News & Views | JULY, 2025 | | |
Sports Fans in the age 25-44 Demographic Remain a Sweet Spot for Activating Sponsors
Our Consumer Optimism Barometer shows a majority of fans within these age bands supportive and mindful of the brands that activate around their favorite sports and teams. This mirrors some of the insights drawn from our normative database of onsite activation efficacy measurement across hundreds of sports events. SEE DETAILS and CONTACT US to find out how we can help you optimize onsite fan engagement with your target audience.
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A “Wait and See” Economy is Really a Reflection of Partisan Leanings.
Economic data and market activity continue to show a consumer that is still spending on preferred leisure activities, despite uncertainty about the direction of the U.S. economy. New SLRG data shows that much of one’s perspective is reflective of partisan leanings, as illustrated in our most recent wave of the Consumer Optimism Barometer. LEARN MORE
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For Golf Fans, LIV vs the PGA TOUR is in the Rear View Mirror
SLRG research is showing that golf fans are significantly less optimistic that the framework agreement between PIF and the PGA TOUR will result in a formal merger in the near future. However, more significantly, the same tracking data suggests that fans really aren’t that phased by this, as they are even more attuned to the professional game than they were a year ago. Augmenting this with qualitative research and our perspective is that the TOUR has won the battle, if there ever was one, and the need for a merger seems less important than ever. CLICK HERE to learn more.
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Should Sports Coverage be more about the Team vs The Individual?
We’ve long lamented that sports coverage’s drift from a focus on teams, strategy and “brand community” in favor of elevating individual athletes, can work to the detriment of an individual property. This seems even more acute in this era of constant player movement. In recent research, it’s interesting to see that fan perspectives are shifting in a direction that aligns with our perspective. The phenomenon is even more true for the younger age cohorts that sports marketers covet. CLICK HERE to see how perceptions are shifting, and CONTACT US to learn more.
| | SLRG INSIGHTS IN THE NEWS | | |
In this month’s Media Post column, SLRG’s Jon Last speaks to how older and more affluent sports fans could be the new “lost generation” as content delivery continues to fragment.
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Golf property analyst Larry Hirsh, interviews Jon Last about consumer trends, the economy and it’s impact for golf facilities.
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The last month has certainly been interesting, especially when we look at shifting consumer attitudes relative to actual behaviors. There has been an underlying cautiousness as more people question the sustainability of an economy that continues to defy some of the gloom and doom predictions circulating in the popular press...
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SLRG’s Jon Last kick’s off Golf Inc.’s new Wisdom series with a current snap shot of how consumer attitudes and behaviors will be impacting the golf market, this season.
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Golf’s Waiting Game: The latest consumer attitudinal research informs SLRG’s snapshot on expectations for the health of the golf industry, as part of National Golf Course Owners’ Association’s Research Center.
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James Endersby sits down with SLRG founder/President Jon Last for a candid discussion about his career and the current state of the marketing research industry.
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What is A.I.’s proper place in sports marketing? An insights driven look at the battle between high-tech, frictionless delivery of everything from tickets to tee times, against high-touch, customer-centricity in an impersonal world seeking deeper connection. Read More »
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Download the Latest SLRG Podcasts Covering the Business of Golf and the Latest in The Research and Insights Industry
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Jon Last and David Klein welcome leading voices in the golf industry on The First Call’s podcast series, DRIVER$.
Here are the latest episodes:
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Guest: Rhett Evans, CEO, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Description: When the GCSAA CEO summitted Mt. Everest in 2024, it was just the latest mountain that he has conquered in a storied career at one of the industry’s most important administrative bodies.
LISTEN HERE »
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| Sports and Leisure Research Group’s Jon Last speaks with GolfTec Founder and CEO Joe Assell about how the company has scaled to over 250 locations and how technological innovation continues to set the pace as the leading provider of golf instruction and largest employer of PGA Teaching professionals looks to the future. LISTEN HERE » |
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SLRG’s Jon Last is a past President and current marketing chair of Market Research Institute International, a thought leadership group and partner with The University of Georgia in offering the leading global online certificate programs, supporting the career development and education of market research professionals. SLRG is also a proud sponsor of the Institute.
MRII ‘s podcast series offers compelling discussions with industry leaders. Last is one of the hosts of the series.
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Built to Predict: Inside the New Data Machine with Michael Ramlet, Morning Consult
May 29, 2025
| | What are the unseen trends in modern market research? On this episode of the Insights and Innovators podcast from Market Research Institute International, Jon Last, President of Sports and Leisure Research Group, engages in a compelling discussion with Michael Ramlet, CEO of Morning Consult. Explore how Morning Consult is revolutionizing public opinion research with daily data collection, the integration of AI, and a unique approach to blending syndicated and custom data. LISTEN HERE » | | Discover how AI is revolutionizing market research in today’s episode of MRII’s Insights and Innovators podcast. Join host Jon Last, President of Sports and Leisure Research Group, as he speaks with David Boyle, Director at Audience Strategies. David shares his journey through various industries, culminating in the integration of AI-driven insights into market research. LISTEN HERE » | | From building connections to staying curious, Katie Egge shares insights from her journey. Host Jon Last, President of Sports and Leisure Research Group, interviews Katie Egge, RVP at Salesloft, recognized as one of the 30 under 30 winners in market research. LISTEN HERE » | | Join us in this episode of the Insights Innovators podcast from Market Research Institute International, hosted by Jon Last, President of Sports and Leisure Research Group. Our guest, James Endersby, CEO at Opinium and Chairman of the Market Research Society in the UK, discusses the distinct qualities setting next-gen Insights industry leaders apart. LISTEN HERE » | | Learn more about MRII HERE | |
CLICK HERE for archived issues of SLRG's "News & Views" e-newsletter, for all of the most up-to-date insight on issues impacting marketing research, the media, travel, sports and leisure industries.
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