Gen Z and the New Language of Sports PR.

Roger Hampel

Gen Z is rewriting the playbook for sports public relations, demanding that brands speak their language. This always-online generation (born roughly 1997–2012) is hyper-connected, meme-savvy, and allergic to anything that smells inauthentic. As their influence grows, sports PR pros worldwide are adapting strategies to resonate with Gen Z’s digital behaviors – from embracing meme culture and irreverent humor to delivering content on TikTok and other youth-centric platforms. The result is a new language of sports PR defined by authenticity, interactivity, and cultural relevance.

Gen Z Digital Behaviors Are Changing the Game

Gen Z’s media habits are transforming how sports content is consumed and communicated. This cohort doesn’t follow sports in the traditional way of sitting through full live broadcasts – instead, over 90% of Gen Z fans consume sports primarily via social media highlights and short clips rather than entire games (Deloitte United States; Tom Dievart, 2025).

Attention spans are shorter, and the social aspect matters more than the event itself: a recent sports fan insight report found that 90% of Gen Z viewers turn to social platforms for sports content, engaging with highlight reels, athlete posts, and fan discussions online. In fact, according to GreenFly, almost 43% of Gen Z fans use social media while watching live sports to chat, comment, or view memes in real-time – making sports viewing a second-screen, interactive experience.

This generation also blurs the lines between sports and other entertainment. They’ve grown up co-creating content – filming trick shots, remixing sports footage, and making memes – rather than passively consuming. Gen Z fans treat sports as a two-way conversation, not a one-way broadcast. They join online fan communities, react in comment threads, and even help shape narratives around games.

Only 23% of Gen Z even describe themselves as “passionate” sports fans, the lowest of any cohort, yet they love the culture around sports – the fashion drops, the POV vlogs from athletes, the meme-ready moments – often more than the score itself (Goizueta Business School). In other words, to engage Gen Z, sports PR must go beyond the game and tap into the lifestyle and community around it.

Some broader trends underscore Gen Z’s impact: niche sports and eSports are booming with young audiences, driven by online buzz. For example, online engagement in tennis and motorsports jumped over 30–50% recently as Gen Z discovered these sports via social media (IBB Online).

Meanwhile, traditional fan activities are evolving into digital-first experiences. Fantasy sports leagues have introduced NFT-based trading cards and virtual team ownership elements to appeal to Gen Z’s interest in digital assets (with young fans “investing” in online identities as much as physical jerseys) – a sign that fandom is shifting toward virtual spaces like Discord servers and Twitch streams. The bottom line: Gen Z expects to engage with sports on their terms – socially, interactively, and often virtually – forcing marketers to meet them where they are.

Meme Culture: Sports PR Embraces the Internet’s Inside Jokes

If millennials communicated in GIFs, Gen Z communicates in memes. Meme culture isn’t just a fringe internet habit; it’s central to how young audiences relate to content – including sports. Blending sports with meme humor can dramatically boost appeal to Gen Z, serving as a cost-effective marketing shortcut. Today’s sports PR teams increasingly pepper their messaging with internet in-jokes, trending formats, and absurd humor that resonates with Gen Z’s online vernacular.

One vivid example is the rise of the “Italian Brainrot” meme trend in 2025 – a bizarre TikTok phenomenon featuring surreal AI-generated characters set to a nonsensical catchy tune. This meme might seem meaningless to outsiders, but it captivated Gen Z users with its chaotic charm. Major brands and even football clubs jumped on the trend; Atlético Madrid, for instance, incorporated the viral Italian Brainrot meme content into its marketing posts. 

By sharing a goofy video of a shark wearing Air Jordans (part of the meme’s lore), Atlético’s social team showed they’re fluent in Gen Z’s humor and willing to be less “corporate.” The payoff? Such meme-literate posts often go viral, racking up views from young fans who appreciate a club that speaks internet slang. It’s a stark departure from traditional PR, but it earns attention – and authenticity points – with the new generation.

Memes also humanize sports moments. Gen Z fans routinely turn athletes’ facial expressions, post-game antics, or press-conference one-liners into viral memes shared across Reddit, TikTok, and Twitter. Rather than fight this trend, smart sports PR teams lean in. They might supply behind-the-scenes clips specifically hoping the internet will meme them, or even create light-hearted meme content themselves.

For example, when an F1 team playfully posted a short clip of their driver singing off-key during a practice session, it became instant meme-fodder on #F1Tok (F1 TikTok) – spreading the team’s name far beyond hardcore racing circles. Gen Z’s preferred “language” is often a humorous image or a TikTok sound bite, and brands that prove fluent in that language earn cultural relevance.

Crucially, meme culture demands agility. Trends on TikTok or Instagram can erupt and fizzle within days. Sports PR teams now employ young, social-savvy staff (some teams even call them “vibe coordinators”) whose job is to monitor what’s trending and inject the team/brand into those conversations in real time.

As one analysis quipped, 62% of under-25 fans follow athletes on meme pages rather than official accounts – meaning if you’re not memeing, you’re missing where the fans are. Whether it’s the latest SpongeBob reaction image after a tough loss, or a “How it started vs. How it’s going” post when a team makes a comeback, meme-able content helps brands ride the cultural wave.

Even a few years ago, official sports accounts avoided slang and sarcasm; now, it’s common to see teams tagging each other in jokey Twitter banter or creating TikTok skits – because that’s what clicks with Gen Z.

Importantly, humor has to feel organic. Gen Z can tell when a brand forces a meme or hops on a trend awkwardly. The key is meme literacy – knowing the nuances of a joke and the right tone to strike. A sports PR win in this realm was an NFL team (the Tennessee Titans) posting a fan-made TikTok of a Titans supporter wildly running around in joy after a win; the team cleverly stitched it with a humorous caption and let the meme speak for itself.

The video required no polish – just recognition that this raw, funny clip is exactly the kind of shareable moment Gen Z loves. It garnered huge engagement, proving that sometimes the best PR move is to let the memes do the talking.

Authenticity Above All: No Patience for PR Spin

If there’s one value that sits at the core of Gen Z’s ethos, it’s authenticity. This generation has built-in BS detectors from growing up in the social media era. They’ve seen enough perfectly scripted ads and press releases to sniff out inauthentic messaging a mile away. For sports PR, this means the old tactics of glossy, overly controlled messaging simply don’t work on young audiences – in fact, they can backfire badly (often roasted in the comments or turned into negative memes).

Trust is huge for Gen Z, and it’s tightly linked to perceived authenticity. They respond far better to a behind-the-scenes locker room video or a candid Instagram Live than a polished TV commercial. Edelman’s 2024 Trust Barometer found nearly 3 in 4 Gen Zers believe they can instantly tell when a brand is faking it – and they will drop that brand in a heartbeat if it contradicts their values. For sports organizations, this has meant taking stands (or at least not appearing hypocritical) on social issues, and being transparent when things go wrong.

A great example came from the fitness apparel brand Gymshark. When Gymshark got into a public contract dispute with a Gen Z influencer athlete, instead of hiding behind legal jargon, the company published the contract clauses on social media and opened a live Q&A to address fans’ questions. Industry insiders thought airing dirty laundry was risky, but it actually earned Gen Z’s respect – sentiment improved because the brand’s transparency felt genuine. The lesson for sports PR: owning up to mistakes, addressing controversies head-on, and even poking fun at oneself can turn a potential PR crisis into an authenticity win. Gen Z forgives a slip-up more easily than a cover-up.

Authenticity also reshapes how sports stories are told. User-generated content and raw footage now often outshine slick ads in credibility and impact. A fan-shot video of a player celebrating with supporters in the stands can reinforce a team’s authenticity much more than a choreographed marketing campaign. Knowing this, many teams actively encourage UGC and even feature fan content on official channels. They’ve learned that what the audience shares carries more weight than what the brand says.

In practical terms, “speaking human” is the new norm in PR messaging to young fans. Social media managers for teams now reply to followers with the same slang and humor a friend would use. Brands are learning to drop the corporate tone and sound like actual people. As one PR analyst put it, Gen Z will test brands’ tone by tagging them in memes or leaving sarcastic comments – and if the brand responds with a bit of clever sass or genuine personality, Gen Z pays attention.

Contrast this with boilerplate statements that allow no interaction (no comments on a press release) and you see why that old approach leaves Gen Z cold. The takeaway: to connect with this audience, sports PR must ditch the stilted “brand voice” and embrace a more conversational, truthful tone. Authenticity isn’t just a buzzword; for Gen Z, “authentic” is the price of admission – and any whiff of phoniness is an eject button.

TikTok and Short-Form Video: The New Arena for Sports PR

Short-form video platforms like TikTok have become the new arena where sports brands compete for Gen Z attention. Here, an F1 car races past packed grandstands – but much of the buzz for young fans is generated online through 60-second clips and viral moments rather than the on-track action alone.

When it comes to platforms, TikTok is the undisputed home turf of Gen Z. With over 80% of Gen Z having TikTok profiles (SproutSocial), and countless hours spent scrolling the For You Page, sports marketers have made TikTok a top priority for reaching young fans. The platform’s explosive popularity lies in its ability to serve up bite-sized, algorithm-tailored videos that hook viewers fast – exactly how Gen Z likes to consume content. For sports PR, TikTok isn’t just another channel; it’s a chance to showcase the fun, informal, and creative side of sports in a way that traditional media can’t.

A key aspect of TikTok success is tapping into trends and using native formats (challenges, sounds, duets) to amplify reach. But the real “secret sauce” is authenticity and personality. TikTok’s culture prizes content that feels real and entertaining over corporate. As Greenfly’s sports social media analysts note, fans on TikTok “only want to connect with real people, not brands,” so successful sports accounts often turn their athletes and staff into the content creators and influencers. Many teams now feature players doing TikTok challenges, locker-room dances, or comedic skits – unscripted moments that make fans feel like they’re hanging out with the team.

For example, the Chicago Bulls’ TikTok exploded in 2023 by showcasing funny behind-the-scenes pranks and player antics. One Bulls video – a prank scare on media day – accumulated 8.8 million engagements, the most of any sports TikTok that year. The Bulls’ account added 1.5 million new followers, ranking among the top in growth, by consistently delivering these lighthearted, shareable clips (rivaliq.com). This illustrates how leaning into TikTok’s playful vibe can translate into massive fan engagement.

Even teams outside the biggest markets have struck gold on TikTok by understanding Gen Z humor. The NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning garnered over 1.2 million engagements on a TikTok that showed fans at a game doing a silly emoji face challenge on the arena jumbotron (rivaliq.com). The video’s success came from blending an in-arena fan moment with an internet-friendly concept – essentially turning a live event into a TikTok meme. It’s a great example of repurposing content: something as simple as fans making funny faces in real life can become viral content with the right packaging.

Crucially, TikTok offers an algorithmic advantage: even accounts with modest followings can have a video go viral if it strikes a chord. Overall engagement rates on TikTok dwarf those on other social platforms – pro sports teams see around a 9.5% engagement rate per view on TikTok, far higher than on Instagram or Twitter. That means a compelling TikTok video is extremely efficient at reaching lots of fans.

Sports leagues have noticed this and are investing accordingly. The NFL, NBA, MLB, and global football clubs all have dedicated TikTok content teams now, often posting multiple times a week. In fact, in 2023, pro sports teams on average posted only ~3 videos per week on TikTok yet achieved outsized engagement – showing that quality (and trend-savviness) can beat sheer quantity on this platform. (rivaliq.com).

Case in Point: AC Milan’s TikTok Play and “Brainrot” Humor

One standout example of a legacy sports brand successfully adapting to TikTok culture is AC Milan. The Italian football giant realized that to hook Gen Z fans globally, they needed to go beyond match highlights and embrace the weird, wonderful world of TikTok.

In recent years, AC Milan doubled its social media content output and explicitly began tailoring content to platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Rather than simply reposting the same clips everywhere, they craft platform-specific posts – meaning more memes, music, and humor on TikTok, where that style thrives.

AC Milan even tapped into TikTok’s gaming crossover culture: in 2022, the club launched a partnership with the video game Fortnite, allowing players to use AC Milan jerseys and items in-game. This move was explicitly aimed at engaging Gen Z – meeting young fans in digital spaces beyond football. The club’s media team noted it as a “clever way to reach Gen Z and keep the brand relevant” outside traditional football channels.

The results have validated the strategy; by blending sports, gaming, and social media, AC Milan expanded its fanbase among younger demographics who might not have followed Serie A before. For instance, when the club signed a young star player popular with U.S. youth (Christian Pulisic in 2023), Milan’s web traffic from the U.S. spiked by almost 300%, and video views tripled – indicating huge engagement from newly hooked fans.

AC Milan ultras wave banners at San Siro. The storied club is blending its rich tradition with new media innovation – from fan tokens to TikTok challenges – to captivate Gen Z fans without losing its identity.

AC Milan’s content on TikTok ranges from celebratory locker room footage to participating in viral trends. The club isn’t afraid to show players joking around or to use quirky effects and sounds that align with TikTok’s “brainrot” style humor.

In one viral instance, AC Milan’s TikTok account riffed in April 2025 on the Trallallero Trallallà brainrot meme by featuring a montage of players superimposed with the meme’s absurd audio track – a move that both surprised and delighted Gen Z followers familiar with the trend. By signaling “we get the joke,” AC Milan earned high share counts and comments like “admin is one of us.” This is a far cry from the buttoned-up image top clubs maintained a decade ago, and it’s been key to Milan’s resurgence in global buzz.

Beyond TikTok, AC Milan has also invested in authenticity-driven initiatives such as fan tokens (through Socios.com) that let supporters vote on club decisions, and lifestyle content like fashion collaborations and music events. A Deloitte Football Money League study noted that clubs who broaden into lifestyle and culture see higher engagement from female and younger fans – something AC Milan’s strategy reflects.

The takeaway from Milan’s example is clear: appealing to Gen Z may require stepping outside the traditional sports PR comfort zone (into gaming, memes, streetwear, etc.), but done right, it adds to the club’s aura rather than detracting. Milan managed to remain “the same club fans have always loved” while making it “easier to be a fan now, no matter where you are” through digital content – a model many other teams are now trying to emulate.

Case in Point: Formula 1’s Gen Z Media Revival

No discussion of Gen Z and sports would be complete without mentioning the dramatic youth-driven revival of Formula One (F1). Long viewed as a niche or elitist motorsport, F1 has aggressively courted younger audiences over the past few years – with stunning success. The catalyst was a turn to storytelling and social media, rather than just the technical side of racing. Netflix’s Drive to Survive docuseries (2019) was a game-changer, humanizing drivers and team dramas in a way that hooked Gen Z viewers raised on reality TV-style narratives. Suddenly, F1 had meme-able characters: e.g., a clip of a team principal’s animated rant became a popular meme, and young fans started quoting it on TikTok.

Following up on that momentum, F1’s owners and teams doubled down on short-form, shareable content. They realized a 90-second clip of, say, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc singing karaoke or Lewis Hamilton showing off his streetwear outfit could generate more social engagement than a standard race highlights package. So they flooded TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts with behind-the-scenes peeks, driver challenges, and humorous bits.

The effect was profound: TikTok hashtags like #F1Tok and #F1Edits have amassed billions of views, and fan-made highlight reels with dramatic music often outpace official race videos in shares. Memes about F1 (like joking about Ferrari’s pit-stop errors) spread faster among Gen Z than actual race statistics, indicating the sport’s narrative has expanded beyond the track to an ongoing internet conversation.

F1 also revamped live events to appeal to young fans’ desire for experiences. Grand Prix races now include festival-like fan zones with DJs, gaming simulators, and influencer meet-and-greets. At the 2023 U.S. Grand Prix in Miami, for example, the weekend felt as much like a pop-culture event as a race – with concerts, celebrity sightings, and Instagrammable installations.

This “make it an entertainment spectacle” approach acknowledges that many attendees (especially younger ones) come for the vibe and social experience, not just the on-track action. F1 has essentially rebranded itself as not just a sport but a lifestyle/culture brand with speed at its core. And it’s paid off: the series’ global fan base has become significantly younger since 2017, with a sharp rise in under-35 and female fans drawn in by the more inclusive, story-driven presentation. (motorz.me) 

The F1 case study underlines many of the themes we’ve discussed: authenticity (showing drivers’ real personalities), meme culture (embracing viral fan content), and strategic platform use (heavy presence on TikTok and streaming platforms). It also shows the ROI of these efforts. In the U.S., Gen Z is now the largest F1 fan demographic among new fans, and many credit the Netflix series and social media for sparking their interest.

One survey even found 57% of Gen Z F1 fans were influenced to follow the sport by a docuseries (like Drive to Survive), compared to 45% of Millennials (NewsWeek), highlighting how pivotal these new media strategies have been. For sports PR at large, F1 provides a blueprint: meet young audiences where they are (on streaming and social), tell compelling human stories, and don’t be afraid to break the traditional mold – it might just future-proof your fan base.

From Engagement to ROI: Why It Pays to Speak Gen Z

All these shifts in strategy aren’t just for show – they’re delivering tangible results for those who execute well. Brands and teams that have cracked the Gen Z code are seeing spikes in engagement, growth in fandom, and even direct revenue lifts. Consider these outcomes from embracing the “new language” of sports PR:

• Skyrocketing Social Engagement: 

  Teams that keep content fun, interactive, and authentic are dominating engagement charts. In 2023, NBA’s Chicago Bulls saw TikTok engagement rates of nearly 14% (per view) and grew followers by the millions. Across leagues, the average TikTok engagement rate for pro teams (~9.5%) was several times higher than on legacy platforms, translating to millions of impressions and invaluable youth exposure. More engagement today means a stronger, younger fan community tomorrow. (Rivaliq.com)

  
  

• New Fan Acquisition: 

  By venturing onto Gen Z’s turf (TikTok, Twitch, Discord, etc.), sports brands are capturing new demographics. F1’s younger fanbase growth is one example, as is AC Milan’s international expansion. After AC Milan embraced Gen Z-tailored content and signed a U.S. star, their U.S. web traffic and video views tripled, heralding a new Stateside fan segment for the club. Many of those new fans likely discovered Milan through a viral clip or a gaming crossover rather than traditional sports media. That’s net new audience that can be nurtured into lifelong supporters.

  
  

• Stronger Brand Loyalty: 

  Gen Z’s BS radar means once you earn their trust, they can become extremely loyal advocates. Brands that collaborate with Gen Z (co-creating products or content) report positive ROI. For instance, Adidas involved Gen Z creators in designing sneakers via a Discord community and saw Gen Z purchase intent jump 27% in one year. By making young consumers co-owners of the brand story, Adidas converted them into eager customers. Sports teams mirror this when they let fans vote on jersey designs or feature fan art on official pages – it fosters a sense of ownership that translates to loyalty and merchandise sales.

  
  

• Campaign Successes & Viral Moments: 

  Tailoring tone and content to Gen Z has led to some remarkable marketing wins. A “meme campaign” by an MMA promotion – where fighters trash-talked each other in TikTok duets using popular memes – drove record PPV buys from younger viewers, showing that humor could successfully hype an event. In the world of football, when a club launched a TikTok challenge for fans to recreate a player’s iconic goal celebration, thousands participated, generating user content worth millions in advertising (for free) and boosting the club’s visibility during a critical season. These kinds of viral moments are essentially ROI gold, born from minimal spend and maximal creativity.

  
  

• Increased Trust and Goodwill: 

  Perhaps most importantly, aligning with Gen Z’s values and communication style builds goodwill that money can’t easily buy. When a team is seen as authentic – for example, supporting social causes sincerely or engaging fans honestly during crises – young fans reward it with loyalty and positive word-of-mouth. Conversely, brands that fumble (appearing disingenuous or using slang awkwardly) face swift backlash. The stakes are high, but the ones who get it right enjoy a community of fans who not only consume content but become vocal brand ambassadors.

  
  

Conclusion: Evolving Sports PR for a New Generation

Gen Z is pushing sports organizations to evolve – and fast. This demographic’s influence will only grow as more of them enter adulthood and dominate online conversation. The “new language” of sports PR that’s emerging is one defined by memes, authenticity, and platform fluency. It’s about meeting young fans where they are and communicating in a style that feels native to digital culture, rather than making the audience come to you. In practical terms, that means a witty TikTok post or a heartfelt Instagram Live might do more for a team’s image than a dozen formal press releases.

For sports PR professionals and marketers, the mandate is clear: be genuine, be fun, and be everywhere Gen Z is. This could mean hiring social media managers who grew up in internet culture, empowering athletes to be content creators, or crafting campaigns that invite fans to participate (through challenges, votes, or UGC). It definitely means abandoning one-way communication in favor of dialogue.

The brands and teams that have embraced this ethos – speaking on Gen Z’s terms – are reaping the benefits in relevance and fandom. Those that don’t risk becoming background noise, or worse, a cautionary tale of being “out of touch.”

In the end, engaging Gen Z isn’t an insurmountable challenge; it simply requires respecting them on their own terms. As one expert wisely noted, Gen Z doesn’t reject marketing – they reject feeling like they’re being marketed to. The new language of sports PR is thus less about polished promotion and more about genuine connection. When a sports brand can banter like a friend, stand for something real, and drop a meme at just the right moment, it signals to young fans that “we get you.” And if Gen Z feels understood, they’ll return the favor with attention, affinity, and lifelong fandom – all on their own terms.