Looking for a partner? Survey shows getting into sports may just help you

This article was first published on GMA News Online.

Is sports an icebreaker in dating for Filipinos?

According to a recent study produced by Bumble in partnership with Milieu Insight Pte Ltd., nearly half (43%) of Filipino singles look for a romantic partner interested in sports before making a decision whether to explore a connection.

This interesting finding suggests that single Filipinos who enjoy watching sports or being active in sports might have a significant advantage in the dating pool.

The nationwide survey also revealed that this preference for a partner who shares an interest in sports is more pronounced among Filipino men, with 30% of them considering it a "deal breaker" if their partner doesn't watch sports. Meanwhile, only 21% of women feel the same way.

Additionally, almost half (49%) of men prioritize finding someone interested in sports compared to 38% of women. Per Bumble, this highlights that a shared interest in sports may be a more important factor for men when seeking romantic connections than women.

Meanwhile, millennials (61%) are more likely to seek out this alignment in interests than Gen Z (58%), and both generations also indicated that watching sporting events together makes for great dates (60%).

The Philippine survey was rolled out online from June 6 to 18, 2024, to a total of 929 single Filipinos aged 18 to 43. The respondents comprised LGBTQ+ and non-LQBTQ+ singles.

Earlier this year, women no longer have to make the first move on Bumble through the introduction of the Opening Moves feature, where women could set a question that their matches could respond to.

In January, Bumble released its dating trends for 2024, one of which is the rise of Val-Core Dating, which refers to the rise of people valuing engagement on issues that matter to them.

Milieu Insight aids companies in making data-driven decisions through its digital survey software.