Daily Research News Online no. 2179 - Public Interest in Sport in Decline

Public Interest in Sport in Decline

February 18 2003

The nation's interest in sport - and its viewing of sport on TV - are generally on the decline, according to MORI's latest SportTracker survey in the UK.

Since the last survey in 1996, only swimming has seen a significant rise in public interest, while football is the one sport with a greater TV following. Swimming continues to be the most popular participation sport, with one in five Britons taking regularly to the pool.

'This is a worrying trend for sport and its sponsors,' observes MORI's Peter Hasler, head of sports research. 'The TV following for every sport except football has dropped or remained static in the last seven years - probably because only two in five people have access to digital TV, which is where sport is increasingly broadcast. General interest in all sports except swimming and football has also fallen.'

Two-fifths (42%) of the British public claim an interest in football, as they did in 1996. Swimming comes second, with three in 10 people showing interest compared to two in 10 just seven years ago. Rugby League and snooker have seen the greatest decline, with drops in interest of 10 per cent and nine per cent respectively.

Football continues to win the biggest TV following, with two-fifths (42%), including three in five men, watching regularly - an increase of four per cent. Second-placed tennis is still watched by one in five people, but boxing and rugby league have seen their TV following dwindle by more than a third.

Participation in sport remains broadly static. Swimming is still the nation's favourite with one in five people (including 27% of all women) participating regularly - a one-third increase on 1996. One in 10 people still play football and one in 20 snooker and golf.

'The rising popularity of swimming ties in with other MORI research which shows a trend towards 'individualistic' leisure pursuits - solitary activities which involve little organisation and can be done at any time,' explains Hasler. 'For example, two in five people use or are members of a gym'.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.