Drea Knufken
No matter what country you’re in, you have a home team. You may own merchandise, like a baseball cap or mug, related to that team. You probably watch your team’s games on TV. You may even place the occasional bet on your team (unless you’re a Cubs fan).
Around the world, there are millions, perhaps billions of people just like you. Thanks to your fandom, savvy merchants are cashing in big on TV rights, sponsorships, merchandise, hospitality, and the hundreds of other ways sports can make money.
According to Plunkett Research, in the US alone, the “Big 4”–NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB–bring in $17 billion in annual revenue. “That’s just the tip of the iceberg,” says Plunkett:
U.S. sporting equipment sales at retail sporting goods stores are roughly $41 billion yearly, according to U.S. government figures. A reasonable estimate of the total U.S. sports market would be $400 to $425 billion yearly. However, the sports industry is so complex, including ticket sales, licensed products, sports video games, collectibles, sporting goods, sports-related advertising, endorsement income, stadium naming fees and facilities income; that it’s difficult to put an all-encompassing figure on annual revenue.
That’s the US alone. Now add in soccer, rugby, handball, table tennis, muay thai, and all those other sports the rest of the world loves. Sprinkle in global events for good measure–this year’s FIFA World Cup is expected to bring in about $3.4 billion in revenue–and sports is always in the running for the world’s most lucrative market.
