Development, Current Situation and Future Prospects of the Private Sport Sector in Europe

Abstract

This book outlined the private sport sector of the 18 European countries by using the Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community (NACE Rev. 2, 2008) as a basic statistical framework. According on the country chapters European sport is divided into public, voluntary and private sectors. Depending on how strongly and through what kind of historical processes these sectors have developed, European countries taking part in this project can be classified as 1) historically and traditionally strong non-profit voluntary sport sector countries, 2) former Eastern Bloc countries and 3) countries with strong commercial sport activities. Based on the statistics, sport goods sales make the core of the private sport sector in Europe. Other important business fields are top-level sport clubs functioning as limited companies, especially in football; operations of sport facilities; and fitness facilities as a strongly developing market during this millennium. Also sport and recreation education has increased its role as an important part of the profit-making sport sector. In addition, sport related tourism is growing, although it is not a NACE classified business field. Visible examples are ski resorts and golf activities. Private sport sector has gained a prominent position in the 2000’s in all of the 18 countries of this book. Even though profit-making sport sector represents only a small share of the total economies in Europe, it is perceived as an auspicious business sector now and in the future. In order to be able to give more accurate estimates of this sector, sport business related statistics need to be further developed.