Key Takeaways
- American sports and fitness participation reached an unprecedented 80% in 2024, with 247.1 million active participants – an increase of 25.4 million since 2019
- Core participation hit 170 million Americans, representing a new all-time high and signaling strong engagement in regular activity
- Pickleball continued its meteoric rise with 45.8% year-over-year growth, reaching 19.8 million participants – a staggering 311% increase over three years
- Olympic sports benefited from the “Olympic bounce” following the 2024 Paris Games, with wrestling leading team sports with an 8.6% increase
- The report tracks 124 different activities, showing growth across virtually all categories including team sports, racquet sports, and fitness activities
Introduction: A Watershed Moment in American Physical Activity
For industry observers, policymakers, and health advocates concerned about America’s physical activity trends, the Sports and Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) 2025 Topline Participation Report delivers a watershed moment of positive data. After years of incremental growth, sport and fitness participation in the United States has crossed a significant psychological threshold, with 80% of Americans now engaged in at least one physical activity. This milestone represents not just a statistical achievement but potentially signals a fundamental shift in how Americans approach physical wellness.
“For the first time since SFIA began tracking physical activity, the participation rate for active Americans has reached 80% – a testament to the nation’s growing commitment to health and fitness,” said Alex Kerman, SFIA Senior Director and Head of Research. “This milestone underscores the positive trends and momentum within the sports and fitness industry. We are thrilled to see such robust engagement across all activity categories, from team and racquet sports to fitness activities.”
The data presents a compelling narrative of post-pandemic recovery and growth across virtually all categories of physical activity – from explosive expansion in racquet sports to resurgent participation in team sports and fitness classes. This comprehensive analysis explores the key findings from the SFIA’s 2025 report, examines the factors driving these trends, and considers the implications for various stakeholders in the sports and fitness ecosystem.
The Macro Picture: Breaking the 80% Barrier
Record Participation Across Primary Metrics
The headline finding from the SFIA’s 2025 report is unambiguously positive: for the first time since the organization began tracking participation data, the overall activity rate has reached 80%. This represents a continuous upward trajectory from 73.2% in 2019 to the current high-water mark.
The raw numbers are equally impressive, with total participants rising from 242 million in 2023 to 247.1 million in 2024 – an increase of 5.1 million newly active Americans in a single year. Looking at the longer trend, this represents an increase of 25.4 million active Americans since 2019, underscoring the strength and sustainability of the current growth trajectory.
photo: SBJ
Perhaps most significantly, core participation – which represents more frequent and committed engagement – surpassed 170 million Americans, marking a new all-time high. This is particularly important as core participation is considered the foundation of activity and an indicator for active or organized participants who engage regularly rather than occasionally.
The Declining Inactivity Gap
Complementing the rise in participation is a corresponding decline in inactivity. The number of inactive Americans fell from 64.9 million to 61.8 million – still representing 20% of the population but continuing a downward trend that began following the pandemic.
Dr. Katherine Morgan, health policy researcher at the Urban Institute, notes: “While the continued decline in physical inactivity is encouraging, the persistence of a 20% inactive population remains a significant public health challenge. These 61.8 million Americans represent a concentration of health risk factors that will impact healthcare systems for decades to come.”
The Income-Activity Correlation
Perhaps the most troubling finding in the report is the persistent correlation between income and physical activity. The data reveals that Americans in lower income brackets (under $25,000 annually) have inactivity levels approximately three times higher than those in upper income brackets ($100,000+).
This stark disparity highlights how socioeconomic factors continue to influence health behaviors and access to physical activity opportunities. For policymakers and community organizations, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity: addressing barriers to participation among lower-income populations could potentially unlock substantial further growth in overall activity rates.
Category Deep Dive: Winners Across the Activity Spectrum
Pickleball’s Unprecedented Growth Trajectory
The standout performer in the SFIA report continues to be pickleball, which has now recorded its fourth consecutive year as the fastest-growing activity in America. With 19.8 million participants in 2024, the sport grew an astonishing 45.8% year-over-year, building on already substantial growth in previous years. Even more remarkable is the three-year growth rate of 311%, demonstrating that this is far from a short-term trend.
“What we’re witnessing with pickleball isn’t just a pandemic-era fad but a fundamental reshaping of the racquet sports landscape,” explains Martin Chen, sports industry analyst at Deloitte Sports Business Group. “The sport has successfully bridged demographic divides, attracting participants from Gen Z to Boomers, which is exceedingly rare in the activity space.”
This multigenerational appeal, combined with relatively low barriers to entry in terms of equipment cost and physical demands, has created a perfect storm for continued expansion. Industry investment has followed this growth, with dedicated facilities, professional leagues, and major sponsorship deals all contributing to the sport’s momentum.
The Broader Racquet Sports Renaissance
Pickleball’s explosive growth appears to be lifting the entire racquet sports category, with five out of seven racquet sports tracked by SFIA showing increased year-over-year participation. Tennis, in particular, has benefited from the renewed interest in racquet sports, posting significant growth – impressive for a mature sport with established infrastructure.
This synergy between pickleball and other racquet sports challenges the zero-sum assumption that one sport’s growth must come at the expense of others in the same category. Instead, the data suggests that pickleball may be serving as a gateway activity that eventually leads participants to explore other racquet sports.
The Olympic Bounce Effect
The 2025 report reveals a clear “Olympic bounce” effect following the 2024 Paris Summer Games, with many Olympic sports experiencing significant participation increases. Basketball, gymnastics, volleyball (court), and track and field all saw increases of nearly 7% or higher.
Wrestling emerged as the standout performer among Olympic sports, leading all team sports with an 8.6% participation increase since 2023. This Olympic bounce phenomenon demonstrates the continued relevance of the Games as an inspirational catalyst for grassroots participation, particularly among youth demographics who may be seeing these sports showcased for the first time.
Team Sports: Broad-Based Recovery
The report shows robust recovery across team sports, with 20 of 24 tracked sports showing increased participation. Eight team sports posted impressive growth of over 7%, indicating strong momentum across the category.
This broad-based recovery is particularly significant given concerns about declining youth team sport participation that predated the pandemic. The data suggests that team sports have not only recovered from pandemic disruptions but are now expanding their participant bases beyond pre-pandemic levels.
John Rivera, youth sports development director at the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program, observes: “The strength we’re seeing across team sports contradicts the narrative that today’s youth are abandoning traditional activities. What’s likely happening instead is a diversification of participation – kids are playing multiple sports rather than specializing early, which is actually healthier from both physical and psychological perspectives.”
Fitness Activities: The Return to Group Settings
The report highlights strong performance across virtually all fitness categories, with particular strength in strength training and class-based activities. For the first time since the pandemic, every activity in the strength category increased participation, while class-based activity had its best year since 2020, with almost all class-based activities showing growth.
Outdoor activities continued their strong performance, with hiking (day) and trail running extending their decade-long growth trends. Running and jogging reached an important milestone, surpassing 50 million participants for the first time since 2020.
Lisa Fernandez, fitness industry consultant and former executive at Equinox, notes: “What we’re seeing is the best of both worlds emerging post-pandemic. Consumers are returning to the social and motivational benefits of group fitness settings while retaining some of the convenience-focused habits they developed during lockdowns. The fitness providers that can bridge these environments – offering both community and flexibility – are seeing the strongest growth.”
Drivers of Growth: Understanding the Participation Renaissance
Post-Pandemic Behavioral Shifts
The timing of this participation milestone – reaching 80% active Americans – suggests that post-pandemic behavioral shifts are a significant driver. The health awareness created by the pandemic appears to have translated into sustained behavior change rather than a temporary response.
“The pandemic created a massive natural experiment in health awareness,” explains Dr. Morgan. “Many Americans who had never seriously considered their health status suddenly became acutely conscious of factors like weight, cardiovascular fitness, and general wellness as they related to COVID outcomes. This awareness has evidently translated into lasting behavioral changes for millions of people.”
The Diversification of Activity Options
Another key factor driving increased participation is the continual diversification of activity options across the 124 different sports, fitness, and outdoor activities tracked by SFIA. Traditional barriers to entry – skill requirements, time commitments, physical intensity – are being addressed through modified formats and accessible alternatives.
Pickleball exemplifies this trend, offering a racquet sport experience with a gentler learning curve than tennis. Similarly, the growth in modified team sports formats and fitness classes designed for beginners demonstrates how lowering barriers can expand the participant pool.
The Olympic Inspiration
The clear boost in participation for Olympic sports following the 2024 Paris Games demonstrates the continued power of elite international competition to inspire grassroots participation. The visibility and storytelling around Olympic athletes appear to translate effectively into increased interest at the participation level.
This effect is particularly notable for less mainstream sports like wrestling, which led the team sports category with an 8.6% increase. The Olympic platform provides these activities with rare mainstream media exposure that can significantly impact awareness and interest.
Digital Enablement and Community Building
Digital platforms have played a crucial role in facilitating activity growth, from activity tracking apps that gamify participation to social platforms that build communities around specific activities. The intersection of physical activity with digital engagement has created powerful motivational tools that help convert interest into sustained participation.
“The social component of physical activity has been digitally amplified,” notes Chen. “Activities that facilitate strong community building, both online and in-person, are seeing the strongest growth. Pickleball clubs, running groups, and fitness communities all leverage digital platforms to organize, motivate, and retain participants.”
Implications for Stakeholders
For Sports and Fitness Brands
The record participation numbers present significant opportunities for equipment manufacturers, apparel brands, and facility operators across the sports and fitness industry. With 5.1 million newly active Americans in 2024 alone, the market for entry-level equipment, appropriate apparel, and accessible facilities continues to expand.
The challenge for brands will be capturing this growth while also serving the needs of the expanding core participant segment (now exceeding 170 million), which typically demands higher-performance products and more specialized offerings.
For Olympic Sports Governing Bodies
The documented “Olympic bounce” effect provides valuable validation for the strategies of national governing bodies of Olympic sports. The data supports investments in elite athlete development and Olympic success as catalysts for broader grassroots participation.
For these organizations, the challenge now is to convert this post-Olympic enthusiasm into sustained participation growth through systematic development pathways and accessible entry points for newly inspired participants.
For Community Recreation Providers
For municipal recreation departments, YMCAs, and other community-based providers, the data highlights both opportunities and challenges. The growing participant base creates demand for more accessible facilities and programs, but the persistent inactivity gap among lower-income populations suggests that significant barriers remain.
These organizations are uniquely positioned to address the socioeconomic participation gap through targeted outreach, subsidized programs, and innovative approaches to community engagement. Their success in this mission could be crucial to sustaining the overall growth trend.
For Health Insurers and Healthcare Systems
The participation growth trend has profound implications for health insurers and healthcare systems, which stand to benefit substantially from increased physical activity levels across the population. The potential reduction in chronic disease burden and associated healthcare costs creates a compelling case for these stakeholders to invest in further promoting physical activity.
Progressive insurers are already implementing premium incentives for documented physical activity, and healthcare systems are increasingly prescribing exercise as a first-line intervention for numerous conditions. These approaches could further accelerate the participation growth trend while yielding substantial savings in healthcare costs.
Looking Forward: Sustaining the Momentum
The Path to 85% Participation
With the 80% participation threshold now breached, attention turns to the next milestone: reaching 85% participation. Achieving this goal would require activating approximately 15 million currently inactive Americans – a significant challenge but one that seems increasingly attainable given current momentum.
The key to reaching this next threshold likely lies in addressing the socioeconomic participation gap. If inactivity levels among lower-income Americans could be reduced to match those in middle-income brackets, the 85% threshold would be well within reach.
Leveraging the Olympic Legacy
With the 2024 Paris Games now in the rearview mirror, stakeholders have an opportunity to build on the demonstrated participation boost for Olympic sports. The challenge for governing bodies, brands, and community providers will be converting initial post-Olympic interest into sustained participation through accessible programming and clear development pathways.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, American sports organizations have a unique opportunity to leverage a home Games to drive even greater participation increases. Strategic planning for this opportunity should begin now to maximize its potential impact.
Potential Disruptors and Challenges
Despite the positive trajectory, several factors could potentially disrupt continued growth:
- Economic pressures: Inflation and economic uncertainty could reduce discretionary spending on sports equipment, facility memberships, and other participation costs.
- Screen competition: The continuous evolution of digital entertainment options competes for time that might otherwise be directed toward physical activity.
- Facility limitations: In some communities, growth in activities like pickleball is creating facility shortages that could eventually constrain further expansion.
- Aging demographics: The gradual aging of the U.S. population creates natural headwinds for certain high-intensity activities, though this may be offset by growing participation in modified formats suitable for older adults.
Opportunities for Continued Expansion
Alongside these challenges, several factors could support continued participation growth:
- School-based initiatives: Enhanced physical education programs and school-based activity opportunities could help establish lifelong activity habits.
- Workplace integration: Further integration of physical activity into workplace settings and schedules could help overcome time constraints that limit participation.
- Activity prescription: The growing movement toward “exercise as medicine,” with healthcare providers formally prescribing physical activity, could drive participation among previously inactive populations.
- Technology integration: Continued evolution of activity tracking, gamification, and community-building technologies could further lower psychological barriers to participation.
Conclusion: A Significant Milestone with Greater Potential Ahead
The SFIA’s 2025 Topline Participation Report documents a significant milestone in American physical activity: 80% of the population now engages in at least one sport or fitness activity, with core participation reaching record levels as well. This achievement represents the culmination of a multi-year growth trend that has accelerated since the pandemic, adding 25.4 million active Americans since 2019.
Across virtually all categories – from racquet sports led by pickleball’s explosive 311% three-year growth to Olympic sports benefiting from the Paris Games, team sports, and fitness activities – participation is expanding beyond pre-pandemic levels. This broad-based growth suggests fundamental shifts in how Americans prioritize physical activity rather than isolated category-specific trends.
As Alex Kerman, SFIA Senior Director and Head of Research, notes: “It’s clear that Americans are prioritizing activity more than ever, and the sports and fitness industry looks forward to continuing to support a healthier, more active nation.”
Yet amid this positive news, the persistent correlation between income and activity levels serves as a reminder that significant challenges remain. The path to even higher participation rates will require focused efforts to reduce barriers for lower-income Americans and create truly equitable access to physical activity opportunities.
For stakeholders across the sports and fitness ecosystem – from brands and facility operators to healthcare providers and policymakers – the data presents both validation of current approaches and a roadmap for future initiatives. By building on the current momentum while specifically addressing remaining barriers, these stakeholders have an unprecedented opportunity to further transform America’s relationship with physical activity.
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ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation, as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs, and member services. For more information, please visit sfia.org.
via: SFIA / SBJ / Sports Travel Magazine
