Stable sports practice, but not as strong since 2020

The sports economy represents about 2% of the world's GDP. Its growth is estimated at +6% per year over the next 3 to 5 years. In France, its economic weight can be estimated at more than 90 billion euros with nearly 448,000 jobs.

Between 2018 and 2020, the practice of sports remained stable in France. 65% of the French population declared that they practiced a regular physical activity during the last 12 months. In 2020, the confinement logically had a strong impact on sports activities, leading to a 10-point drop in the rate of participants (53% at the time of the first confinement). All categories were affected, particularly those practicing in closed places as well as those in distribution.

The various operators in the market - venue and equipment managers, manufacturers and distributors of sports equipment, clubs and teachers - have experienced contrasting situations as a result of this economic situation. Taking all activities together, the sports economy represents 2.7% of all companies and 0.8% of salaried jobs in metropolitan France. The population of companies in this sector is still being renewed. Over the course of one year to the end of November 2022, 1.8 companies were created for every one that disappeared.

It is in this context that measures aimed at facilitating the practice of sports were voted in 2022. Among them, the Pass'Sport, a sports allowance granted when a young person between 6 and 17 years old takes out a license with a sports club.

This indicator is slightly down compared to the end of 2021 due to a smaller number of business creations (-2%) and a larger number of business closures (+10.5%), of which 6.6% were judicial liquidations.

Local authorities are at the heart of the sports economy in France, in terms of equipment, supervision and support for clubs. Their role is indeed essential, especially since they devote each year about 12.5 billion euros in the financing of sport...

- Max Jammot, Head of the Economic Division at Ellisphere

Clubs and sport professionals still very active

Numerically, registered sports clubs are the most numerous. In fact, they represent 54% of the entities and 44.8% of the salaried positions in the sports ecosystem in France. The top sports by number of members are soccer, tennis, horse riding, basketball, golf, judo, handball, swimming, rugby, shooting sports and cycling.

The manufacture and distribution of small-format sporting goods

These activities, which include manufacturers, rental companies and equipment vendors, account for 5% of professionals and 27% of employees. However, they are the main generator of turnover in the sports economy.

The loss ratio has changed significantly over the last 12 months for sports stores (+83%) whose activity has been erratic in the recent period. Moreover, since 2012, these activities have not renewed their business population and have lost goodwill.

Managers of sports facilities and fitness centers in the hard

Managers of sports facilities and fitness centers are much less numerous. They represent only 3% of stakeholders and 14.1% of employees in the sports economy. Over the past 12 months to the end of November 2022, these are the activities that have suffered the most from the effects of the Covid crisis and the deteriorating economic environment in general.