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By Joshua Rhett Miller
Senior Reporter
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Young Americans are more likely to support brands that back the upcoming celebration of America's 250th anniversary than their older counterparts, a new survey shows.
Dozens of prominent brands, including Amazon, Walmart and the Coca-Cola Company, have leaned into the nation's massive celebration, but shoppers may not be eating up the merch as they'd hoped.
What Is America 250?
America250 is a congressionally appointed, nonpartisan organization charged with leading the federal government’s commemoration of the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026. It coordinates national events, programs, and partnerships to honor the country’s founding and inspire reflection on its history and future.
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It engages the public through a wide range of national programs, community partnerships, and storytelling initiatives designed to invite participation from all Americans. It promotes events, educational resources, digital campaigns, and local activations—encouraging individuals, schools, nonprofits, and businesses to share their stories, reflect on the nation’s history, and help shape its future leading up to 2026.
Who Is Sponsoring America 250?
America250 works with a wide range of corporate sponsors and partners across industries. Notable companies that have been publicly named include:
- The Coca‑Cola Company (Signature Partner and one of the largest sponsors)
- Walmart
- Amazon, Oracle, and FedEx
- Lockheed Martin, Palantir, and Coinbase
- JPMorgan Chase
- Chick‑fil‑A
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Additional brands and organizations—from finance, tech, defense, retail, and consumer goods—also participate as sponsors or partners, reflecting the initiative’s broad public‑private collaboration model.
Who Is Likely To Buy From America 250 Sponsors?
Shoppers 65 and older appear to be more selective than their younger counterparts, with 20 percent "very likely" to support companies actively celebrating America 250, the Sports Business Journal reported Monday.
But among all respondents, 68 percent said they're either "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to back brands that sponsor the celebration, compared to 33 percent who said "not at all likely," according to the survey of 3,436 U.S. adults conducted from April 27 to May 13.
Seventy-three percent of Gen Z respondents, meanwhile, said they were either "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to support brands taking part in America 250, compared to 58 percent of Baby Boomers, typically defined as Americans born between 1946 and 1964.
Men are slightly more likely to support the patriotic brands by a margin of 71 to 64 percent, according to the poll.
Who Is Likely To Attend America 250 Sporting Events?
The poll also asked respondents about upcoming plans to mark the nation's semiquincentennial at sporting events.
Fifty-eight percent of adults said they were "not at all likely" to attend games to commemorate the anniversary on Saturday, compared to 15 percent who said they were "very likely" to do so.
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Younger respondents ages 18-29 reported the highest likelihood of attending sporting events at 25 percent, while 7 percent of those polled said they typically don't attend, according to the poll.
The Sports-America 250 Crossover
Forty percent of U.S. adults also said they were at least "somewhat" likely to buy official sports team-branded apparel commemorating the nation's birthday.
Of the four major sports leagues, NHL fans indicated the highest likelihood to purchase those items, followed by MLB, NFL and NBA followers, the poll revealed.
Organizers for America 250 have amassed a roster of 60 official sponsors for the event, including two-thirds that actively market in sports, including the largest corporate backer, the Coca-Cola Company, the Sports Business Journal reported.
Founding Fathers
America 250 connects modern Americans with the legacy of the Founding Fathers by leading the nation’s official commemoration of the ideals, events, and individuals that shaped the country’s founding in 1776.
A separate poll released last week also found that Founding Fathers like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington continue to be held in high regard by most Americans.
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Franklin (+75) and Washington (+68) had the highest net favorability ratings among eight historical contemporaries, the Marquette Law School Poll found. Conversely, Benedict Arnold, the Connecticut-born Continental Army officer who notoriously defected to the British in 178, had the lowest net favorable rating at -38. Roughly one-third of respondents said they were unfamiliar with Arnold, who died in London in 1801.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jenni Fink and Gray R. Thomas
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