The Mass participation Report 2025
Growth, Trends and Opportunities in the Events Industrty
The Mass Participation Sports Events Industry in 2025: What the Data Really Shows
Download the Full 2025 Mass Participation Sports Events Industry Report
The mass participation events industry grew 7.8% in 2025, but the real story isn't the headline number—it's who's driving that growth and what it means for organisers planning their 2026 calendar.
We've analysed booking data from events we've worked with for consecutive years to understand what's actually happening in the industry. Here's what we found.
Three Trends That Matter
1. The industry is getting younger
The 25-39 age group is driving growth. The 35-39 cohort alone contributed 14.7% of all new participants in 2025. Every age group under 40 gained market share, whilst the traditional 40-44 peak is flattening out.
This isn't a blip—it's a structural shift. These younger participants have different expectations around digital experience, social connection, and what they're willing to pay for.
2. Gender parity is accelerating faster than most realise
Female participation is growing faster than male across all age groups. Among 20-24 year olds, we've effectively hit parity: 49.7% female, 49.9% male.
As these younger cohorts age through the demographic pyramid, the overall industry composition will naturally shift. Events creating welcoming, inclusive environments are positioning themselves well for this change.
3. Revenue beyond entry fees is significant
14.5% of participants bought merchandise (averaging £16 per purchase). When basket values exceeded £200, 25% used payment plans to spread the cost. 7.9% made voluntary donations.
Entry fees alone represent an incomplete revenue model. The data shows clear opportunities to increase revenue per participant through add-ons, flexible payment options, and premium experiences.
What This Means Practically
The most successful events in 2026 will be those that:
- Align your event to the changing demographics: The 25-39 age group is driving growth, and they have different expectations. Impactful imagery, powerful messaging, and the event experience itself need to speak to this demographic—not the 40-something participant who dominated the field five years ago. Female participation is accelerating, with younger cohorts at gender parity. Events that feel male-dominated or stuck in the past will struggle to capture growth.
- Build retention into your strategy: Only 26% of 2024 participants returned to the same organiser in 2025. That's 74% walking away. Frequent email communication, newsletters, blogs, loyalty points programs and referral schemes (8.5% of bookings come through referrals), and making it easy for social groups to enter together all drive retention. These tools cost nothing to implement, but most organisers aren't using them.
- Reduce friction at every stage: 75% of transactions now happen through digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Link), abandoned cart emails recover 34% of incomplete bookings, and no-cost payment plans remove cost barriers. The 25-39 demographic driving growth expects seamless experiences—any clunky step in your booking process costs conversions.
- Sell merchandise at checkout: Whether you hold stock yourself or partner with suppliers, making products available during registration turns a single touchpoint into a revenue opportunity.
The Full Picture
This summary covers the headline findings, but the full report includes detailed breakdowns on:
- Growth patterns across different disciplines and distances
- How booking behaviour varies by age, season, and day of week
- Where bookings actually come from (and which marketplaces deliver results)
- Pricing trends and what events of different sizes are charging
- Travel distances by discipline and what this reveals about local vs destination events
Download the Full 2025 Mass Participation Sports Events Industry Report
---
About This Report
This analysis is based on booking data from events using the eventrac platform throughout 2024 and 2025. We focused on like-for-like comparisons (events we've worked with for at least two consecutive years) to measure genuine growth rather than simply adding new clients.
eventrac is a comprehensive event management platform built specifically for mass participation sports events. Our platform handles registration, payments, marketing, and participant communication for organisers across the UK and beyond.
Questions about the data or want to discuss what this means for your event?
Email: info@eventrac.co.uk | Web: www.eventrac.co.uk
