Discover Fan Loyalty Poll: Women Got Spirit, Yes They Do!

September 20, 2012

Hey Dudes, Female College Football Fans Show More Pride Than You!

RIVERWOODS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep. 20, 2012-- As the competition heats up in college football this week, the Discover Fan Loyalty Poll finds that women are showing more spirit than men when it comes to watching the game and wearing their school colors.

In the third week of Discover’s national survey designed to gauge college football fan loyalty, fans were questioned on the depth of their commitment to their teams. When asked how important is it that they watch their favorite team’s game each week, 75 percent of all fans consider it somewhat to very important to tune in. However, more women than men, 78 percent to 73 percent, see it as a higher priority.

When fans were asked if they regularly wear clothing or other items with the logo of their favorite college football team, 46 percent said yes, down from 55 percent last week. Once again, women showed more team pride when it comes to wearing a team’s logo: 58 percent of women wear it compared to 38 percent of men.

For the third week in a row, Alabama retained the top spot as the fans’ choice for the best team in the country with 46 percent of the vote, followed by:

  • Florida State, 7 percent
  • Oregon, 6 percent
  • Louisiana State University, 5 percent
  • Georgia, 3 percent
  • West Virginia, 3 percent
  • South Carolina, 2 percent
  • Oklahoma, 1 percent
  • Some other team, 13 percent
  • Not sure, 13 percent

The University of Southern California dropped out of the running after its loss to Stanford last week.

When it comes to where fans stand on the notion of naming their babies and pets, a few kids in the next generation could be walking around with names like Razorback, Buckeye or Bulldog.

Only 16 percent of fans said they would consider naming a pet or a child after a team, and of those who said they would, women leaned toward pet names while men leaned toward baby names:

  • Of those fans who would name a baby in honor of a team, 79 percent were men and 21 percent were women.
  • Of those fans who would name their pet accordingly, 55 percent were women and 45 percent were men.

The 15-week Discover Fan Loyalty Poll is conducted by Rasmussen Reports, a nationally recognized leader in polling, who gathers sentiment by phone from 800 college football fans who follow games at least once per week on television, radio, in person or online.

Discover launched the Fan Loyalty Poll to give die-hard fans a platform to showcase their dedication and love for their favorite college football team leading up to the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship Game and 2013 Discover Orange Bowl. Each week the poll will offer new questions about what college football fans are thinking this season.

Beyond title sponsorship of the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship Game and 2013 Discover Orange Bowl, Discover’s commitment to college football includes relationships with ESPN and Notre Dame Football on NBC.

About Discover

Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a direct banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company operates the Discover card, America's cash rewards pioneer, and offers home loans, private student loans, personal loans, online savings accounts, certificates of deposit and money market accounts through its direct banking business. Its payment businesses consist of Discover Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE, one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International, a global payments network with acceptance in more than 185 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.discoverfinancial.com.

Source: Discover Financial Services

Katie Henry
Discover
224-405-4437
kathrynhenry@discover.com
or
Matthew Towson
Discover
224-405-5649
matthewtowson@discover.com