For years now, sports franchises have been using social media to engage with fans. They have also been using the metrics from each platform to study fan engagement. Analysis of fan engagement on social media has become a way to monitor trends and even influence the spending habits of an audience. This is probably the case for Dallas Cowboys fans as well.
Most sports franchises have accounts on every major social media platform, but not every platform serves the same purposes or attracts the same demographics.
In 2022, TikTok saw an incredible rise in popularity and became the most downloaded app in the world.
Understanding this, Gambling.com analyzed the TikTok accounts of every NFL team to reveal who is at the top of their game in terms of followers, likes, videos, likes per video, and estimated earnings per video.
What's not to like?
Even though the Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable sports franchise, it's the Kansas City Chiefs who are the most likable in the NFL according to TikTok.
The Dallas Cowboys rank 6th in total TikTok likes among all NFL teams with 24.6 million likes on their account. The Chiefs sit at number one (43.5 million total likes) followed by the Eagles, Bills, Lions, and Bengals.
When adjusted for average likes per video, the same teams sit at the top but in a different order.
The Lions take the top spot in that metric with 244,218 likes per TikTok video. They are followed by the Bills, Chiefs, then the Bengals. The Dallas Cowboys rank 5th with 88,809 likes per video, and the Eagles fall to 6th with only 72,712 likes per video.
This is especially interesting considering that the Eagles boast the highest number of TikTok videos among NFL teams.
The Cowboys, however, are in the bottom half of the league in that category. Their 277 videos put them behind 18 other teams in total videos posted to TikTok.
Considering that, it would be interesting to see if more Dallas Cowboys fans would engage with the Cowboys TikTok account if posts or exclusive content increased.
Getting to the Money
Like it or not, the Cowboys rank much higher in estimated TikTok earnings than they do in the likes category.
The Cowboys' large fanbase has translated to a large TikTok follower count despite their low number of videos. The Kansas City Chiefs have the most followers [2.5 million] and the Cowboys, Eagles, and Lions are tied for second place with 1.9 million.
That high follower count translates to high estimated earnings even without the likes.
The Chiefs lead that category as well with an estimated $2,401 in earnings. The Cowboys and Eagles are tied for second with $1,800 each in estimated earnings.
Why does this matter?
This might seem like an odd topic to dive into as Cowboys Nation waits with bated breath to learn the fate of their current offensive coordinator. However, TikTok engagement reveals more than some might realize about the future of a franchise's fanbase.
https://www.tiktok.com/@dallascowboys/video/7189364391031377198?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7193721309040395819
Every sports franchise wants to bring in young fans. Young fans ensure the longevity and growth of a fanbase, and many young sports fans are using TikTok to stay connected to their favorite teams.
Of their estimated 800 million monthly active users, 55% are under the age of 24 and 75% are under the age of 30.
According to data from Nielsen, from April 2020 to August 2021, usage of TikTok and Twitch for sports news grew by 30 percent.
Consumption of sports content on those platforms grew by 21% during that time.
Meanwhile, Instagram only saw a 6% increase in consumption while sports content consumption on YouTube decreased by 4 percent. Facebook saw an 8% drop.
Nielsen also found that 32% of consumers use social media while watching sports. For Generation Z audiences, that number goes up to 43 percent.
Getting young fans still translates to TV viewing, though.
For 18 to 34-year-olds, 13% of their TV viewing is of sports content. That's double the sports viewing percentage for those 55 years of age or older.
Ultimately, a younger fanbase can lead to advantages for sponsors.
Right now, Dallas Cowboys fans are considered to be the largest fanbase in the NFL according to almost every legitimate accumulation of data to measure that figure. If TikTok engagement is any indication, however, the Chiefs may be looking to knock the Cowboys down a peg on that ladder in several years.
