Table of Contents
Overview
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- Key issues covered in this Report
- COVID-19: Market context
- Economic and other assumptions
- Covered in this Report
Executive Summary
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- Impact of COVID-19 on spectator sports
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- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on spectator sports, 6 November 2020
- The market
- Market size and forecast
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- Figure 2: Forecast of consumer expenditure on spectator sports, 2015-25 (prepared on 6 November 2020)
- Crowd controls cause crash in attendance
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- Figure 3: UK spectator sport attendances, by leading segments, 2018-20
- Showpiece occasions to play key role in recovery
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- Figure 4: Attendances at major sporting events staged in the UK, 2014-19
- Companies and brands
- Long-distance athletics’ blueprint for the future
- Festival season to combine music with sport
- The consumer
- New social priorities play to sport’s strengths
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- Figure 5: Higher priorities since the outbreak of COVID-19, 8-19 October 2020
- Fewer viewers as major events are lost
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- Figure 6: Experience of live sport, July 2016-August 2020
- Tennis hit by downside of Wimbledon effect
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- Figure 7: Sports watched live, July 2019 and August 2020
- Sport-free summer sinks attendance rates
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- Figure 8: Event attendance, by sport, July 2019 and August 2020
- Fans keep their eye on the ball
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- Figure 9: Spectator sport-related activities allocated more time in the absence of live events during the COVID-19 restrictions, August 2020
- Big games and social viewing missed the most
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- Figure 10: Elements of spectator sports missed most during the COVID-19 restrictions (Net – any rank), August 2020
- Fans split on return to stands
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- Figure 11: Intention to return to spectator sports stadia, August 2020
- Cut-back calendar is costing pubs
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- Figure 12: Experience of watching live televised sport in pubs following the lifting of initial COVID-19 restrictions, August 2020
Issues and Insights
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- Safe socialising will be key to COVID recovery
- Social connections a priority for sport and society
- Outdoors great for distancing
- Social before safe
- Remote competition can engage connected generation
- New formats aimed at new audiences
- Necessity is the mother of invention
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- Stadium shutdown slashes spending
- Prolonged closures threaten venues’ futures
- Demand stays strong
- Big occasions key to post-pandemic revival
Market Size and Forecast
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- Closed doors shut down stadium revenues
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- Figure 13: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on spectator sports, 6 November 2020
- Power of football and major events keeps market in growth
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- Figure 14: Consumer expenditure on spectator sports, 2015-19
- Crowd controls to determine pace of comeback
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- Figure 15: Forecast of consumer expenditure on spectator sports, 2015-25 (prepared on 6 November 2020)
- Market drivers and assumptions
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- Figure 16: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast (prepared on 28 September 2020), 2015-25
- Experience of the last recession: Sport equipped to bounce back
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- Figure 17: Consumer expenditure on spectator sports, 2007-12
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Crowds plateau pre-pandemic
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- Figure 18: UK spectator sport attendances, by leading segments, 2015-20
- Football edges towards far-reaching reform
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- Figure 19: English league football attendances, by division, 2015/16-2019/20
- Horseracing held up by Cheltenham
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- Figure 20: UK horseracing attendances, 2016-20
- Cricket’s bubble limits losses
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- Figure 21: International and domestic cricket attendances, 2016-20
- Rugby union hit by lack of international incident
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- Figure 22: Premiership rugby union attendances, 2015/16-2019/20
- Rugby League loses bulk of season
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- Figure 23: Super League attendances, 2016-20
Market Drivers
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- Free viewing fare pulls pandemic crowds
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- Figure 24: Peak broadcast audiences for selected live televised sports events, 2020
- A record year for spending on stadia
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- Figure 25: Premier League and EFL football clubs’ expenditure on stadia and other facilities, by division, 2016/17 – 2018/19
- Sport’s biggest occasions are key to market recovery
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- Figure 26: Attendances at major sporting events staged in the UK, 2014-19
- Esports taking younger people’s eyes off the ball
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- Figure 27: Frequency of playing video games, by generation, April 2020
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Long-distance athletics offers a blueprint for the future
- Summer of live sport is music to outdoor venues’ ears
- Social ticketing brings fans together
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Athletics winning long-distance events
- Outdoor viewing venues pool resources
- Ticketing taps sport’s social circles
- Racing League under starter’s orders
- Brand building supports team building
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- New social priorities play to stadium strengths
- Rain check for major events reduces market’s reach
- Wimbledon effect proves a two-sided coin
- Main event absences damage attendance rates
- Fans keep their eye on the ball
- Big games and social viewing missed the most
- Low-risk groups to lead return to the stands
- Pubs lose out as calendar changes
Impact of COVID-19 on Consumer Behaviour
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- Out-of-home entertainment off the pre-Christmas menu
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- Figure 28: Leisure and entertainment spending intentions, 8-19 October 2020
- Sports venues can see friends reunited
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- Figure 29: Higher priorities since the outbreak of COVID-19, 8-19 October 2020
- Key spectator groups confident in ability to spend
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- Figure 30: Consumer sentiment towards personal finances in the year ahead, October 2019 and October 2020
Sports Fans
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- Fewer viewers in major events’ absence
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- Figure 31: Experience of live sport, July 2016-August 2020
Sports Watched Live
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- Tennis hit by downside of the Wimbledon effect
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- Figure 32: Sports watched live, July 2019 and August 2020
Methods of Watching
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- Lost summer of showpieces slashes attendance rates
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- Figure 33: Event attendance, by sport, July 2019 and August 2020
- Preferences still for big screen experiences
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- Figure 34: Watching live sport on digital devices, by sport, August 2020
Sport During Lockdown
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- Younger fans stay more connected
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- Figure 35: Spectator sport-related activities allocated more time in the absence of live events during the COVID-19 restrictions, August 2020
- Merchandise and media hit by lack of live action
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- Figure 36: Spectator sport-related activities allocated less time in the absence of live events during the COVID-19 restrictions, August 2020
Lockdown Sentiment
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- Major events the biggest miss
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- Figure 37: Elements of spectator sports missed most during the COVID-19 restrictions (Net – any rank), August 2020
- Sport’s social side at the heart of post-pandemic recovery
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- Figure 38: Missing watching live spectator sports in-home with family and/or friends (Net – any rank), by generation, August 2020
Returning to Stadia
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- Fans split on getting back in the stands
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- Figure 39: Intention to return to spectator sports stadia, August 2020
Returning to Pubs
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- Major event absences keep audiences away
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- Figure 40: Experience of watching live televised sport in pubs following the lifting of initial COVID-19 restrictions, August 2020
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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