Even American women who identify as quite passionate sports fans don’t watch athletic events much more frequently than women who say they aren’t as interested in sports, a new national study finds.

Overall, results of a survey of more than 2,800 women suggested that the average woman rates herself as a moderate sports fan, with 87% saying they watched or followed one or more sports over the past year, and 38% attending one or more sporting events.

The findings highlight that while many women enjoy sports, their passion may not always be evident in terms of watching and attending sports events, said Frances Sutton (pictured), lead author of the study and a doctoral student in anthropology at The Ohio State University.

The study was published online recently in the journal International Review for the Sociology of Sport.

Survey data came from the National Sports and Society Survey (NSASS), sponsored by Ohio State’s Sports and Society Initiative.

Read the complete story at OSU News.