletics around the world.”
Nielsen Sports has been working with World Athletics since 2019 to measure events such as the World Athletics Championships, World Athletics Indoor Championships, World Athletics Cross Country Championships, World Athletics Road Running Championships and World Athletics Relay Championships. The framework is modular and flexible, so it can be scaled down for smaller events or applied across the board for major championships.
World Athletics Championships
