On February 27, 2025, Sport England commissioned a study to conduct the latest estimation of the social and economic value of sports and sporting activities in England. The main conclusion drawn from the latest analysis by the Sport Industry Research Centers of Sheffield Hallam University and Manchester Metropolitan University is that in England, for every 1 pound invested in community sports and sporting activities, it can bring more than 4 pounds of benefits to the economy and society.
The analysis commissioned by us shows that the combined social and economic value of community sports and sporting activities in England in 2022/23 was 148 billion pounds. The relevant analysis report can be downloaded below. During the same period, the combined financial and non - financial investment in community sports and sporting activities was 35 billion pounds. The return on investment is 4.20 pounds for every 1 pound invested. This data updates the previous research results we released in 2020, further indicating the significant benefits of investing in community sports and sporting activities.
Tim Hollingsworth, the Chief Executive Officer of Sport England, said, "These latest data serve as a positive and powerful reminder of why we must continue to invest to get the nation involved in and maintain more sporting activities. Community sports and sporting activities play a vital role in promoting economic growth, building stronger communities, and enhancing the health and well - being of all of us. This report, together with the social value research report we released last year, can help local governments, businesses, and the voluntary sector understand the value of promoting sporting activities."
The 148 - billion - pound economic and social value data incorporates the research results on economic productivity (total value added) in the sports satellite account of the UK's Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Investment in sporting activities can enhance people's well - being, reduce preventable diseases, and provide opportunities to narrow the health inequality gap, which is also one of the government's five major goals.
This work is part of a three - year project commissioned by us in 2023, aiming to create an up - to - date model of the social value of sports and sporting activities in England. We released the research results of the first year of the project in October 2024. At that time, we announced that the social value generated by sports and sporting activities exceeded 100 billion pounds annually. The next two years of the entire project will provide further analysis to deepen our understanding of how the social value of sports and sporting activities is generated and how it is distributed among different populations, regions, activities, and stakeholders.
