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Top storyResearch highlights physical, mental benefits of watching sport
Watching sport has a positive impact on physical and mental health, according to new research by independent consultancy Public First that was commissioned by UK pay-television broadcaster Sky.
The study found that watching sport inspired UK adults to undertake 3.7 billion hours of additional exercise in 2023 alone while they spent approximately 9.1 billion hours watching and playing sport – the equivalent of just under 2.5 hours per week per week on average.
Interestingly, 54% of UK adults said that playing or watching sport, or being a fan, has had a positive impact on their mental health, rising to 65% of men, while 59% said that watching sport has cheered them up when they have felt down.
Two in three UK adults described themselves as a sports fan.
The report, entitled ‘Game Changing: How sport makes us happier, healthier and better connected’ was based answers to an online poll of more than 2,000 adults in the UK, as well as interviews with more than 50 people in five focus groups.
“Our research demonstrates that sport helps us to feel happier, healthier, and better connected to our communities, whilst catalysing significant economic growth across the country,” said Amy Price, Director at Public First. “We estimate that fans grew the UK economy by almost £10bn in 2023 and, with the right conditions, UK sport has the potential to soar even higher over the coming decade.”
Sky has been a rights-holder of major sports properties for more than three decades. Last December, Sky secured its position as the dominant live broadcaster of football’s English Premier League – its long-term flagship property – with a new domestic four-year rights deal. The league’s agreement with Sky, as well as fellow incumbents TNT Sports and the BBC, will begin in 2025-26 and is worth a total of £6.7bn.
Sky claims to have injected around £18bn into UK sports over the past decade. This investment, according to the report, underpinned over £10m of economic activity per day in the last year alone.
Sky Group CEO Dana Strong added: “At Sky, we’re incredibly proud of our role in the sector – over the next decade, our goal is to help bring millions more fans across all sections of our society to the benefits of sport,”
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