Summary of Research Findings

This consumer survey was conducted between April and May 2025 among 2,000 residents in Japan aged 10-69 (1,000 men and 1,000 women, evenly distributed by age group) who had either watched the 2024 Paris Olympics or were at least familiar with the names of the sports featured in the Games. The survey sought to evaluate respondents’ intentions to watch the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games across 49 sports in the program, based on their past sports-watching experiences.

To assess the respondents' interest in sports at the LA2028 Olympics, we asked about their intention to watch each of the 49 disciplines. Respondents selected one option from the following: "Watch in real time", "Watch recorded games", "See highlights on news", "Not interested", or "Decline to answer". The chart highlights the top 20 sports ranked by the share of respondents who selected "Watch in real time".

The sport with the highest share of respondents expressing a strong intention to watch in real time was baseball/softball, at 38.9%. This high percentage likely reflects expectations that Shohei Otani, a Major League Baseball player widely admired across age groups and genders, will compete in the Olympics. Actual viewership for baseball games may vary depending on his participation. Soccer ranked second at 34.5%, followed by volleyball (30.7%), judo (29.9%), and table tennis (27.1%).

Noteworthy Topics

The Importance of Raising Awareness of Non-Mainstream Sports

Among the sports that were contested at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics but not at the 2024 Paris Olympics (returning sports), as well as sports making their Olympic debut at the Los Angeles Olympics (new sports), interest in most ball sports was limited, with the exception of baseball/softball. The share of respondents who selected "watch in real time" was only 8.6% for flag football, 6.0% for squash and lacrosse, and 5.4% for cricket, indicating generally low interested in these sports.  

​As a global sporting festival, the Olympics represents one of the most significant opportunities for non-mainstream sports to gain visibility. For governing bodies promoting these sports, it is essential to strengthen branding and implement awareness-raising initiatives to better capture public attention.

Research Outline