A new study explores the NFL’s initiatives and how the league can attract and keep Gen Z fans. (Getty Images)

By Drew Thompson

As athletes and sports leagues increasingly speak out on issues of the day, a generational shift is shaping the landscape. The NFL’s initiatives in corporate social responsibility are even a measuring stick for Generation Z, according to a recent study from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Gen Z is broadly defined as covering those born from 1997 to 2012, so they now range in age from their early teens to late 20s. To engage them effectively, the NFL must align its values to its actions in a genuine way, said Yong-Chae Rhee, Ph.D., associate professor at the VCU Center for Sport Leadership in the School of Business.

“If [Gen Zers] sense it’s inauthentic or disconnected from what the organization actually does, they’ll either tune it out or respond negatively,” Rhee said. “They expect organizations to back up their messaging with real action. If there’s a gap between what a brand says and what it actually does, Gen Z’s not buying it.”

Rhee led the study – “Gen Z’s Expectations for the NFL: Aligning Corporate Social Responsibility with a Values-driven Generation” – which was published in June in the International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship. The study explores the pro football league’s initiatives and how it can attract and maintain Gen Z fans – one of the most influential consumer groups – through proactive and consistent actions that are viewed as genuine.

This means not doing things for the sake of doing them. According to the study, Gen Z aligned best with messages about social justice and the environment, but it reacted harshly to health-related issues for which the NFL’s messaging seemed insincere.

For years, chronic traumatic encephalopathy has been a major issue in the NFL. CTE is a degenerative brain disease that is linked to concussions and repeated blows to the head, and the league’s response has been an ongoing source of controversy. In 2024, the NFL reported 182 total concussions throughout practice and games in the preseason and regular season. And research from the Boston University CTE Center found that nearly 92% of former NFL players in one of its studies had CTE, compared with only 0.6% of nonplayers in a separate study.

In light of CTE and other health risks facing players, Gen Z often perceives the NFL’s response as ineffective and inauthentic because of how prevalent life-altering injuries are, Rhee said.

“The NFL promoting health and well-being doesn’t hold up when you think about things like CTE, concussions and career-ending injuries,” he said. “Gen Z is paying attention to that kind of inconsistency.”

How the NFL approaches corporate social responsibility initiatives is changing drastically. Rhee noted that earlier generations supported their teams with limited connection to off-field issues, whereas younger generations are more likely to disengage if they don’t approve of a team or league’s actions.

Gen Z expects organizations to stand for something in a meaningful way – not just for publicity – and, with their power as consumers, can pressure organizations, Rhee said. Product giveaways and halftime promotions aren’t enough to solidify support: Building trust with a younger generation requires outreach with deeper purpose.

“If a team or league wants to connect with Gen Z, they need to be thoughtful and intentional about the causes they support,” Rhee said. “This generation is not interested in surface-level campaigns. They’re looking for honesty, consistency and real action. When they see that, they respond.”