Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Impact of COVID-19 on sports participation
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- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on sports participation, 5 October 2020
- The market
- COVID closures cause spending crash
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- Figure 2: Forecast of consumer expenditure on sports participation*, 2015-25
- Playing numbers slip in pre-pandemic period
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- Figure 3: Adult participation in sport at least twice in the previous 28 days, 2017-19*
- Health priorities shifting from body to mind
- The consumer
- Middle-aged participation spreads
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- Figure 4: Participation in sport (net), July 2017-August 2020
- COVID crisis boosts outdoor fitness segment
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- Figure 5: Most popular types of sport (net), August 2020
- In-home activity plugs digital sport
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- Figure 6: Taking exercise during the COVID-19 restrictions, August 2020
- Lockdown reveals strong segmentation opportunities
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- Figure 7: Elements of sports participation missed most during the COVID-19 restrictions, August 2020
- Focus on fun as players seek more sport
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- Figure 8: Attitudes towards playing sport after the COVID-19 pandemic, August 2020
- Peer power is participation’s prime persuader
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- Figure 9: Incentives to participation in sport, August 2020
Issues and Insights
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- Post-COVID sport needs a whole new mind game
- Mental-health concerns already overtaking physical fitness priorities
- More social, more inclusive – and less competitive
- Digital enhancements can strengthen physical experiences
- Beyond the boundary
- Hitting out for the high street
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- COVID impact: crisis slashes supply
- The big threat: demand goes underserved in pandemic aftermath
- The big opportunity: sport for mental health
- The long game: sport can find new homes on the high street
Market Size and Forecast
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- COVID crisis casting long shadow over sports provision
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- Figure 10: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on sports participation, 5 October 2020
- Participation numbers slipped in 2019
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- Figure 11: Adult participation in sport at least twice in the previous 28 days, 2017-19*
- Committed competitors still keen to spend on sport
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- Figure 12: Consumer expenditure on sports participation*, 2015-19
- Recovery ball is in government’s court
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- Figure 13: Forecast of consumer expenditure on sports participation*, 2015-25
- Market drivers and assumptions
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- Figure 14: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast (prepared on 28 September 2020), 2015-25
- Experience of the last recession
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- Figure 15: Consumer expenditure on sports participation, 2007-12
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Swimming numbers dive by half a million
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- Figure 16: Twice-monthly adult participation in most popular sports, 2018-19*
Market Drivers
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- Facilities threatened by providers’ budget cuts
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- Figure 17: Top 10 types of registered sports facilities in England, September 2020
- Sports face physical barriers in promoting mental benefits
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- Figure 18: Relative importance of mental/emotional wellbeing and diet/fitness, September 2019
- More public policy opportunities in planning than health
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- Figure 19: Attitudes towards healthy lifestyles, September 2019
- Clubs targeted to widen the player pool
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- Figure 20: Affiliated sports clubs in England, by NGB, November 2017
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Mass participation key focus for a fitter future
- Parks at the heart of sport’s new localism
- Football readied for return but still faces long-term community cuts
- Pool protection bid seeks crowdfunding support
Governing Bodies
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- Athletics
- Cycling
- Football
- Swimming
- Tennis
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Events business gains critical mass
- A happy mind in an active body
- New tennis investment programme prioritises parks
- Netball coaxes new players off the couch
- Skills apps to focus on children?
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- COVID threat changing nature of demand for sport
- Middle-aged participation spreads
- Outdoor fitness sports gain from COVID crisis
- In-home activity drives digital sport
- Strong segmentation opportunities around appeal of sport
- Fun can beat commitment as players seek more sport
- It’s who you know, not what you know...
Impact of COVID-19 on Consumer Behaviour
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- Sports participants feel less threat to health...
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- Figure 21: Concern over the threat of COVID-19 to health and lifestyle, 10-17 September 2020
- ...but may still play it safe for now
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- Figure 22: Willingness to go to gyms, by age, 10-17 September 2020
- Recession could deliver a blindside hit
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- Figure 23: Consumer sentiment towards personal finances in the year ahead, September 2020
Sports Participants
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- Older people still keen to get outside
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- Figure 24: Participation in sport (net), July 2017-August 2020
Sports Played
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- Keep-fit focus switching to outdoors and wellness
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- Figure 25: Most popular individual/keep-fit sports, August 2020
- Hiking participation rates continue to climb
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- Figure 26: Most popular outdoor/alternative sports, August 2020
- Brands and venues can take basketball downtown
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- Figure 27: Most popular team/competitive sports, August 2020
- Racquet-sport players reach outside the lines
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- Figure 28: Most popular racquet sports, August 2020
COVID-19 Lockdown Activity
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- Younger players found staying active tough
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- Figure 29: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle during the COVID-19 restrictions, August 2020
- In-home activity accelerating development of digital sport
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- Figure 30: Taking exercise during the COVID-19 restrictions, August 2020
- Club players stayed connected
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- Figure 31: Experience of sport and exercise during the COVID-19 restrictions, August 2020
Lockdown Sentiment
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- Social sport for the old, fitness for the young
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- Figure 32: Elements of sports participation missed most during the COVID-19 restrictions, August 2020
Post-Pandemic Participation
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- Can players find room to act on expansionary intent?
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- Figure 33: Attitudes towards playing sport after the COVID-19 pandemic, August 2020
Incentives to Playing Sport
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- Peer power trumps all
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- Figure 34: Incentives to participation in sport, August 2020
- These Girls Can
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- Figure 35: Interest in trying a new sport/fitness activity if a friend or family member also took part, by gender and age, August 2020
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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