Sports Industry, Teams, Leagues & Recreation Market Research

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Industry Overview
Contents/Key Findings
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Top companies
Industry trends

Sports Industry OVERVIEW

The sports business means many different things to different people. This is a truly global industry, and sports stir up deep passion within spectators and players alike in c…

The sports business means many different things to different people. This is a truly global industry, and sports stir up deep passion within spectators and players alike in countries around the world. To one person, sports are a venue for gambling; to another, they are a mode of personal recreation and fitness, be it skiing, cycling, running or playing tennis. To businesspeople, sports provide a lucrative and continually growing marketplace worthy of immense investment. To athletes, sports may lead to high levels of personal achievement, and to professionals, sports can bring fame and fortune. To facilities developers and local governments, sports are a way to build revenue from tourists and local fans. Sports are deeply ingrained in education, from elementary through university levels. Perhaps we cannot state with confidence that sports enrich the lives of all of us, but they certainly entertain a huge swath of the world’s population. In addition to economic impact, the largest single effect that sports create is that of gripping entertainment: hundreds of millions of fans around the globe follow sports daily, whether via radio, television, printed publications, online or in person, as spectators or participants.

Sports are big business. Combined, the “Big 4” leagues in America, the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Baseball (MLB), brought in about $44 billion in revenue during 2023, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. On a very broad basis, including related services, a reasonable estimate of the total U.S. sports and recreation market for 2023 would be $611.2 billion yearly (and $1.7 trillion for the entire world).

Also, the sports industry is so complex, including ticket sales, licensed products, sports video games, collectibles, sporting goods, sports-related advertising, endorsement income, stadium naming fees and facilities income, that it’s difficult to put an all-encompassing figure on annual revenue.

When researching numbers in the sports industry, be prepared for apparent contradictions. For example, the NFL receives vastly more money each year for TV and cable broadcast rights than MLB, despite the fact that MLB teams play about 10 times more games each year than NFL teams.

When the astonishing variety of sports-related sectors is considered, a significant portion of the workforce in developed nations such as the U.S., UK, Australia and Japan rely on the sports industry for their livelihoods. Official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures as of end of year 2023 found that 626,700 Americans work in fitness centers, 50,300 in snow skiing facilities, 68,900 in bowling centers and 406,900 at country clubs or golf courses. In total, approximately 1.4 million Americans work directly in amusement, sports and recreation sectors. Another 66,500 work in the wholesale trade of sporting goods, and 302,800 in retail sporting goods stores. Sports, recreation and related supplies and services have been among the greatest new job engines over the past several years.

While it may not seem like it to the casual observer, the sports sector is constantly evolving in terms of personal tastes, popular games and technologies. In fact, the personality and popularity of a top athlete can have a tremendous impact on the current popularity of a particular sport—NBA basketball megastar LeBron James, who was recruited for the league directly out of high school, being a superb example with his extremely positive impact on basketball’s popularity both at home and abroad. Lance Armstrong, at the peak of his popularity as a Tour de France winner, provided an immense boost the sport of cycling and to bicycle sales.

Physical fitness activities have been showing substantial growth in popularity in recent years. There has been significant growth in elliptical motion trainers, running/jogging, and stationary cycling done in groups (“spinning”). Participation in fitness classes like Zumba, boot camps and yoga also has been growing.

The Physical Activity Council is a consortium of sports industry groups. Its 2022-edition report tracked participation in hundreds of activities during the past year. The group’s extensive survey showed that only 76.3% of Americans aged 6+ participate in physical activities, ranging from golf and walking to fitness clubs and organized team sports.

Meanwhile, many enigmas remain obvious in sports and recreation. For example, the number of people playing golf in America has been dropping over the long term, although audiences for televised golf events remain very large, and golf participation increased significantly during the worst of COVID. Then there’s the fact that big audiences have been watching high-stakes poker tournaments on television recently. Does that qualify as sports broadcasting? It’s certainly a game and it’s competitive. Moreover, thanks to the internet and recent changes in legislation, fantasy sports teams and online betting on sports events are soaring. Meanwhile, electronic games have become one of the world’s fastest-growing industries, generating tens of billions of dollars in annual, global revenues including software, game consoles, mobile games and game subscriptions. (Some of the most popular electronic games are those portraying mainstream sports and sports figures.) In the minds of many people, competing against other electronic games players is a sporting activity, so much so that live electronic game competition now draws relatively large crowds of people willing to buy tickets to watch top pros compete in person, and streaming channels (such as Twitch, a subsidiary of Amazon.com) that enable enthusiasts to watch top gamers play in real time have soared. This type of organized electronic game play is now referred to as eSports. Related leagues, tournaments and sponsors are growing quickly. Earnings can be very substantial for top players. On an amateur level, eSports are beginning to be recognized as legitimate sports activities at some colleges and universities. Dedicated eSports stadiums can be found in Germany, China and the U.S.

Prior to COVID, one of the strongest, long-term growth trends in the recreation business has been in fitness-related activities. In the U.S. alone, 40,000 health clubs enjoyed 64.2 million members, prior to the Coronavirus pandemic. By 2024, there were only about 30,000 clubs. Members visit their clubs an average of about 100 days each year, with some enthusiasts working out virtually every day. Another 45 million Americans use exercise machines in their homes, according to Plunkett Research estimates. Tens of millions of baby boomers, with time and money on their hands plus a growing concern about their quality of health, boost the health club and home exercise sectors to a significant degree. (Sports and leisure revenues from the Baby Boomer segment are powerful market influencers. For example, “pickleball,” a relatively easy racquet and ball game played on a court about one-quarter the size of a tennis court, is soaring in popularity with senior citizens, and is trickling down into younger generations as well.)

Globally, Plunkett Research estimates that there are about 120,000 gyms/health clubs. Brazil, a very body-conscious nation and home of Rio de Janeiro’s famous beach culture, is second only to the U.S. in the total number of health clubs.

Evolving technologies and fashions have an immense impact on sales of sporting goods within specific sectors. Sporting goods makers are constantly trying to create reasons for consumers to buy new equipment. Golf club makers adopt new technologies with great success. Snow ski and board makers use new technologies as soon as they become available. Additionally, ski gear manufacturers introduce new fashions, new colors and new styles yearly in an effort to get consumers to buy new or buy up, regardless of whether significant new technologies are involved. Nanotechnology, with the ability to provide components with tremendous strength at very low weight, is being featured in new equipment to a growing degree, including tennis rackets. Likewise, carbon fibers are increasingly seen in the construction of upper-end equipment, including fine bicycles.

The types of electronic technology applied to sporting apparel and sporting goods is becoming much more advanced, as sensors are being embedded that wirelessly gather information through sophisticated accelerometers. Artificial intelligence (AI) will have a massive, long-term impact on this trend. Nike’s Nike+ brand is a major success in this arena, enabling users to set goals, see real-time exercise results and upload exercise histories to www.nikeplus.com from their smartphones and other devices. Eventually, the sports industry will see widespread use of remote wireless sensors in virtually all types of sporting equipment, from tennis rackets to bicycles to golf clubs and even apparel such as swimsuits. Sports participants are going to want to be as totally connected to personal electronics during their recreational activities are they are in all other aspects of their lives.

Meanwhile, the media used to deliver sports and sports related information is evolving quickly. Sports coverage is one of the most widely viewed categories online. At the same time, digital TV recording devices, such as TiVo, are enabling fans to watch events according to their own schedules.

Some of the biggest opportunities in the sports industry today lie in providing exciting, high-value opportunities for sports fans, such as high-tech recreational gear at reasonable prices; eSports, spectator sports ticket packages that represent good value; exercise/fitness services that appeal to aging baby boomers; subscriptions that enable online and mobile viewing of events; as streaming home exercise classes; and equipment and apparel that provide high value and exciting design. Globally, over the long term, the industry has tremendous upside potential in rapidly developing consumer markets such as China, India and Mexico.

In the U.S., the increased legalization of sports betting, particularly online and mobile, is spurring rapid growth in the sports sector as a whole. Thanks to a 2018 ruling by the Supreme Court, the 50 states and the District of Columbia are free to legalize and regulate sports without worrying about violating federal laws. By mid-2023, roughly two-thirds of states had cleared some form of betting on sports. Restrictions vary greatly by state. Some allow only in-person betting, while others restrict betting to lower-level games and collegiate events. The fact that states can earn significant levels of taxes and fees from such betting, combined with consumer demand, will encourage the level of activities allowed to expand and cause this industry to continue to grow rapidly.

WE PROFILE HUNDREDS OF TOP COMPANIES:

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PLUNKETT PROVIDES IN-DEPTH STATISTICS TABLES COVERING THE FOLLOWING INDUSTRY TOPICS:

Top Companies Profiled

The following is a partial listing for this industry. As a subscriber, you will have access to the leading companies and top growth companies. This includes publicly-held, private, subsidiary and joint venture companies, on a global basis as well as in the U.S.

Hundreds of Top Companies Profiled, Including:

PLUNKETT PROVIDES UNIQUE ANALYSIS OF THE FOLLOWING TRENDS THAT ARE DRIVING THIS INDUSTRY:

Key Findings:

A complete market research report, including forecasts and market estimates, technologies analysis and developments at innovative firms within the Sports & Recreation Industry. Gain vital insights that can help shape strategy for business development, product development and investments.

Key Features:

Business trends analysis
In-depth industry overview
Technology trends analysis
Forecasts
Spending, investment, and consumption discussions
In-depth industry statistics and metrics
Industry employment numbers

Additional Key Features Include:

Industry Glossary

Industry Contacts list, including Professional Societies and Industry Associations

Profiles of industry-leading companies

U.S. and Global Firms
Publicly held, Private and Subsidiaries
Executive Contacts
Revenues
For Public Companies: Detailed Financial Summaries
Statistical Tables

Key Questions Answered Include:

How is the industry evolving?
How is the industry being shaped by new technologies?
How is demand growing in emerging markets and mature economies?
What is the size of the market now and in the future?
What are the financial results of the leading companies?
What are the names and titles of top executives?
What are the top companies and what are their revenues?

This feature-rich report covers competitive intelligence, market research and business analysis—everything you need to know about the Sports & Recreation Industry.

Plunkett Research Provides Unique Analysis of the Following Major Trends Affecting the Sports & Recreation Industry

Introduction to the Sports & Recreation Industry
NFL (National Football League): The Biggest Money in U.S. Sports
Broadcasting Fees, Digital Access and Investment Savvy Boost MLB (Major League Baseball)
NBA (National Basketball Association) Goes Global
NHL (National Hockey League) Expands
Television Rights/Streaming Contracts Bring in Lucrative Revenues for Major Sports Leagues
Soccer (Football) Leagues Around the World Reap Significant Revenues and Sponsorships
New Sports Stadiums Launched in the U.S./Stadium Sponsorships Offset Costs
NCAA College Sports Are Immense Revenue Generators, Thanks to Broadcast Rights
Student Athletes Eligible for Endorsement Fees/ Fight for Compensation and Benefits
Golf Is a Major Sports Sector/PGA (Professional Golf Association) Plans to Merge with LIV
Tennis Is a Massive Global Sport for Professionals and Amateurs Alike
Fantasy Sports Post Growth, with 63 Million Players
eSports: Electronic Games Become Spectator Sports
Sports Betting Gains Traction with Online Betting
Sports Equipment Manufacturers Offer the Latest High-Tech Advantages
Wearable Sensors Track Exercise Data/Apparel and Shoe Manufacturers Adopt Technologies
Sports Agents Are Indispensable/Sports Marketing Booms in China
Sports Licensing Heats Up
Video Game Console History/New Technologies and Features Boost Sales
Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality and 3-D Games Create Opportunities in the Tech Industry/Immersion Games to Grow
Aging Baby Boomers Will Cause Significant Changes in the Leisure Sector, Including Sports and Activity-Based Travel
Athletic Footwear Sales Boom, Drawing Big Names from Athletes to Designers
The Vast Majority of Shoes Sold in the U.S. Are Made Elsewhere
3-D Printing and Robotics Revolutionize Manufacture of Shoes and Fabrics
Exercise Apparel Sales Rise/Athleisure Clothing Sales Soar
Sports Equipment and Social Media Converge
The Future of the Sports Industry Will Be Shaped by Technologies and Demographics

Plunkett Research Provides In-Depth Tables for the Following Sports & Recreation Industry Statistics

Sports & Recreation Industry Statistics and Market Size Overview
Global Sports Industry Revenues, 2021-2023
Selected U.S. Sports Industry Revenues: 2016-2022
Sports Industry, Estimated Sources of Revenue & Expenses, U.S.: 2017-2022
U.S. Spectator Sports, Performing Arts & Related Industries, Breakdown of Expenses: 2020-2022
Estimated Monthly Sporting Goods Stores Retail Sales, U.S.: 1992-March 2024
Overview of the Media Contracts of the Four Big Sports Leagues
Sports Industry Employment by Business Type, U.S.: 2019-2023

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Sports Industry, Teams, Leagues & Recreation Market Research

Sports Industry OVERVIEW

WE PROFILE HUNDREDS OF TOP COMPANIES:

PLUNKETT PROVIDES IN-DEPTH STATISTICS TABLES COVERING THE FOLLOWING INDUSTRY TOPICS:

Top Companies Profiled

The following is a partial listing for this industry. As a subscriber, you will have access to the leading companies and top growth companies. This includes publicly-held, private, subsidiary and joint venture companies, on a global basis as well as in the U.S.

Hundreds of Top Companies Profiled, Including:

PLUNKETT PROVIDES UNIQUE ANALYSIS OF THE FOLLOWING TRENDS THAT ARE DRIVING THIS INDUSTRY:

Organizations that have used our research and products

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