RUNNING FOR ALL AND ALL FOR RUNNING a focus on trends and demographics Prof. Jeroen Scheerder Policy in Sports & Physical Activity Research Group KU Leuven 1st European Running Business Conference Frankfurt / 27-28 October 2017
1st European Running Business Conference
Popularity of running Phases in popularisation of running Pre-1st wave: Running only practiced in a private T&F club Running in public was unworldly Processes of informalisation and deinstitutionalisation 1960-70s (wave 1) Cultural and fitness revolution 1990s (wave 2) Social revolution: females and elderly
Remarkable In Europe/worldwide leisure-time running = very popular PA Lack of time trend data
Waves of running present 1st wave et al. (2015)
Waves of running present 2nd wave 1st wave et al. (2015)
et al. (2015) present
Popularity of running: waves of running Evolution of N of marathon events/finishers worldwide (1960-present) Source: Scheerder et al. (2015)
et al. (2015) present
From pyramid model to church model ELITE SPORT COMPETITIVE SPORT ELITE SPORT RECREATIONAL SPORT COMPETITIVE SPORT AT HIGH LEVEL COMPETITIVE SPORT = PERFORMANCE SPORT RECREATIONAL SPORT = PARTICIPATION SPORT Source: Scheerder (2007)
Church model of sport applied to running Source: Scheerder et al. (2015)
Remarkable In Europe/worldwide leisure-time running = very popular PA Lack of time trend data Lack of cross-national data
Popularity of running EU28: 12% (age 15-80yrs) = 49.9 million runners (Spain = population of 47.4 million) Expenses on running: 9.6 billion euro 192 euro on average/yr Source: Scheerder & Breedveld (2015)
Popularity of running in European countries (11 countries) Country / Region 1 2 3 4 5 Denmark Walking Running Fitness Aerobics Swimming England (UK) Gym Swimming Football Cycling Athletics / running Finland Walking Cycling Gym / weight exercise Flanders (Belgium) Running Recreational cycling France Swimming Cycling Pétanque / bowling Cross country skiing Jogging Swimming Fitness Walking Walking & trekking Running / jogging Germany Cycling Running Fitness Swimming Gymnastics Italy Fitness / aerobics / gymnastics Football Swimming Cycling Running / jogging The Netherlands Swimming Cycling Fitness / aerobics Running Walking Northern Ireland (UK) Swimming / diving Walking Exercise bike / running machine / spinning class Poland Cycling Jogging / walking Jogging Dance Swimming Football Volleyball Spain Swimming Football Cycling Fitness Mountaineering Switzerland Cycling Hiking / walking Swimming Downhill skiing Running / jogging Source: Scheerder et al. (2011)
Popularity of running vs football in European countries (11 countries) Country / Region 1 2 3 4 5 Denmark Walking Running Fitness Aerobics Swimming England (UK) Gym Swimming Football Cycling Athletics / running Finland Walking Cycling Gym / weight exercise Flanders (Belgium) Running Recreational cycling France Swimming Cycling Pétanque / bowling Cross country skiing Jogging Swimming Fitness Walking Walking & trekking Running / jogging Germany Cycling Running Fitness Swimming Gymnastics Italy Fitness / aerobics / gymnastics Football Swimming Cycling Running / jogging The Netherlands Swimming Cycling Fitness / aerobics Running Walking Northern Ireland (UK) Swimming / diving Walking Exercise bike / running machine / spinning class Poland Cycling Jogging / walking Jogging Dance Swimming Football Volleyball Spain Swimming Football Cycling Fitness Mountaineering Switzerland Cycling Hiking / walking Swimming Downhill skiing Running / jogging Source: Scheerder et al. (2011)
Popularity of running across EU28 countries EU28 member state Runners (% of population) Denmark 31 Germany 25 Belgium, France, Luxembourg 19 Netherlands 18 Austria, Finland, Sweden 15 Slovenia 12 Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Malta, Poland 10 Other EU28 member states <10 Source: Scheerder & Breedveld (2015)
Non-membership of formal running-clubs, in eight European countries, in percentages of runners 120 100 80 60 88 93 95 94 60 80 93 96 Belgium (Flanders) Denmark France * Germany 40 Greece ** Hungary ** 20 Netherlands UK 0 Source: Scheerder & Breedveld (2015) Non club
In all EU countries club participation = only minority of sport participants Club participation in EU25 member states, % of total population sport part. club part. 100% 93 95 90% 83 80% 74 70% 60% 50% 40% 54 49 33 51 42 48 50 44 58 65 55 60 59 45 58 67 68 68 65 62 64 67 33 30% 20% 10% 3 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 9 28 11 12 13 14 14 15 16 17 18 20 20 20 21 22 24 28 0%
Women entering the running scene 1966: Roberta Gibb first woman to complete Boston Marathon (clandestine) 1967: officials unsuccessfully tried to remove Kathrine Switzer from Boston Marathon race
1984: inaugural women s Olympic marathon
Source: Scheerder et al. (2015)
Table 12.1 Age groups with highest levels of running participants Denmark 20-39 Greece * 30-39 Hungary * 30-39 Netherlands 35-49 Slovenia * 31-40 Spain 25-34 UK 26-29 Belgium (Flanders) 40-49 * Statistics for a specific running event; all other data come from population surveys. Source: Scheerder & Breedveld (2015)
Participation in running by level of education (indices, lowest level of education = 100), in six European countries, 2009-2013 600 500 400 300 200 100 - Denmark Germany Netherlands * Spain Belgium (Flanders) UK ** Lowest Highest Source: Scheerder & Breedveld (2015)
Social status pyramid of sport Source: Scheerder et al. (2013)
3rd wave of running?
New segments
New running settings
New running settings: colors, beats & lights
Phases in the development of mass running Wave Period (R)evolution Trend Setting Locus Icon Discipline Prototype 0 <70s Sportification process Standardization/ Stadium Track court Record Track run Mile run Sportization 1 70s-80s Cultural revolution De-traditionalization Urban Street Endurance Road run Marathon 2 90s-00s Fitness revolution Democratization Event City Energy City run 10 miles 3 10s-present Experience revolution Decorization/ Authentization Stage Digital/ Physical Trance Fun run/ Adventure run Color run Desert run Wave Generation Concept Actor Adage Focus Aim Group Emblem Memento 0 Builders Meeting/ Athlete Fast Competition Performance Club Chronometer/ Medal Contest Spikes 1 Yuppies Jogging/ Pilgrimage Jogger/ Pilgrim Expressive/ Spiritual Recreation Completion Individual Sweatband/ Running shoes Personal best/ Runners high 2 Millennials Running Runner Fit/ Slim Participation Health/ Sociability Community Heart rate monitor/chip Tourist gaze/ Tourist view 3 Yolos Festival/ Carnival Party-goer/ Hero Fun/ Fancy Sensation Beat/ Escape Tribe Running app/ Sports drink Kick/ Ecstasy Jeroen Scheerder (2016)
Only running (events)? Recreational walking Swimming Triathlon Fitness Informal, event-related physical activities Focus on health, experience, authenticity rather than mere competition and records
Further reading Scheerder, J. & Breedveld, K. with Borgers, J. (Eds.) (2015). Running across Europe. The rise and size of one of the largest sport markets. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. http://www.palgrave.com/br/bo ok/9781137446367
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION! jeroen.scheerder@kuleuven.be