Olympic Eye Candy: Why Americans Are Watching the Games

As the 2024 Summer Olympics approach, excitement is building across the United States. People will come together to watch the games for physical feats, thrilling wins, and overall entertainment. However, there’s another reason people enjoy tuning into the Olympics – the eye candy. 

We recently surveyed 1,000 Americans to learn just how much the athletes’ attractiveness influences their viewing habits. The results revealed fascinating insights into what draws viewers to the games. 

The majority of Americans surveyed (87%) plan to watch the 2024 Summer Olympics. Overall, Americans tend to favor the Summer Olympics (49%) over the Winter Games (15%), with 36% liking them equally. According to those surveyed, the top draws of the Summer Olympics include the sports competition, athlete excellence, and the opening and closing ceremonies.

The top 4 Summer Olympic sports Americans are most excited to watch this year are:

1. Gymnastics (27%)
2. Basketball (13%)
3. Track & Field (12%)
4. Swimming (8%)

The reasons why people are excited to watch a specific sport vary, with 40% liking the competition. Others like to watch their favorite sport (24%) or are in awe of the physical feats (13%). 

“It is no surprise that people find athletes in the Summer Olympic Games more attractive than the Winter Games,” said psychologist and relationship expert Dr. Wendy Walsh. “They can see them! A winter parka on a skier obscures the mate status indicators that are showcased on a beach volleyball player who is wearing a bikini.”

While the Olympics are a tradition of physical fitness that encourages global unity, some Americans watch for different reasons. More than 1 in 10 admit to watching solely for the eye candy. 

In fact, 46% said they believe the Summer Olympics have better-looking athletes than the Winter Olympics, and 28% watch a specific Summer Olympic sport because of the attractive athletes. More men (39%) admit to watching specific competitions for athlete attractiveness than women (17%). 

The top summer sports Americans admit to watching for the athlete’s attractiveness are beach volleyball, gymnastics, swimming, and basketball. We also asked Americans to weigh in on the sports they believe had the most and least attractive athletes: 

1. Beach Volleyball 
2. Gymnastics
3. Swimming
4. Track & Field
5. Soccer

According to our survey, weightlifting, wrestling, boxing, archery, and rugby are the Summer Olympic sports with the least attractive athletes. 

When it comes to the countries with the most attractive athletes, it may be no surprise that Americans rated the USA first, followed by Sweden and Brazil. The interest in these global athletes could lead more Americans to pursue international love in the future. 

Aside from looks and love, Americans said the athletes they’re most excited to watch in the 2024 Olympics include Simone Biles, LeBron James, Sha’Carri Richardson, Katie Ledecky, and Steph Curry.

Whether you tune in for the love of the sport or to appreciate athlete aesthetics, the Olympics have a unique way of uniting and entertaining viewers worldwide. We hope you enjoy the Olympics this year, no matter your reason for watching!

In July 2024, we surveyed 1,000 Americans about their Olympics viewing habits. Participant ages ranged from 18 to 79 with an average age of 40. Respondents were 49% men, 49% women, and 2% nonbinary and/or chose not to disclose. 

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