It’s the Small Things: Sports and Recreation Trends

1. Soccer Scores More Fans in U.S.

The world’s game is on track to become America’s third-favorite spectator sport. A poll released earlier this year found 7% of Americans say soccer is their favorite sport to watch, representing a three-percentage-point gain from just four years ago. Viewership trends suggest soccer will surpass baseball to join football and basketball as the three most-watched sports. —Forbes

2. It’s All Uphill for Winter Sports

The number of people getting out in the snow continues to grow. Winter sports participation increased 1.7% over the past three years, according to a report by Snowsports Industries America. About 12 million participants hit the slopes during the 2017–18 season, and the related products industry has grown 5.5% to $4.7 billion between the 2011–12 and 2015–16 seasons. —Snowsports Industries America

3. Athleisure for Your Pleasure

Healthier lifestyles and stronger participation in sports and fitness activities are propelling substantial growth in the fitness apparel market. Estimates predict global revenue of sportswear, which includes items such as yoga pants and activewear, will reach more than $230 billion by 2024. —Business Insider

4. Getting Reacquainted with the Great Outdoors

Participation in outdoor recreation grew by nearly 3 million people to 145 million from 2015 to 2017. The South Atlantic region, which includes the southern states on the Eastern Seaboard and West Virginia, had the highest rate of outdoor participation in the country at 19% of the population and $179.1 billion spent on outdoor recreation products. —The Outdoor Foundation, Outdoor Participation Report 2017 and The Outdoor Recreation Economy report

5. Ready Player One?

Esports became a $1.5 billion industry in 2017 and there’s little sign of it slowing down. Professional and high-level amateur gaming competitions are expected to grow 26% to nearly $2 billion by 2020, driven by audiences expanding into the mainstream and leagues raising revenue through brand sponsorships, advertisements, ticket sales and team merchandise. —SuperData Research

6. Cutting the Cord

While overall viewership declined during last year’s NFL season, the number of people watching a streaming service increased 60%, according to NBC. The bulk of that increase is due to the growth of services like Sling TV and DirecTV Now, which have more than 2 million subscribers today. —Sports Business Daily

This edition of “It’s the Small Things” originally appeared in the January/February 2019 issue of Middle Market Growth. Find it in the MMG archive.