World Athletics has selected Nielsen, the global leader in sports intelligence, media measurement and research, as its Official Supplier of Consumer Market Research Services, for the next four years.

This new collaboration will give World Athletics access to Nielsen’s comprehensive and cutting edge international research systems, which will deliver sports data and insights across both the sport and its World Athletics Series events, including the World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022 and Budapest 2023, and the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 2021 and Belgrade 2022.

This agreement, delivered with the support of World Athletics’ global commercial partner, Dentsu Inc., breaks new ground as Nielsen will be the first affiliate appointed in this product category. It is also the second new commercial agreement that World Athletics has secured during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Nielsen research programme is designed to provide World Athletics with a holistic view of its own organisation, brand and key stakeholders as well as sharp insights into global athletics fans.

These services will include consumer surveys, brand tracking, spectator experience evaluation, social and economic impact assessments for host cities, and consumer research surveys for sponsors.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said Nielsen would be a valuable addition to the sport’s global network of commercial partners.

This relationship is a perfect fit for World Athletics as we set our course for growth and innovation over the next four years, Coe said.

Evidence-based intelligence has become increasingly important in informing the commercial decisions we must make to steer our sport successfully in this ever-changing world. Nielsen is uniquely positioned to help World Athletics deliver on its mission to grow the sport of athletics and create globally appealing and accessible competitions.

Nielsen Sports International’s managing director Marco Nazzari added:We’re delighted and honoured to have been selected as the official consumer research supplier to World Athletics.

Nielsen Sports’ market-leading research tools and experts transform large datasets into actionable insights enabling governing bodies to validate activities, decisions and outputs. We’re confident that our research will provide World Athletics with a better understanding of their fans and spectators, empowering them to optimize key global events and positively impact how the sport of athletics is followed throughout the world.