UK Sports Participation Market Report 2023

Stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business with Mintel’s UK Sports Participation Market Report 2023. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest UK sports market research, trends and consumer behaviours affecting your business. Get a 360° view of UK consumers’ sports participation to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.

Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.

Topics Analysed in this Report

• The impact of the rising cost of living on sports participation habits.
• Potential rates of growth in consumer spending on playing sport.
• The UK sports market’s reliance on more affluent demographics.
• Fitness versus fun as a motive for play.
• New opportunities to expand sports participation.

UK Sports Market: Overview

The ageing of the UK’s population structure poses a serious long-term threat to sports participation and is challenging providers to develop new models of play that can appeal to older demographics. Meanwhile, post-pandemic recognition that children and adults want physical activity to be fun is creating opportunities for sports to promote the enjoyment that taking part can offer.

• UK sports market size: Spending on sports saw steady growth; consumer expenditure on sports participation is estimated at £3.8 billion in 2023.

Sports Participation: Opportunities and Challenges

Put the play into games

Sport is literally made for play and can make more of this USP in promoting activity, particularly to people who want to be healthier but see fitness activity as a chore to be endured, not enjoyed.

• Sport participation trends: 57% of adults played sport at least once in the last 12 months.

Deepen commitment to strengthen spend

Almost half of sports participants play less than weekly. There is significant potential to grow the UK sports market’s regular player pool. And with the most frequent players being most willing to spend on participation, swelling their ranks can have a positive impact on market value too.

• Sports participation challenge: 48% of sports participants play less than weekly.

To learn how to connect with your audience, purchase our full UK Sports Participation Market Report 2023.  Discover lucrative innovation opportunities to help your business grow during times of financial uncertainty.

Additional Features Included with Your Purchase

• Interactive Databook: Each Databook is provided as an interactive website where you can deep dive into our consumer research data on your chosen topic so you can draw your own conclusions.
• Consumer Confidence Tracker: Our Trackers paint the picture of the economic confidence and major concerns of up to 40 different demographics, tracking changes in attitudes over time.
• Custom PowerPoints: Incorporate our consumer research data into your own work so you can win over your clients and stakeholders. Select insights from your report to create a custom presentation that is ready to download in minutes.
• Different Digital Formats: PDF for conveniently sharing with your team, PowerPoint for quickly including in your presentations.
• Mintel’s Clients Portal: Our portal provides instant access to actionable analysis, podcasts, and trend pieces relevant to your industry that are published almost daily, as well as our annual Global Consumer Trends. You can also browse our extensive catalogue of market research reports.

Expert Insights from a Research Analyst

This report, written by David Walmsley, a leading research analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight trends in the UK sports market and add expert context to the numbers.

Sports participation is perfectly placed to offer the simple fun and pleasure consumers are seeking to escape the pressures of post-pandemic life.

David Walmsley
Research Analyst