Sport, as a group activity, often fosters team building, discipline and communication. Yet its value to wider society can sometimes be overlooked.
My research focuses on demonstrating sport’s economic and social value, to create a globally recognised methodology to inform policy and decision making – and to highlight the benefits sport participation can bring to society.
Working with an international team, we’re developing a harmonised new way to measure the impact of sport across Europe. This three part project explores the definition of sport, its impact on inequalities and social value, and the harmonisation of sport data.
The research will support policy and decision making, make data more accessible and highlight the benefits sport participation and volunteering can bring to society, as well as addressing new challenges, such as e-sports.
Changing the definition
We began our work by revising how the economic evaluation of sport in Europe is carried out. In the UK, this is usually done using a satellite account, which involves examining national accounts to decide which economic activities are impacted by sports. Satellite accounts can help inform data and policy, and allow other countries to compare and access data, including the value of sport and what it brings to the economy.
The impact of sport is usually defined by the ‘Vilnius definition’, which focuses on economic activity, directly related to sports. This definition has now been revised to align with other types of satellite accounts, such as tourism, to allow us to better compare data across industries. Using this revised definition, we will create a satellite account for sport across the European Union.
In this project, we wanted to go deeper with the data. By looking beyond sport’s economic impact, we could discover how it affects other aspects of society, including health, education and employment.
Understanding the benefits
Research shows that sport benefits many areas of society. With team building and communication at its core, it’s an important vehicle for social interaction and emotional connection. Taking part in sport allows people from different backgrounds to interact and connect with others they might not usually meet.
The majority of sports also come with rules, regulations and a need for communication. These skills can be translated into other aspects of people's lives, including education and employment. Studies demonstrate that investment in sport leads to higher employment rates compared to the average sector of a national economy.
This positive link between sports involvement and educational and employment achievement shows its potential to address inequalities in society. This is because people from all backgrounds can participate in sport, and develop the leadership skills and discipline to support them in a career and in life.
As well as the economy, sport can support wellbeing. Encouraging sport and physical activity can improve people’s physical and mental health, reducing strain on healthcare services and creating a happier, healthier society. Overall, the main effects of sport outside the economy, involve benefits in health, wellbeing and social capital.
Bringing it together
It’s clear then, that sport’s importance in our economy and society cannot be ignored. This is where the next part of our project comes in.
Alongside the team in Europe, I’m working to bring together existing economic and social data across the continent. By gathering all of the data on sport participation, we can provide an accurate and complete picture of its benefits that will support national policy and decision-making.
This data also helps us understand the attitudes to sport across different cultures and countries in the EU. This allows us to recognise what sport means to different people, and how we can better embed it in policy and practice.
Our research has been backed by EACEA and Eurostaat in Europe and generated further interest from the UK and many EU countries.
Putting sport front and centre
By drawing attention to the benefits of sports participation and providing accurate and comparable data across the EU, we hope that countries will further invest in sport and adjust their policies in recognition of its importance to education, employment, wellbeing, social capital and health.
An improved understanding and investment in sports participation could see a transformation in the health and happiness of society. With its potential to reduce illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, dementia and depression, it could help address health inequalities across the globe.
Our future goal
We’re currently working on creating a satellite account for the whole of the UK and its individual nations. This type of project has never been done before, and involves breaking down the data into four accounts for each nation.
This has enabled us to develop the first multinational input outcome table, which can help examine the economic value of a number of industries, including sports, across the nations of the UK. It could also support the development of a globally recognised method to calculate sports' societal benefits, which would enable their inclusion in national financial strategies.
It’s my hope that the true benefits of sport can be recognised across the globe, to ensure the industry is consistently funded and prioritised. As an integral part of our health, community and history, its importance in shaping our lives should not be forgotten.
