Sports fandom generated £10bn in revenue for the UK economy last year with brand new research showing there could be an additional 10m new UK sports fans in the next 10 years.
The report, titled ‘Game Changing: How sport makes us happier, healthier and better connected’ was produced by Public First and commissioned by Sky Sports, to explore the impact of sports fandom in the UK.
It showed UK adults spent more than nine billion hours watching and playing sports last year, with sports fandom on track to generate £13bn a year for the UK economy by 2034.
The report makes wide-ranging recommendations including improving funding pathways for grassroots sports clubs, clamping down on online abuse, and using the upcoming review of the National Curriculum to double the minimum hours of PE taught in schools a week, with a particular emphasis on ensuring equal access to all school sports for girls.
How sport brings people together?
The research also demonstrated sport often brings families together, cutting across generations. A third of UK adults follow the same sports teams/athletes as parents or family members. The same proportion said that sports were important to their relationships with their parents and siblings.
Sport also gives us something to discuss with our friends and family. Some 59 per cent of UK adults agreed that sport gives them interesting things to talk about with others, with 39 per cent belonging to at least one online group that talks about sport.
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Incredibly, an estimated 558 million messages are sent about sport in the UK each month, equivalent to 212 messages every single second.
Whether it’s making a friend at a pub or hospitality venue during a game, or joining a Sunday league, sport helps build new relationships and is often a shared language between strangers.
Some 43 per cent of UK adults have met and interacted with different types of people because of sport and one in three have met new people or made friends because of the sports they follow. UK adults are estimated to have made more than 60 million new social connections through sport in the last year.
‘Sport transcends differences’
Comcast Group Chief Executive Officer, Dana Strong, writing in the foreword for the report:
“Throughout my life, I have witnessed first-hand how transformative sport can be. Sport transcends differences, uniting people from diverse backgrounds through a shared passion. It ignites local and national pride, creating a deep sense of belonging.
“At Sky, we’re obsessed with sport. It’s in our DNA. For over three decades, we’ve brought fans closer to the action by revolutionising sports broadcasting through our longstanding partnerships with rights holders in the UK, across Europe, and around the world.
“The economic impact of Sky Sports is monumental. New research by Public First shows that Sky Sports contributed nearly £4bn to the UK economy in 2023 alone – an astonishing £10m per day.
“We are proud to play a pivotal role in this inspiring journey. By setting new standards in sports broadcasting, we’re attracting a wider audience than ever before, inspiring an unprecedented number of young and female fans. This not only enhances the lives of millions but also strengthens the foundation of sport in the UK.
“That’s why Sky commissioned this report to understand its impact on our communities, our economy, and our wellbeing – whilst ensuring sport remains one of the UK’s greatest exports.
“Through this research, we hope to inspire everyone – from government to grassroots clubs – to continue to back sport. We’re committed to finding ways to encourage more people to play, watch, and ultimately love sport. Our goal is to help grow UK sports fandom by an additional 10 million new fans by 2034, creating a bigger, brighter future for everyone.
How sport is a way of life
Two in three UK adults actively describe themselves as a sports fan, with a quarter adding that sport is an important part of their identity. This demonstrates that sport is not just a hobby: it’s a way of life.
Sky Sports has made an £18bn investment in to sport that over the last decade, underpinning almost £4bn in economic activity in the UK last year alone, equivalent to over £10m a day.
Recent investment has also been a gamechanger for women’s sports, with Sky home to over 70 per cent of all televised women’s sport, including coverage of The Ashes, Netball Super League, US Tennis Open, Women’s Super League, Solheim Cup, and all five Golf Majors.
The research shows two in five UK adults now watch more women’s sport as a result of high-quality sports broadcasting, with an estimated 30m UK adults watching a women’s sports match in 2023.
By growing the culture of sports fandom further, the report states the UK can build stronger communities, promote inclusivity, and enhance national pride – thereby driving both social and economic progress.