Which Division Series MLB teams are making the biggest Buzz, and who are their fans?
The Los Angeles Dodgers have generated the biggest month-over-month uptick in Buzz scores among the eight teams competing in the Major League Baseball (MLB) Division Series across both leagues. The Dodgers 30-day average score has shot up to 11.9 from 7.4. The scores are averages for: September 9 – October 8, 2024 and we compare them against scores from the preceding 30-day period i.e., August 10 – September 8, 2024.
New York Mets have seen a 3.7-point growth in scores. The Carlos Mendoza-managed team has now made it past the Phillies to the Championship Series after having finished sixth in the league stage. The Phillies, who have now been eliminated by the Mets, have witnessed a 2.5-point bump in scores.
The San Diego Padres have gained a 1.7-point boost in Buzz, which could rise further if they overcome the LA Dodgers in their decider on Friday evening.
Who are the fans?
Of these four clubs who have moved the Buzz needle the most, LA Dodgers are the most popular with 12% of Americans who support one or more MLB teams picking the Dave Roberts-led team as one of their favorites. The Mets are roughly at par (11%). The Phillies also have a sizeable fan following (8%), but support for the Padres is more niche (4%).
But the Padres boast of one of the youngest fan bases, with 27% of them aged between 18-29 and another three-tenths aged between 30-44 (29%). The Phillies, on the other hand, have among the oldest fan bases, with about a quarter aged above 65 (26%) - only 17% of Padres fans fall in this bracket .
The fan following of all clubs have a similar male to female ratio. The percentage of women fans is highest for the Phillies (43%), and New York Mets have the lowest share of women as part of the overall pie (39%).
The Phillies also lead the way for the most dispersed fan following in that they have the lowest share (29%) of their overall audience residing in the home state (Pennsylvania in this case). By contrast, 39% of Dodgers fans live in California with 61% residing elsewhere. The spread for the Mets is closer to that of the Phillies (31% in New York vs 69% elsewhere).
How these fans view sponsors and sponsorships?
San Diego Padres fans are the most enthusiastic about sports sponsorship, with 73% agreeing that sponsorship helps companies remain socially relevant. Mets fans (71%) and Phillies fans (63%) show similar sentiments. Meanwhile, 67% of Dodgers fans agree with the importance of social relevance.
On whether certain brands are suitable for sports sponsorship, Padres fans again lead with 65% saying that some sponsors don’t align well with sports, while Mets and Dodgers fans share this view equally (62%). Phillies fans express the same opinion, albeit at a lower rate (62%).
Padres fans are also highly engaged with their team’s sponsors, with 67% enjoying seeing their favorite team with cool sponsors and 65% taking notice of sponsors during events. Mets fans closely follow at 63% for both categories, with Dodgers and Phillies fans being less likely to share this view.
Interestingly, 63% of Padres fans and 59% of Mets fans say they support their teams by purchasing from sponsors, showing a tangible connection between sponsorship and consumer behavior. This sentiment is lower for Dodgers (53%) and Phillies (47%) fans.
However, brands that sponsor just one team resonate most with Padres (58%) and Mets (53%) fans. Dodgers (46%) and Phillies (43%) fans are comparatively less likely to prioritize this.
When it comes to feeling entitled to special discounts from sponsors, fans of the Padres (58%) and Mets (57%) are the most vocal, while Phillies fans (43%) are the least likely to expect such perks.