The global sports analytics market was expected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of over 20 percent between 2022 and 2031. While the market size was estimated at almost 3.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, this is forecast to reach almost 16.5 billion U.S. dollars by 2031.

In 2023, the share of population in the United States who took part in individual sports sank to 42.1 percent. This represented an increase from the previous year of approximately 0.8 percent.

The statistic shows the methods with which the survey respondents consume sports. 96 percent of respondents said that they watch sports on TV.

The eSports industry has boomed in recent years, in no small part thanks to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which forced people to seek alternative forms of entertainment during the widescale cancelation of professional sporting events. During a survey of eSports executives from across the world in October 2020, around 64 percent of respondents believed that, as a result of the increased attention on eSports during the pandemic, the traditional professional sports industry would continue to focus on using digital technologies to provide fans with more direct interaction and engagement with teams, players and content.

There are millions of sports fans across the United States, from those religiously following an NFL team to avid tennis fans or those who watch every Formula One Grand Prix. During an April 2023 survey in the United States, 44 percent of male respondents stated that they were avid sports fans. Meanwhile, this figure was just 15 percent among female respondents.

National Football League fans in the U.S.

Football is a widely enjoyed sport in the United States, as is evident from the millions of fans who tune in to watch their favorite teams compete every Monday night. The sport enjoys a diverse viewer demographic, with more than two thirds of white, Hispanic, and Black participants in an online survey identifying as either an avid or casual fan of football in January 2023. The survey also investigated the level of interest in the NFL in the U.S. broken down by gender, with a significantly larger share of men identifying as avid fans of the sport than women.

Women’s professional sports fans in the U.S.

Women’s professional sports viewership in the U.S. has grown significantly in recent years, helped at least partially by tournament victories across a wide range of sporting categories. When asked about the reason behind their interest in women’s sport in the U.S., nearly a third of respondents highlighted international events such as the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup as primary motivators for their interest. Meanwhile, when asked about the role of advertisers in promoting the growth of women’s sport in the U.S., more than half of survey participants believed that media agencies had a responsibility to do so.

The use of new technologies is transforming the way that fans experience live sport, both inside and outside the stadium. During a global survey in April 2023, just under 80 percent of respondents stated that they had increased their spend on technology-enabled merchandise, such as virtual reality headsets and wearable tech devices.

This statistic shows the results of a survey conducted by Cint on the number of hours spent on exercise/participating in sport activities in the United States between 2016 and 2018. In 2018, 18.3 percent of respondents in the United States stated they exercise less than one hour per week.

As of August 2023, three in four consumers interested in watching sports in the United States used cable and satellite TV to do so, according to a survey. The share of sport fans that stream their sports content stood at 53 percent. By contrast, when watching sports in company the use of cable and satellite TV shrinks to 66 percent, whereas streaming stays equally popular.

The statistic shows the share of children aged 6 to 12 who play sport at least once a year in the United States from 2011 to 2018. According to the source, 71.8 percent of kids participated in a sporting activity at least once in 2018.

The statistic displays the results of a survey on the leading reasons why people engage in sport or physical activity in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017. The survey was conducted via face-to-face interviews and gathered data from 1,338 respondents from the UK. In 2013, it was found that 12 percent of respondents stated that they engage in sport or physical activity in order to to improve their physical appearance. More information about sports in Europe can be found in the Dossier: Fitness industry in Europe.

During a global survey conducted in April 2023, tennis was the sport with the highest share of respondents preferring to watch the women's players over the men's. On the other hand, over 50 percent of respondents, stated that they watched both men's and women's tennis events.

The statistic displays the results of a survey on the distribution of places where people engage in sport or physical activity in Sweden in 2013 and 2017. The survey was conducted via face-to-face interviews and gathered data from 1,011 respondents in December 2013 and 1,036 respondents in December 2017, from Sweden. In 2013, it was found that 46 percent of respondents stated that they engage in sport or physical activity at home. More information about sports in Europe can be found in the Dossier: Fitness industry in Europe.

This statistic shows the participation in leisure-time aerobic and muscle strengthening (sports) activities among the adult population in the U.S. from 1999 to 2018, by gender. In 2018, participation in sports activities with additional health benefits among adult women was 20.9 percent.

During a November 2022 survey in the United States, 30 percent of sports fans aged 25 to 34 stated that sports news social media pages were their preferred form of social media. By comparison, 14 percent of respondents aged 18 to 24 preferred athlete social media pages.

This statistic looks at the number of people employed in sport in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2018, by gender. The statistic shows that approximately 42.9 thousand more men than women are employed in the sports sector in the UK.

This statistic displays the results of a survey on the share of people who are never exercise or play sport in the European Union (EU) in 2013 and 2017, by country. The survey was conducted via face-to-face interviews and gathered data from 27,919 respondents in December 2013 and 28,031 respondents in December 2017, across Europe. In 2013, it was found that 60 percent of respondents from Italy stated that they never exercise or play sport. More information about sports in Europe can be found in the Dossier: Fitness industry in Europe.

Watching sports is one of the most popular hobbies across the world. Whether it be soccer, cricket, American Football, or baseball, live sports has viewers of all ages glued to the screen. During an April 2023 survey, it was found that around 70 percent of respondents who watched sports preferred to follow the action on traditional TV.

According to a global survey in June 2021, the key reasons for consumers engaging with women's sport were related to the media coverage of the events, or their own experience with sport during their childhood. During the survey, 42 percent of respondents stated that they watched international women's sports events on television and then continued their support into local leagues.

The statistic shows the results of a survey concerned with why people enjoy watching sports in 2014. 63 percent of the male respondents said that they enjoy watching sports because of the rivalry between teams.

Social media is playing an ever-increasing role in the world of professional sports, with many fans engaging online during games, or even using social media platforms to watch the action. During a global survey in April 2023, around 70 percent of Gen Z respondents (aged 18 to 27 years old) stated that they preferred to watch sports on social media platforms.