Abstract:

Generational cohorts provide a way to understand how different life experiences affect people’s views of the world. In modern times of Industry 4.0, digital solutions are used in an increasing number of branches of the economy, and this also applies to sports. There is a new growing group of sports fans — modern fans — who have been functioning in the digital world since birth, and therefore have their specific behavioural patterns, habits, and expectations. Many sports fans are interested not only in the game — they demand the exclusive and shareable experiences that can be enhanced by technology. New technologies can also increase fan engagement by tailoring experiences to the individual fan preferences. This article aims to identify how consumers representing various generations on the Polish market consume sports products. The study was conducted in the form of an online survey in 2021, and 581 Polish volleyball fans took part in it. The results indicate that people of various generations have different preferences when it comes to the main source of information, devices used most frequently to watch matches, and evaluation of the attractiveness of selected sports materials.