Have you ever wondered why the National Basketball League (NBA) claims more Twitter followers than the NFL and the MLB despite being the least profitable sport of the three? Do you know how influencers like Drake, Warren Buffet, and Colin Kaepernick relate to the Basketball Audience? No? Well, lucky for you - we have done the heavy lifting. Our in-depth report on the Basketball Audience analyzes the current trends and future trendsetters, providing you with the much-needed insight to market to one of the most relevant and progressive audiences to date.

Being one of the most accessible sports for fans, basketball is extremely diverse; boasting both players and fans from all around the world. Due to this global diversity, basketball’s cultural impact is both heightened and, in turn, impacted by other cultures itself. These players, both international and native to the United States, are the keyholders to modern culture.

Not only are these players trendsetters, but they are also model images of what their fans and followers desire to act like, dress like, and be like. It is because of this that marketers are taking advantage of NBA players’ Twitter followings to promote their products on a regular basis.

It is no secret that the NBA overlaps with fashion in more ways than one. Not only have the players’ entrances into the arenas on game days become a sort of fashion catwalk, but the post-game press conferences have also followed suit. Along with sneaker culture, these factors contribute to the strong overlap between the basketball audience and the fashion audience.

Basketball games are immersive experiences. Players and fans are in close-quarters, fans are encouraged to cheer and chant along, and music sets the tone throughout it all. This explains the strong crossover between those who follow both the top NBA players and musicians like Drake, Kanye, and Lil Nas X.

Despite a high volume of basketball players leaving college early to pursue careers in the NBA and other professional basketball leagues, the importance placed on financial literacy within NBA circles cannot be understated. Considering that NBA players Derrick Favors, Thaddeous Young, and Kyle Kuzma all invest in Surf for Brands- we think it is safe to say that this audience strongly overlaps with finance.

We’d be doing you a disservice if we did not mention how important tech has become to the NBA. As NFTs had a massive boom recently, the NBA has made a strong push to include itself in the conversation. It is also important to note the significant number of accounts that follow both an NBA team and have mentioned the word “tech” in a post (345k)

It has become abundantly clear as of recently that the NBA is heavily involved in social shifts, racial issues, and equality movements. Being extremely responsive and supportive of movements like BlackLivesMatter and Project Backboard, the NBA has cemented itself as one of the premier activist groups for societal shifts.

Finally, we cannot forget to mention the group that we believe are the next wave of trendsetters: the WNBA. Although the WNBA’s influence and viewership is increasing significantly, acknowledgment of its players being trendsetters in today’s society has been wildly uncovered. The WNBA is an extremely open and untapped market that can produce effective and unexpected results for marketers.

All of this, and more, can be found inside the Basketball Audience Report, download below. Be sure to check out the other audience reports for fascinating insights and industry trends that can only be uncovered using Surf for Brands.