Women’s National Volleyball Team wins gold and the hearts of Italians

Sponsor Value research by StageUp and Ipsos reveals record interest in team after Olympic win

Bologna, Aug. 14, 2024 – The Italian National Women’s Volleyball Team is riding an unprecedented wave of success, not only on the court, but also in the hearts of Italians. According to the latest Sponsor Value research conducted by StageUp and Ipsos, interest in the team has reached unprecedented levels, with an estimated 21.4 million fans following the Olympic triumph in Paris.

The national team now ranks No. 1 among the most-watched women’s national teams in Italy, surpassing the women’s soccer and men’s rugby teams and ranking behind the men’s soccer team, which remains the most popular. This result once again testifies to the talent of Italian female athletes and the growing appeal of women’s volleyball, which is capable of attracting a wide and varied audience.

Who are the fans of the National Women’s Volleyball team? Research by StageUp and Ipsos outlines a profile of unisex fans with, for the most part, an age range of 25 to 44 years old who from a socio-economic point of view, compared to the Italian population, show a high level of education and income that are reflected in good purchasing power.

How do Italians follow the national team? Most follow the National Team occasionally (60 percent), but there is also a solid fan base that follows it regularly (12 percent) or fairly regularly (28 percent). The data indicate that although the National Team is not yet followed as passionately as the men’s soccer team, it still enjoys a loyal, passionate and growing following.

The large following was also evidenced by the auditel data of the Olympic semifinal and final: the challenge against the USA that gave the gold had 5.5 million viewers (40.3% share) with a peak of 7 mln (50% share), while the semifinal against Turkey was watched by 3.7 mln viewers (23.9% share).

Statement by Giovanni Palazzi (President of StageUp)

“The growing popularity of the National Women’s Volleyball Team represents a great opportunity for the sport in Italy. On the one hand, it testifies once again to the quality and talent of Italian female athletes, and on the other, it shows that women’s volleyball is able to attract a wide and diverse audience, overcoming gender stereotypes and winning the hearts of Italians. This success will have a positive impact in the medium and long term, incentivizing the practice of volleyball among the younger generation and attracting more investment. At the same time, it generates the conditions for this representative team to become a reference for Italian girls and women and beyond, proof that with commitment and determination great goals can be achieved, both in sports and in life.”