OUR NEEDS RECREATION DEMAND

In Tracy Learning From National Trends

Understanding what is happening at the national level helps us anticipate potential demand at the city level. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) Sports, Fitness & Recreational Activities Topline Participation Report 2018, which draws upon extensive surveys by the Physical Activity Council, informed our analysis of:

> National Trends in Sport and Fitness Participation

> Core vs. Casual Participation (an added layer of consideration that takes into account frequency of participation and whether active or casual)

> Activity by Generation

General Sports

The sports most heavily participated in the United States were Golf (23.8 million in 2017) and Basketball (23.4 million), well above other activities, in part because of the relatively small number of participants required. Tennis and Baseball rank 3rd and 4th respectively in terms of total participation. It is interesting to note that while participation in tennis has increased slightly over the last five years, participation in baseball has increased by over 20 percent.

Rugby and other niche sports, like Boxing, Lacrosse, Roller Hockey, Cricket and Pickleball have seen strong growth since 2012.

During the last five years, the sports that are most rapidly declining include Ultimate (Frisbee) (-39.1%), Touch Football (-22.8%), Tackle Football (-16.0%), and Racquetball (-13.4%).

General Fitness

Overall, national participation in fitness has experienced strong growth in recent years. These activities have very few barriers to entry, which provides a variety of options that are relatively inexpensive to participate in and can be performed by most individuals.

The most popular fitness activity, by far, is Fitness Walking, which had about 110.8 million participants in 2017. Other leading fitness activities based on participation include Treadmill (52.9 million), Free Weights (52.2 million), Running/Jogging (50.7 million), Weight/Resistance Machines (36.2 million), and Stationary Cycling (36.0 million).

Over the last five years, the activities growing most rapidly are NonTraditional / Off-Road Triathlons (74.7%), Trail Running (57.6%), and Aerobics (32.7%).

Outdoor Recreation

Much like general fitness activities, outdoor recreation encourages an active lifestyle, can be performed individually or within a group, and is not as limited by time constraints.

In 2017, the most popular activities, in terms of total participants, include: Day Hiking (44.9 million), Road Bicycling (38.8 million), and Freshwater Fishing (38.3 million). From 2012-2017, BMX Bicycling (83.4%), Adventure Racing (56.3%), Backpacking Overnight (38.3%), and Day Hiking (30.1%) have undergone the largest increases in participation. The five-year trend shows activities declining most rapidly were In-Line Roller Skating (-20.7%), Camping within ¼ mile of Home/Vehicle (-16.5%), and Birdwatching (-9.2%).

Aquatics

Swimming is unquestionably a lifetime sport. In 2017, Fitness Swimming was most popular in terms of overall participation (27.1 million) for aquatic activities, due in large part to its broad, multigenerational appeal. Over the past five years, all forms of aquatic exercise experienced significant growth Fitness Swimming, Aquatic Exercise, and Competitive Swimming.

Water Sports And Activities

Particpation in other water-based activities tends to vary based on regional, seasonal, and environmental factors. As you imagine, a region with greater access to water and a warmer climate is more likely to have a higher participation rate than a region that has long winter seasons or limited water access. The most popular water sports and activities based on total participants in 2017 were Recreational Kayaking (10.5 million), Canoeing (9.2 million), and Snorkeling (8.3 million).

Over the last five years, StandUp Paddling (138.9%) was by far the fastest growing water activity, followed by White Water Kayaking (33.1%), Recreational Kayaking (28.7%), and Sea/Tour Kayaking (20.8%). During the same time, Jet Skiing (-22.6%), Water Skiing (-19.4%), and Wakeboarding (-10.8%) declined the most.