“With participation rates having stalled, not enough people playing at a high enough frequency and the London Olympics having so far failed to inspire the nation, the market faces a number of difficult challenges. Individual/keep-fit sports will remain most accessible in cost and facility terms, but developing new formats could put team and racquet sports back in the game.”
– Matt King, Head of Leisure Research
How will pressure on local government finances affect availability of public sports facilities?
“With participation rates having stalled, not enough people playing at a high enough frequency and the London Olympics having so far failed to inspire the nation, the market faces a number of difficult challenges. Individual/keep-fit sports will remain most accessible in cost and facility terms, but developing new formats could put team and racquet sports back in the game.”
– Matt King, Head of Leisure Research
How will pressure on local government finances affect availability of public sports facilities?
Can the London 2012 Olympics leave a genuine legacy of increased sports participation?
Will the government’s new participation strategy succeed in getting more young people playing?
How are sports gaining in popularity attracting new players?
How can the rise of ‘free’ sports and facilities increase spending on participation?
How can sports providers overcome the main barriers that discourage consumers from taking part?
“The impact of the 2012 Olympic Games on the spectator sport market in general terms of value and profile is clearly positive, but the event is also creating a variety of challenges and opportunities for individual sports according to their calendars and character.
Growing or sustaining attendance could also become more difficult should unemployment remain high and consumer confidence remain low, while
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“As disposable incomes remain under sustained pressure, cost is becoming an increasingly significant barrier to participation in sport. In response, free play initiatives are emerging as a new means of encouraging Britons back on court.”
A run of bad results for participation sports
A run of bad results for participation sports
“If, as Sport England’s latest participation figures suggest, the London Olympics can’t inspire us to play more sport, how can we get more people more active?”