The fastest growing sports in the world

Some sports, like football and rugby, have been around for hundreds of years and show no sign of diminishing in popularity. Some have reached their full potential and cultivated a small but dedicated fanbase. And others are growing at a rate of knots, to sate our enduring curiosity for novelty, adventure and entertainment.

In this article we take a look at the latter category, and count down the fastest-growing sports in the world today.

1. eSports: It may come as a surprise to some, but competitive video-gaming, or “eSports”, is the fastest-growing sport in the world at the moment. With organized tournaments, professional teams, and a large online audience, eSports has seen exponential growth, especially among younger generations, owing in part to the lump sum prize monies paid to the competitors and the growing availability of consoles and PCs required to take part. Some leagues can be played remotely, while others require the participants to appear at organised events. The industry is estimated to be worth around $3.5 billion, with the potential to reach $10 billion in overall value. Famous eSports competitions include The International 10, Fortnite World Cup, PUBG Global Invitational, League of legends, FIFA eWorld Cup, and F1 eSports.
2. Mixed Martial Arts: as the name suggests, MMA is a sport that combines multiple combat disciplines, and has gained a massive global following of participants and spectators, primarily due to the success of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Some famous names in the game include Usman Kamaru, Israel Adesanya, Conor McGregor. The sport’s monetary value has been estimated at more than $4 billion.
3. Adventure Racing: Adventure racing is a multi-disciplinary team sport that combines navigation, trail running, mountain biking, and other outdoor challenges. It has seen its popularity increase as more people seek unique and challenging outdoor activities.
4. Parkour: also known as “free running”, parkour involves moving rapidly and fluidly across a wide range of obstacles – walls, roofs and scaffolding, to name a few – in an urban environment. Despite its haphazard origins, it has developed a dedicated following and has even become an officially recognized sport in some countries.
5. CrossFit: an accessible high-intensity fitness program that combines elements of weightlifting, cardio, and gymnastics, CrossFit has gained a strong and dedicated community of practitioners around the world, and its popularity continues to grow.
6. Beach Volleyball: Beach volleyball has witnessed significant growth, and is now one of the most popular recreational sports in the world, due to its dynamic and fast-paced nature, and its appeal as a social activity.
7. Stand-Up Paddleboarding: SUP, which involves standing on a board and using a paddle to move across bodies of water, has experienced a surge in popularity due to its accessibility, versatility and health benefits.
8. Rugby Sevens: a variant of rugby union that features seven players per team, Rugby Sevens has gained traction around the world due to its fast pace and action-packed nature. As of 2016 it is also an Olympic sport, which has further boosted its growth and reach worldwide.
9. Disc Golf: Disc golf is similar to traditional golf but played with flying discs instead of balls and clubs. As its popularity grows, more courses are built and more players take part around the world.
10. Drone Racing: Drone racing involves piloting small, high-speed drones through challenging courses. As affordable drones become more available and organized leagues and competitions increase in number, drone racing has emerged as a growing sport. The industry is worth an impressive $127 billion, and the sport is enhanced by FPV goggles that give players an even more life-like experience. Major drone racing events include Home Filed and Emerald Downs 1s Whoop Race.
11. Footgolf: Footgolf resembles regular golf, except the ball is slightly larger, and the aim is to get it into the hole using ones feet. The sport has been growing in popularity due to the success of the AFGL tour, as well as other leagues which are actively promoting this new sport on the global stage.

In an increasingly globalized world, where content is easily available and increasingly viral, new sports can gain a significant and dedicated following in a relatively short timeframe. This would explain the rise of these sports in the global mainstream – especially among younger generations, who are used to consuming the majority of their content online.

The younger generations don’t necessarily extend their loyalty to experiences with traditional sports, and are constantly looking for the next big thing, which can lead to exciting new opportunities for sports leagues and sponsors alike. Crowdfunding is a great way to support new, niche sports and the athletes who make a living practicing them – why not get started with a campaign of your own today?