WHAT THE DATA SAY: 65% of Americans call themselves soccer fans – up sharply in 5 years

By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell and Allison Worldwide. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

IS AMERICA FALLING IN LOVE WITH SOCCER?

This summer’s World Cup in North America is creating more American soccer fans, based on our Harris Poll research.

• 32% of soccer fans say this year’s World Cup has sparked new interest in the sport.
• Since 2020, American soccer fandom has grown by 17%.
• 65% of Americans call themselves soccer fans, even though they say, “it still doesn’t feel like an American sport.”
• 35% of Americans already watch major global soccer events.
• 47% follow individual stars as much as a specific team.
• See also: America is building a soccer economy before it builds a soccer culture

JOB-SEEKERS SHOULD FOCUS ON REFERRALS

Nine of 10 hiring managers say referrals are the secret to landing a new job, yet many candidates miss out, based on our Harris Poll research with Express Employment Professionals.

• 90% of U.S. hiring managers say employee referrals make hiring more efficient.
• 91% say a strong internal reference can open doors that would otherwise stay closed.
• 89% trust candidates’ stated skills more when someone recommends them.
• 80% prioritize interviewing referred candidates over equally qualified non-referred applicants.
• Yet, among job seekers, only 40% know that a referral helps them stand out.

GLP-1 ACCEPTANCE DEPENDS ON EMPLOYER

Employer-sponsored health benefits play a significant role in determining who uses GLP-1 treatments, based on new Harris Poll research with Wondr Health.

• 65% of Americans would be more likely to use a GLP-1 for weight loss if their employer covered at least part of the cost.
• 49% would be more comfortable using a GLP-1 for weight loss if the treatments were more widely accepted by society.
• Men (53%) are more likely than women (45%) to say social acceptance would make them more comfortable using a GLP-1 for weight loss.
• Americans with an annual household income of $100,000 or more (54%) are more likely than those with an annual household income of less than $75,000 (43%) to say societal acceptance would increase their comfort using a GLP-1 for weight loss.

AMERICAN HOME OWNERSHIP DREAM IS DYING

More than half of Americans believe the American dream of owning a home is dead, according to our Harris Poll survey with USA TODAY.

• 51% believe the American Dream of owning a home is history – increasing to 57% for Gen Z.
• 68% of Americans say home ownership feels less like a goal and more like a privilege – higher for Millennials (73%).
• 43% believe that, no matter how hard they work, they won’t be able to afford a home they love.
• 50% of Gen Z homeowners say their house is a money pit.

ONLINE DEGREES MORE CREDIBLE

Online degrees are more credible today than 10 years ago, according to our Harris Poll research with the University of Phoenix.

• 98% of hiring leaders say online degrees are more credible today.
• 85% are more likely to consider candidates with these credentials during the next 10 years.
• Hiring leaders say those with online degrees have improved productivity (63%), faster skill development (62%), improved morale (55%) and more upward mobility (52%).

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• Top Pollster Breaks Down Which Party Is Better Positioned Headed Into The Midterms (HarrisX)
• Creative Intelligence: What the Data Says (Left Field Labs)