Gen Z lost for words when sports tournaments aren’t on

• New research by O2 reveals sports is the second most texted about topic amongst Brits, hot on the heels of TV/film
• Over a quarter (26%) of Gen Z unsure what to talk about when there are no tournaments on to discuss, as they admit they text friends and family less outside of major sporting events
• Almost a third (29%) of Gen Z have said they text their parents about sports more than any other topic
• Whilst three in 10 have fallen out with a friend after they’ve revealed a match score for a game they haven’t yet watched
• The research comes ahead of a major weekend in this year’s sporting calendar – from the Guinness Men’s Six Nations ‘Super Saturday’, to F1’s Australian GP and the English Football League final

12th March 2025: Britain’s digital conversations are being dominated by the thrill of the game, with sports revealed as one of the biggest topics Brits text their friends and family about, according to new research from O2. Almost matching the popularity of TV and film (25%), sports is now the second most-texted-about subject (23%).

This comes as almost a third (29%) of Gen Z texts their parents about sports more than any other topic. As a result, over a quarter (26%) are unsure what to talk about when there are no sports tournaments on to discuss and more than a third (38%) claim they feel closer to friends and family during major sporting events. These feelings are emulated by nearly half (45%) of Millennials.

An O2 spokesperson commented: “Sport is in our DNA at O2 and we recognise the power it has to bring people together – it’s the reason we have been sponsors of the England rugby team for thirty years now, and we’ve also just announced a headline sponsorship of the first season of Baller League UK. In today’s digital age, group chats play a special role in all our lives and O2 loves to see sports dominating these conversations with friends and family – encouraging us to reconnect as we share the highs and lows of the game.”

The research is released ahead of a massive weekend for sport and one of the biggest on the 2025 calendar. Sports fans will see the Guinness Men’s Six Nations culminate with all six teams playing their final matches of the tournament on the same day – also known as ‘Super Saturday’ – whilst the 2025 F1 season officially sets off and Liverpool faces Newcastle in the English Football League final.

O2 is therefore predicting a surge in texting friends and family over the weekend, as it’s revealed that nearly half (43%) of Brits are in one or more group chats dedicated solely to sport. Both Gen Zs and Millennials are in an average of two groups with football topping the list of sports related group chats, followed by Formula 1 and Fantasy Football. These chats come alive during major sport events, as 28% of inactive groups are resurrected for major tournaments. Ahead of the Women’s Euros this summer, the research reveals that over a third (34%) of Millennials plan to bring back their Euro’s group chat for the occasion.

An O2 spokesperson continues: “Our mobile network covers 99% of the nation’s population and as we dive headfirst into a massive weekend and year for sport, we look forward to making millions of connections, bringing the country together and behind our favourite teams.”

The nation’s passion for sports does come at a price and the fear of spoilers is a real concern. Just under a quarter (24%) of those polled have muted notifications to avoid unwanted match results, whilst three in 10 Gen Zs claim to have fallen out with friends over results spoilers. Over a quarter (27%) have even gotten into trouble with their boss for texting about sports while at work.