Overall participation in physical activities increased slightly in ’15, with team sports seeing the best gains among those ages 6+, including year-over-year increases in participation of 4% or more in baseball, ice hockey, lacrosse, indoor soccer, flag and tackle football, according to data from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. For general participation in ‘15, inactivity decreased for most age groups, with 13-17 year olds having the biggest drop (-1.4%). Both winter and water sports are only participated in by less than 15% of the population, but their rates have increased over the past year. Individual sports saw a slight decline in ’15, continuing a trend seen since ’12.
TEAM WORK: Flag football, indoor soccer, ice hockey and wrestling each were among the sports seeing growth of 5% or more in ’15. Basketball was up 1%, while tackle football was up 4%. Looking back five years to ‘11, ice hockey (+19%) and lacrosse (+40%) have seen strong growth. During that same period, basketball is down 6% and tackle football is down 4%. Meanwhile, spending on team sports outside of school increased in ’15, while spending on team sports at school remained flat (SFIA).
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PARTICIPATION LEVELS IN SELECT SPORTS AMONG INDIVIDUALS AGES 6+
|
| SPORT |
'15 (000)
|
'14 (000)
|
'13 (000)
|
'12 (000)
|
'11 (000)
|
|
AEROBIC ACTIVITIES
|
| Running/jogging |
48,496
|
51,127
|
54,188
|
51,450
|
50,061
|
| High-impact aerobics |
20,464
|
19,746
|
17,323
|
16,178
|
15,755
|
| Stationary cycling (group) |
8,677
|
8,449
|
8,309
|
8,477
|
8,738
|
|
CONDITIONING ACTIVITIES
|
| Yoga |
25,289
|
25,262
|
24,310
|
23,253
|
22,107
|
|
INDIVIDUAL SPORTS
|
| Bowling |
45,931
|
46,642
|
46,209
|
48,614
|
53,906
|
| Golf |
24,120
|
24,700
|
24,720
|
25,280
|
25,682
|
|
RACQUET SPORTS
|
| Tennis |
17,963
|
17,904
|
17,678
|
17,020
|
17,772
|
| Racquetball |
3,883
|
3,594
|
3,824
|
4,070
|
4,357
|
|
TEAM SPORTS
|
| Basketball |
23,410
|
23,067
|
23,669
|
23,708
|
24,790
|
| Baseball |
13,711
|
13,152
|
13,284
|
12,976
|
13,561
|
| Outdoor soccer |
12,646
|
12,592
|
12,726
|
12,944
|
13,667
|
| Slow-pitch softball |
7,114
|
7,077
|
6,868
|
7,411
|
7,809
|
| Tackle Football |
6,222
|
5,978
|
6,165
|
6,220
|
6,448
|
| Flag Football |
5,829
|
5,508
|
5,610
|
5,865
|
6,325
|
| Indoor soccer |
4,813
|
4,530
|
4,803
|
4,617
|
4,631
|
| Gymnastics |
4,679
|
4,621
|
4,972
|
5,115
|
4,824
|
| Track & Field |
4,222
|
4,105
|
4,071
|
4,257
|
4,341
|
| Ice hockey |
2,546
|
2,421
|
2,393
|
2,363
|
2,131
|
| Lacrosse |
2,094
|
2,011
|
1,813
|
1,607
|
1,501
|
| Wrestling |
1,978
|
1,891
|
1,829
|
1,922
|
1,971
|
| |
|
|
|
|
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METHODOLOGY: The SFIA’s Sports, Fitness & Leisure Activities Topline Participation Report for ’15 saw 32,658 online interviews carried out among individuals (15,167) and households (17,491) in the U.S. Participants had to be ages 6+.
