As the nation’s #1 rewards app with over 13 million monthly active users, Fetch Rewards has precise purchase data to provide insights into omni-channel shopper behaviors — PLUS, rich psychographic insights from our survey panels to help brands understand their target audience and optimize their strategy.
With the Big Game right around the corner, we were curious about who watches the Super Bowl and why? Everyone knows a cast of characters associated with Super Bowl viewing: the dad who shushes his kids to watch the game while he screams “Blitz ‘em” at the top of his lungs, the cousin who talks nonstop about how Eminem (the GOAT) will be performing at half-time, the uncle glued to the TV screen laughing and singing along with the Oatly commercial, the sister who hangs out at the snack table, keeping guard over the Cool Ranch Doritos, and so on.
Leveraging over 900 responses from active Fetch users, we got the low-down on what inspires people to tune in…and when they decide to tune out during the Super Bowl.
Let’s hit the highlights of what we found…
- Super Bowl viewers aren’t going out this year to watch the game. They are either staying home by themselves (61%) or they are hosting or attending a party at someone else’s place (15% each). As such, most planned on making food (63%) or ordering takeout/delivery (21%).
- Bring on the booze…and soda. Alcohol (34%) and soda (32%) represented the most popular beverages that Super Bowl viewers are looking forward to consuming.
- Viewers are keeping their money. 75% of participants indicated they had not bet any money on the game, with only 3% of participants betting over $150 on the outcome.
- Super Bowl viewers aren’t just FOMO-ers – they love football. Over half of Super Bowl viewers this year either often or always watch regular season American Football (55%) and 85% watch every year.
- Overall, it’s the experience, not the entertainment that matters (and maybe those Super Bowl ads should be cheaper). The performative aspects of the game (half-time performances, commercials, and gambling) were generally considered the most overrated aspects of the Super Bowl. Participants were least likely to indicate beverages, time spent with family or friends, the entire experience, or the food and snacks were overrated.
What are the most enjoyable aspects of viewing the Super Bowl?
We asked Fetchers what they enjoyed about watching the game to isolate a few key personas.
- Time spent with family & friends: The Socialite (23% – 210)
- Half-time performances: The Here for Half-Timer (18% – 160)
- The game itself: The Legit Sports Fan (16% – 148)
- The whole experience: The Super Fan (17% – 156)
- Commercials: The Commercial Connoisseur (13% – 117)
- Food/Snacks: The Football Foodie (10% – 94)
- Other: Other (1% – 9)
- Beverages: The Imbiber (1% – 6)
- Gambling on the outcome: The Gamblers (0% – 3)
- None of it: The Hater (0% – 2)
Who is watching the Super Bowl in 2022?
Below we characterize some of the top niche personas tuning in: Socialites, Here for Half-Timers, Sports Fans, Commercial Connoisseurs, and Football Foodies.
We don’t include Super Fans because spoiler alert: They love everything about the Super Bowl, don’t really find any of it to be overrated, and are statistically more likely to be Green Bay Packer Fans (holla!) or Kansas City Chiefs fans compared to most other personas. They also watch regular season football and the Super Bowl pretty regularly.
The Socialites are staying home this year, but they love bonding and making memories with their friends and families. Perhaps due to the lingering effects of COVID-19, (and despite their name), Socialites were most likely to watch the game at home with no party (48%), however they were statistically more likely to attend a party at someone else’s house compared to the other personas (27%). Socialites were more likely to enjoy an alcoholic beverage (40%)–more than most of the other personas—and they’ll be making their own food (66%). Socialites emphasized the non-tangible aspects of gathering to watch the game: the fun, the laughing, the time spent with others (especially given COVID and busy home lives), the memories being made. Aspects of the big game such as rooting for teams and friendly competition, along with the food spread, represented other bonding mechanisms for the Socialite. Perhaps it is this focus on connecting with others that they are more likely to find half-time performances (29%) and commercials (21%) to be the most overrated, especially compared to Commercial Connoisseurs and Here for Half-Timers. 43% of Socialites often (23%) or always (20%) watched regular season football, with 79% watching the Super Bowl every year. Socialites are significantly more likely to identify as female compared to Sports Fans.
Here for Half-Timers get hyped for the 20-30 minute entertainment showcase, but they are chill about half-time parties and commercials. Here for Half-Timers mostly plan to enjoy half-time at home with no party (64%), eating their own food (62%), and slurping down alcoholic drinks or soda (33%). Living for the dazzling entertainment such as the music, the technical performance (e.g., choreography, lights, staging, creativity), the artists themselves, and the excited feeling these performances evoke, it is no surprise that Here for Half-Timers found gambling to be the most overrated (37%), especially compared to the other personas. While they enjoy the revelry at half-time, they were less excited about the more mundane commercials (24%). Like Socialites, Here for Half-Timers were more likely than Sports Fans to not have a favorite team (13%). Although not as committed to regular season viewing (40% often -24%- or always -16%- watched regular season American football), Here for Half-Timers showed up each year to take in their favorite event (85% watched the Super Bowl every year). Here for Half-Timers were significantly more likely to identify as female than the other personas (93%).
Legit Sports Fans are committed football fans and enjoy the athleticism of the Super Bowl game the most. Staying in and not hosting a party (72%), these viewers will mostly be making their own food (61%) and enjoying soda (32%) or alcohol (30%) as they watch the game go down. They are also more likely than Socialites to consume water (20%). Compared to the feelings of anticipation, excitement, intensity, and suspense of viewing the game, they see the half-time performances (43%) as the most overrated, significantly more so than Commercial Connoisseurs, Here for Half-Timers, Football Foodies, and Socialites. They also found the commercials (20%) to be overrated, especially compared to Commercial Connoisseurs. Legit Sports Fans have a deep love and respect of the game, the players, the competition, and the strategy, with many appreciating a close game or rooting for the underdog. Beyond the physical game itself, Sports Fans enjoyed viewing the game because of the food and time spent with family as well. Their dedication to the sport is not a once-a-year phenomenon either: 83% reported often (34%) or always (49%) watched regular season football and 96% watch the Super Bowl every year, which is significantly more than all of the other personas. And they know where they stand: compared to the other personas, Legit Sports Fans were least likely to report NOT having a favorite team (3%). Notably, while more females reported being Legit Sports Fans (68%), the proportion of males (30%) was significantly higher than the other personas.
Commercial Connoisseurs skip bathroom breaks during the commercials to enjoy new, interesting, and funny content from brands. Like the other personas, Commercial Connoisseurs are planning to watch the game at home with no party (72%), where they will make their own food and snacks (57%) and drink soda (32%), alcohol (29%), or water (20%). For Commercial Connoisseurs, commercials represent their own form of entertainment. They enjoy the newness, humor, creativity, and emotional drive that make Super Bowl commercials stand out more than others. In their own sort of rivalry, Commercial Connoisseurs more than almost any other persona (besides the Sports Fan) found half-time performances to be the most overrated (44%), followed by gambling on the outcome (31%). Even more than the Football Foodies, Socialites, and Here for Half-Timers, Commercial Connoisseurs were more likely than Sports Fans to not have a favorite team (17%). Despite Super Bowl commercials coming once a year, 46% of Commercial Connoisseurs report often (26%) or always (20%) watch regular season American Football, and just trailing the Sports Fans, Commercial Connoisseurs are dedicated to watching the Super Bowl every year (87%). Commercial Connoisseurs are predominantly female (93%), statistically more so than Sports Fans.
While Football Foodies enjoy the special occasion food during the game, they are not that committed to football and find an emphasis on food and snacks overrated. Foodies are more likely to enjoy the game from the comfort of their home (70%), significantly more so than their Socialite counterparts. Of course of the personas, Foodies had the highest proportion of respondents planning to make their own (69%), with almost half anticipating an indulgence in soda (41%–the highest proportion of the personas) or alcohol (27%–the lowest proportion of the personas). Different from what they normally consume, Foodies view the Super Bowl as the opportunity to nosh on chips, dips, wings, and other junk food. Enjoyment of the food included sharing with friends and family members, whether that be the creation or consumption of said snacks. Foodies tended to view the half-time performances as the most overrated aspect of the Super Bowl (26%). While they claim to be the most interested in the food, Foodies also believe that food and snacks are the most overrated aspect of the Super Bowl (16%). In fact, the proportion of Foodies who viewed food and snacks as overrated was the highest amongst the personas. 41% of Foodies indicated they often (28%) or always (13%) watch regular season American football, with 69% reporting they watch the Super Bowl every year. Nine percent of Foodies are first-time watchers, which is significantly higher than the other personas. This could be due to inexperience with the game, half-time performances, commercials, and the experience of viewing the game with family and friends.
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