A recent survey of 15,000 sports fans living outside the United States has revealed that the NBA remains America's biggest sporting export, despite the NFL being the most popular domestic league. The study, conducted by blockchain fintech platform Chiliz, found that 75 percent of respondents actively follow the NBA, with 20 percent closely monitoring the league.
Michael Jordan Tops the List
Approximately one-fifth of those surveyed identified Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan as the 'most iconic US athlete of all time.' He was followed by the late Kobe Bryant, who secured 8 percent of the vote. LeBron James came in fourth with 7 percent, while Stephen Curry and Magic Johnson ranked ninth and eleventh with 3 percent and 2 percent respectively.
NFL Stars Trail Behind
Notably, no NFL player appeared in the top six spots. The highest-ranked football player was Tom Brady at seventh place with 4 percent, followed by Aaron Rodgers (tenth, 2 percent), Patrick Mahomes (twenty-fifth, 1 percent), and Travis Kelce (twenty-sixth, 1 percent). These names are often favoured by international tabloids.
The survey focused on athletes in American professional leagues, not solely American athletes. This allowed Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to rank third with 7 percent, largely due to a strong Japanese respondent base. Other international stars like Inter Miami's Lionel Messi and retired LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham each garnered 6 percent. Zlatan Ibrahimović, another former Galaxy star, received 1 percent despite playing only two MLS seasons.
Recency Bias Evident
The results showed a recency bias, with early 20th-century icon Babe Ruth receiving just 3 percent of the vote. He was the only athlete on the list who played before 1978, and his share was only slightly higher than that of 22-year-old San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.
Team Support Mirrors American Tastes
When it came to team support, foreign fans' preferences aligned more closely with American tastes. The Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Lakers, and New York Yankees were the most popular clubs in their respective leagues.
Chiliz founder and CEO Alexandre Dreyfus commented: 'The USA is the world's largest sports market with internationally renowned organizations, brands, and individual stars. This has resulted in a global community of fans in every corner of the world. What this report shows is that the way fans engage is adapting and shifting as digital fan engagement evolves.'
He added: 'Jordan's enduring legacy and the power of pull of teams like the Lakers and the Giants shows the importance of establishing a brand that forms deep connections with fans around the globe. Fans are the creators of value in sport, an industry that is moving towards a $1 trillion valuation, and finding innovative ways to keep fans engaged is crucial for the continued growth of teams and leagues in the US.'
Top Sports Icons to Play in the US
As voted on by 15,000 non-American respondents surveyed by Chiliz:
- No. 1 Michael Jordan (NBA, 19%)
- No. 2 Kobe Bryant (NBA, 8%)
- No. 3 Shohei Ohtani (MLB, 7%)
- No. 4 LeBron James (NBA, 7%)
- No. 5 Lionel Messi (MLS, 6%)
- No. 6 David Beckham (MLS, 6%)
- No. 7 Tom Brady (NFL, 4%)
- No. 8 Babe Ruth (MLB, 3%)
- No. 9 Stephen Curry (NBA, 3%)
- No. 10 Aaron Rodgers (NFL, 2%)
- No. 11 Magic Johnson (NBA, 2%)
- No. 12 Alex Rodriguez (MLB, 2%)
- No. 13 Shaquille O'Neal (NBA, 2%)
- No. 14 Alex Ovechkin (NHL, 2%)
- No. 15 Auston Matthews (NHL, 2%)
- No. 16 Aaron Judge (MLB, 2%)
- No. 17 Christian Pulisic (US Soccer, 2%)
- No. 18 Zlatan Ibrahimović (MLS, 1%)
- No. 19 Victor Wembanyama (NBA, 1%)
- No. 20 Connor McDavid (NHL, 1%)
- No. 21 Kevin Durant (NBA, 1%)
- No. 22 Wayne Gretzky (NHL, 1%)
- No. 23 Luka Doncic (NBA, 1%)
- No. 24 Derek Jeter (MLB, 1%)
- No. 25 Patrick Mahomes (NFL, 1%)
- No. 26 Travis Kelce (NFL, 1%)
- No. 27 Lamar Jackson (NFL, 1%)
- No. 28 Jerry Rice (NFL, 1%)
- No. 29 Giannis Antetokounmpo (NBA, 1%)
