FOX Sports Deepens Investment in Understanding Power and Importance of Fandom with New Harvard Kennedy School

The Fandom and Social Connection Initiative is Dedicated to Advancing the Science and Impact of Fandom

New York, NY / Cambridge, MA – May 11, 2026 – FOX Sports today announced the latest step in its ongoing commitment to understanding the value and importance of fandom, funding the creation of the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy. This latest effort builds on FOX’s broader strategy to better understand fandom not only as a driver of engagement, but as a powerful force shaping social connection, identity, and well-being.

The three-year research initiative will advance the science of fandom by exploring how fan communities - especially in sports - help maintain and strengthen social bonds. The work will examine fandom’s role in fostering connection, improving well-being, and creating shared experiences, while identifying ways to amplify its positive social impact.

"Fandom facilitates human connection, galvanizes relationships, and enhances well-being," said Ben Valenta, Executive Vice President, Strategy & Analytics, FOX Sports. "Through this initiative FOX is deepening its commitment to understanding fandom as a social catalyst and cultural force—and to identifying new ways to strengthen, grow, and expand fan communities in meaningful and inclusive ways." 

As part of this effort, the research will focus on two core objectives: elevating fandom as a vital social good and identifying interventions that deepen engagement among existing fans while welcoming new and more diverse audiences.

"Sports fandom is one of the most powerful forces in American life, and yet it is deeply understudied. This initiative will change that," said Todd Rogers, Weatherhead Professor of Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School. "Our goal is to understand fandom scientifically: what makes it so meaningful to so many people, how it builds and sustains relationships, and how we can expand and amplify its benefits."

• Wide, Deep, and Diverse: Nearly 90% of Americans identify as fans of a team or sport, with 46% describing themselves as highly engaged or "obsessed." For nearly one-third of Americans, fandom is central to their identity. Fan communities also reflect the full diversity of the country, cutting across demographics and backgrounds.
• Catalyst for Connection: Live games and shared viewing experiences provide natural opportunities to gather, while fandom offers an easy and universal way to start conversations. The rhythm of a sports season fosters ongoing interaction, helping relationships grow over time while reducing barriers like coordination challenges or social anxiety. The initiative will study how the fixed schedule of sports can reduce the coordination barriers to maintaining relationships.
• Shared Joy and Synchronization: People become fans because it’s fun—and that enjoyment is amplified when experienced together. Research shows that shared viewing can lead to emotional and even physiological synchronization, strengthening bonds between individuals and communities.

Through this initiative, FOX continues to invest in understanding how fandom can be better measured, strengthened, and expanded—unlocking its potential not just as an entertainment driver, but as a force for social connection and collective well-being.

About FOX Sports

FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing Fox Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, the business has ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing relationships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Network; FS1, FS2, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports’ digital properties include the FOX Sports App and FOXSports.com, which provide instant scores, stats and stories from across the sports world. Live streaming video of FOX Sports content is available via FOX One, Fox Corporation’s wholly owned, direct to consumer streaming service. Also included in FOX Sports’ portfolio are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network and the UFL and a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network.

About the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy

The Shorenstein Center is a research center, based at Harvard Kennedy School, dedicated to studying the complexities and nuances of the contemporary information ecosystem and its impact on politics, public policy, and society. Through research, convenings, and collaboration, the center develops insights, tools, frameworks and interventions that help institutions and practitioners navigate in today's media-saturated world.