According to U.S. Census data, the number of never-married, eligible single men between the ages of 30 and 34 has increased dramatically. Thirty-three percent of men in this age group have never been married, compared to just 9 percent in 1970. A recent study of single men, conducted by Match.com and unveiled in the August issue of Marie Claire, shows that while more single men may be delaying marriage, 98 percent indicate that they are looking for a long-term relationship.
Identified in Marie Claire magazine as the Ben Jones phenomenon -- the male counterpart to Bridget Jones -- the research reveals that this new breed of bachelor is attractive, smart, successful and in search of Ms. Right. The survey of more than 1001 single men in the United States aged 26 to 36 showed that 94 percent say they're ready to balance both a serious relationship and a career, and more than half say they believe in love at first sight.
"We know that the 'Ben Jones' bachelors are looking to settle down, but what they don't want to do is settle," said Kristin Kelly, dating expert for Match.com. "Our research found that these amazing single guys contribute to charity, they aren't threatened by a woman who earns more than they do, and they value friendship and kindness as the ultimate attributes in a potential romantic partner."
In addition to the Match.com survey results, Marie Claire magazine features 50 fabulous single men all matching the "Ben Jones" description -- and all of them looking for Ms. Right. "These guys are the perfect match for the Marie Claire reader, whose average age is 30," says Lesley Jane Seymour, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire. "Plus, the Ben Joneses have been carefully selected by the Marie Claire staff for the right amount of brains, brawn, soul, and sincerity." The first 25 bachelors are featured in the August issue on stands now, and the remaining 25 will be featured in the September issue.
"For more than a decade, Match.com has redefined the way people meet and fall in love," Kelly said. "Every day, thousands of Ben Jones bachelors -- including many of the 50 finalists featured in Marie Claire -- log on to Match.com to expand their romantic possibilities and find love. They're just a click away." Seymour agrees, "Everyone I know is meeting someone online."
Match.com survey highlights:
* 98% of single men are looking for a long-term relationship.
* 94% of single men said they're ready to balance both a serious
relationship and a career.
* 87% think it's sexy to date a woman who earns more than they do.
* 79% of single men have contributed to charity in the past year; one in
three currently volunteers in his community.
* 75% of single men said their ideal woman would be their best friend;
kindness was rated the most important attribute in a potential
partner.
* 58% of single men have been cheated on.
* 57% of single men say they believe in love at first sight.
* 56% say a girl who sleeps with them on the first date is great, but
not the marrying kind.
About Match.com
Match.com pioneered online personals when it launched on the Web in 1995 and continues to lead this exciting and evolving category after a decade. Throughout its 10-year history, Match.com has redefined the way people meet and fall in love and is credited with more marriages than any other site. Today, more than 15 million people around the world participate in the Match.com community, providing a rich tapestry of ethnicities, interests, goals, ambitions, quirks, looks and personalities from which to choose.
Match.com is the world's biggest online dating and personals property, according to the May 2005 global ranking of the Personals category by industry-leading independent measurement firm comScore Media Metrix. Number one across North America and Europe, Match.com operates leading subscription-based online dating sites in 32 countries, in 18 languages and spanning six continents. Match.com also powers online dating on MSN across Europe, Asia, the United States, Australia (NineMSN) and Latin America and is the premier provider of personals for Love@AOL. Match.com is an operating business of IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI).
About Marie Claire:
Marie Claire is published in 26 countries and is read by more than 15 million worldwide. The magazine was founded in 1937 by French industrialist Jean Prouvose, whose goal was to present the realities of life mixed with fashion and beauty coverage. The American edition is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of The Hearst Corporation (http://www.hearst.com/ ), one of the world's largest publishers of monthly magazines, with a total of 18 U.S. titles and 142 international editions. Hearst's magazines are read by more U.S. adult women than any other monthly magazine publisher. The company also publishes 19 magazines in the United Kingdom through its wholly owned subsidiary, The National Magazine Company Limited. Marie Claire is published by Hearst Magazines.
SOURCE: Match.com
CONTACT: Kathleen Roldan of Match.com, +1-415-913-3136, or
kathleen.roldan@match.com