PITTSBURGH, PA, June 29, 2026 — As the United States approaches its semiquincentennial this summer, CivicScience, in partnership with Sports Business Journal (SBJ), announces a comprehensive Sports Consumer Insights study exploring the intersection of patriotism, fan engagement, and sports marketing ahead of the nation’s 250th celebrations.

“Fan intensity and civic identity often matter much more than sheer market size,” said John Dick, Founder and CEO of CivicScience. “As the country marks its 250th, our data shows that navigating cultural celebrations introduces unique complexities for sports properties and corporate sponsors alike. We’re thrilled to deliver these precise, real-time consumer realities to the broader sports industry through our partnership with Sports Business Journal.”

The nationally-representative surveys evaluated fan attitudes toward iconic sports brands, patriotic traditions, and the limits of milestone-themed corporate sponsorship. Notably, New York City ranked as America’s top sports city garnering support from 20% of survey respondents. Pittsburgh secured a surprising runner-up spot at 16%, punching far above its weight as the nation’s 28th-largest media market, finishing ahead of much larger traditional sports powers, including Los Angeles (13%), Chicago (13%), and Boston (10%). 

Key takeaways from the CivicScience and Sports Business Journal national survey data include:

  • Football leads baseball as “America’s Sport”: The data shows that football is identified as “America’s sport” by 36% of respondents, compared to 25% for baseball. This positioning is supported by a year-round media ecosystem, dominant television viewership, and an integrated digital footprint. 
  • The New York Yankees narrowly edge past the Dallas Cowboys: While the Dallas Cowboys traditionally hold the title of “America’s Team,” the New York Yankees (20%) narrowly edged past the Cowboys (19%) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (14%) in CivicScience survey data. The results indicate that global brand equity, historic tradition, and cultural relevance maintain consumer alignment despite active championship droughts.
  • Distinct boundaries for patriotic marketing: Despite dozens of official sponsors launching major activations, fewer than one quarter of U.S. adults say they are highly likely to support a brand that actively celebrates America 250. Though this support is strongest among NFL, NHL, and MLB Fans, NBA fans show less interest than the average American in this marketing. 
  • Commemorative merchandise appeal skews young: While America 250 may resonate more with older Americans, the merchandising opportunities skew toward younger audiences. A noteworthy 64.5% of sports fans aged 18-29 say they are likely to purchase official sports team-branded apparel commemorating the 250th birthday, compared to 54% of those ages 30-44, 30% of those ages 45-64, and just 13% of fans 65 and older.

For more details and to view the full Sports Consumer Insights study by SBJ and CivicScience, click here.

CivicScience’s consumer intelligence platform continuously surveys millions of consumers, providing real-time insights into attitudes, purchasing behavior, brand preferences, lifestyle choices, and sentiment across numerous industries. The ongoing collaboration with Sports Business Journal showcases CivicScience’s deep analytic capabilities to the broader sports business community while providing Sports Business Journal with a competitive advantage in data-driven reporting.

About Sports Business Journal

Sports Business Journal (SBJ), a subsidiary of Leaders Group Sports, an Advance company, sits at the epicenter of the sports industry. Headquartered in Charlotte, SBJ provides the news, the networking and the data to equip the most powerful executives in sports business to make more informed decisions, deals and partnerships. SBJ’s award-winning media content is delivered through multiple media platforms, hallmark events and market-leading data. To learn more visit: www.sportsbusinessjournal.com.

About CivicScience

CivicScience is a consumer analytics and advertising platform. Our proprietary, always-on data collection engine captures over one million survey responses daily, creating the most dynamic, real-time understanding of consumer wants, needs, and intentions in a constantly changing world. Powered by our premium media partnerships, our attitudinal database helps brands and media companies retain & grow existing customers while reaching & acquiring new ones. Our clients use CivicScience’s unique dataset to inform advertising, communications, product, and financial strategies that drive superior business outcomes. To learn more, visit https://civicscience.com/

Media Contact: [email protected]