Nielsen Sports: Key observations from The Sport Industry Report 2025
The Sport Industry Report 2025, produced in collaboration with Official Research Partner, Nielsen Sports, has today been published.
The free-to-access report delves into the state of the UK sports business sector in 2025, exploring key themes such as investment, the emergence of new technologies, fan experience, the importance of sustainability, and the growth of women’s sport.
Ahead of the launch, we caught up with Andy Milnes, Nielsen’s Market Leader for the UK & Ireland, to reflect on the company’s involvement in the report, and some of its key findings.
In order to access the full data, click here to download a full copy of this year’s report.
Why collaborate with Sport Industry Group on the first annual Sport Industry Report?
The Sport Industry Report 2025 presents a fantastic opportunity to focus on the key issues affecting the UK sports sector.
This is a dynamic and unique sports market, complete with distinct challenges and focal points, and it’s vital to address these in a relevant, constructive manner.
It seems as though sport is entering a new era. We anticipate ongoing growth that may occur in unforeseen ways. Innovation will be rewarded, but certain issues will necessitate collaborative solutions.
We believe this report provides everyone with a chance to evaluate and set the agenda for the forthcoming year, and we are thrilled to participate.
Partnering with the Sport Industry Group allowed Nielsen to contribute fresh research for the report and share our expertise in measurement and insights, derived from our work with a diverse range of clients within the sports and entertainment industries.
What does this report provide for organisations and professionals within the industry?
Our role has involved conducting market research with sports fans and professionals to gain a comprehensive understanding of the UK sports industry.
This exercise has been fascinating – it has both confirmed assumptions and challenged others – and we hope it proves a valuable resource for UK sports stakeholders as they evaluate their industry, audience, and future.
This aspect, alongside insights from senior figures on key issues currently impacting our industry, will furnish those in sport with significant insights.
How can the results of this report move the conversation forwards across different trending topics within the industry?
It’s uncommon to conduct research that captures perceptions and opinions on the industry while simultaneously assessing fan and industry sentiment side by side. This was a crucial aspect of this study; to drive change or make informed decisions, understanding audience and peer perspectives is essential.
It’s important to identify where there is support for actions and where further persuasion or changing preconceptions might be necessary. Surprising insights may emerge, leading to unexpected opportunities.
In our research, we have explored trending topics within the sports industry, including women’s sport, technological innovation, and sustainability. Measuring these areas will stimulate discussion, debate, and new ideas.
Why is market research important for any organisation, and how does Nielsen facilitate this?
Market research, along with other measurement and insight areas provided by Nielsen, is crucial for organisations in making informed decisions and evolving strategies. We assist brands, rights holders, and media within sports, entertainment, and culture in planning strategies, measuring impact, and evaluating tangible outcomes of sponsorships and marketing activities.
In the UK, we collaborate with clients with a global presence across areas like Formula 1, Premier League, and major sponsoring brands, as well as clients focused primarily on the UK. This allows us to leverage both local and international expertise to support clients’ strategy and measurement programmes.
We provide a wealth of existing data from syndicated offerings or can tailor consultancy or measurement programmes specifically to client needs.
What were the most important differences between the professional and fan cohorts in terms of demographics and attitudes? Where do you think this was reflected in the survey results?
It’s notable that the sample compositions differed: the industry group was smaller and somewhat self-selecting, while the fan group was a nationally representative sample of the 18-69 population by age, gender, and region, all interested in sports.
Consequently, and due to the nature of the sports business itself, the industry respondents tend to be younger and more concentrated in London and the South East. Professionals showed a higher likelihood of exercising for fitness, listening to podcasts, playing golf, and watching rugby union or cricket. They also had a greater propensity to attend live sports events and travel internationally for work, as reflected in some responses regarding the significance of UK sports events.
Unsurprisingly, those in the sports industry generally demonstrate a more positive outlook on aspects like sponsorship power, yet there was significant unanimity around certain collective challenges ahead. Awareness also significantly influenced sentiment across both groups – especially concerning positive associations with rights holders, events, and the reputations of governing bodies. This aspect would be intriguing to explore in subsequent research.
What changes are you seeing more widely in terms of what matters to clients and the industry, and what matters to fans?
Two primary trends have become apparent over the past few years. Firstly, the globalisation of sports, with many rights holders focusing on the US to expand their fanbase and engagement in that market. Similarly, US sports are driving the growth of their presence and marketing activities in significant markets outside the US. The sustained growth in women’s sports is another area. The vast majority of our clients now measure their women’s team, event, or sponsorships. Given the considerable changes over a short period, many also require assistance to look towards the future. Many of our clients, especially brands, view the Women’s Euros and Women’s Rugby World Cup as this year’s key international events. This shift underlines the increased importance placed on women’s sports by key figures within the UK sports industry in recent years.
What was the most surprising discovery from the survey data, across the five chapters?
There was a lot of encouraging news for women’s sport, with significant support and enthusiasm for its growth. Notably, opinions were divided on whether women’s sports bodies should mirror their male counterparts, with many organisations considering independent paths. In the tech sector, the surprising finding was that most people in the UK sports community perceive technology as having a generally positive impact, although VAR was notably contentious. The findings on sustainability were intriguing, highlighting both complexities and opportunities for bold initiatives. Half of the industry respondents were uncertain about which sports event leads to environmental impact, yet there is significant potential for action, with 72% of fans willing to pay extra to support more sustainable events. Regarding fan experience, innovation stood out, as 76% of fans and 83% of professionals believe governing bodies should embrace format changes to keep sports relevant—an important statistic given current industry trends.
Considering the international sport industry, is there anything in the survey data that is unique to the UK?
Several unique aspects emerged for the UK, showing notable pride in events such as Wimbledon, Silverstone, The London Marathon, and The Open—all prominent in the perception of sport. The growth and engagement with women’s sports also stood out, the UK ranks among the top three globally for interest in women’s football, which significantly increased following the 2022 Women’s Euros. This enthusiasm was reflected in the positive attitudes towards women’s sports seen in the research.
Which questions would you be paying most attention to if you ran the same survey in 2025?
Expect questions with high agreement levels across both groups to remain fairly consistent. The focus might lie on areas with mixed responses, examining where consensus is forming or opinions have shifted. Often, this is less about values and more about preferences, including forecasting, like identifying crucial technologies. This also applies to evolving media consumption habits and behaviours. Additionally, building on this year’s findings could delve deeper into people’s priorities, possibly leading to complex discussions.
What do you expect the next 12 months of sport to bring?
The 2025 sporting calendar showcases innovation, challenges, and changes defining the industry.
Women’s sport is poised to lead conversations, with the Women’s Rugby World Cup likely being the UK’s major event, accompanied by attention on the Women’s Euros and the Women’s Cricket World Cup in India. New events, like the Ballers League debut in the UK, could illuminate crossover audiences and innovation appetite.
The expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the summer will also be a focal point. These developments might foster new community formations, significantly impacting efforts in sustainability.
More broadly, we anticipate continued experimentation in delivery and new experiences and technologies, with valuable lessons to be learned from fan and audience responses.
Click here to access the complete online version of the Sport Industry Report 2025
