How much is it worth youth sports in Italy? Almost 30 billion euros a year. The answer comes from a study by Bank Ifis from which it emerges that there are over 3 million Italians aged 19-7,5 who practice a sport, with an average expenditure of 300 euros a year on clothing and equipment. But the youth sport value chain is not limited to just the sports club sector, but extends to the entire production chain so as to generate positive effects on the country system as a whole with a economic impact quantifiable in1% of the Italian GDP.
Banca Ifis: youth sport in the Sport System supply chain
The study presented by the president of Coni, Giovanni Malago, and by the president of Banca Ifis, Ernesto Furstenberg Fassio, entitled "The value of youth activity in the Italian Sport System", was developed by the Research Department of Banca Ifis as part of the first Observatory on the Italian Sport System presented with Coni last March. More specifically, the upstream companies - in particular the manufacturers of clothing and sports equipment - represent a first component that gives the measure of the economic value that the young sportsmen: with an average expenditure of 300 euros per year per capita, the value of clothing and equipment manufacturing companies is measured at 2,1 billion euros, of which 350 million are instead attributable to the production of racing bicycles for the under 20s. value close to doubling, which in fact rises to 4 billion euros, if exports are also included.
But it is on the core clubs, understood as sports and facility management clubs, that the sport practiced by young people gives the greatest contribution. Of the 46,4 billion euros in annual revenues generated by these realities, youth sport generates 54% of revenues, equal to 25,2 billion euros. Within this perimeter it is interesting to analyze how young people also represent the backbone of the more than 65.000 sports clubs affiliated to FSN e DSA: over 2,4 million subscribers, with an average expenditure for registration costs of 580 euros, generate revenues of 1,4 billion euros.
Even the companies downstream of the supply chain, i.e. the sports media and in particular i broadcaster, benefit, albeit to a lesser extent, from the interest of young people in sports news in the order of 200 million euros in revenues, attributable to the under-20 audience, which represents a 1% share of the 2,5 billion euros in revenues totals.
The "performance effect" of young athletes, here are the economic aspects
In addition to the economic aspects, the Banca Ifis report highlights the carrying capacity of the entire movement generated by the so-called "performance effect" by young athletes. The successes at the youth level have represented an important driving force for the growth of the sports movement and the related economy, thanks to the ability to address their peers. Analyzing the development path of the social fanbase of young successful Italian athletes, the Banca Ifis Observatory, in fact, shows how victory in international competitions produces an average increase of +262% in followers, a sign of the strong ability to involve the new generations.
Youth sport: the social value and the impact on health
The analysis also focused on the relationship between Italian families and sport. In particular, the in-depth study shows that as many as 79% of families with children between the ages of 10 and 19 let their children play sports recognizing their social value andimpact on health. This positive sentiment is found in 75% of families with children who practice a specific sport, who declare that they recognize the value of competitive activity, convinced of the educational and training value of sport on character, but also guided by the many successes of young sportsmen Italians. On the other hand, the request for help expressed by 92% of families with children who do not play sports should be underlined, who say they are interested in letting them do it, but are currently held back by Costs and availability of facilities. All data, underlines the report, which confirm how much "families and sport" is a combination to be preserved.
Scholarships from Banca Ifis and support from CONI
For the second consecutive year Bank Ifis wanted to support the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) to support the growth path for young championsi of blue sport through the donation of scholarships for a total value of 160 thousand euros.
"A more sustainable future depends above all on young people and it is our duty to support them, together, through partnerships such as these capable of successfully involving public and private entities", declared the president of Banca Ifis.
