Lo Italian sport confirms itself as a sector capable of generating economic, educational and social value. It highlights it2023 edition ofObservatory on the Italian Sport System di Bank Ifis. According to the report, i revenues deriving from sport exceed i 102 billion euros, representing the 3,4% of GDP. Values that bring the sector back to pre-crisis levels. This demonstrates the solid contribution of the sports industry to the country's economy. Also, the sector employs over 405.000 people at various levels and has 67.000 sports clubs, 10.000 manufacturing companies, 9.500 plant management companies and 50 publishing and betting companies.
The second edition of the report focuses on three different years to allow comparisons and monitor trends: 2019 as a pre-pandemic base year, the estimated values for 2021 in the last edition and the data for 2022.
Four pillars of the Sport System
They are four pillars which support it Sports System: upstream companies, core companies, downstream companies and positive externalities. In 2022, the report highlights, le producing companies have demonstrated resilience. Despite the inflationary impact, they benefited from the opportunities on international markets, registering a increase in turnover by 16% compared to pre-crisis values for a total of 20,1 billion euro of revenues generated.
Not least also the core company which include the companies of plant managementie le sports clubs. These, in the first part of the year, suffered the restrictions due to the pandemic, but were able to recover during the year. The first recorded one revenue recovery on 2019 (6,2 billion compared to 6,1 billion) while the latter saw a increase in the number of employed people (+ 3,2%) and of companies (+ 3,1%).
Le downstream companies, which include sports publishing, events and sports betting, have been less affected by the effects of the pandemic and have even increased their revenues compared to the pre-pandemic period. Sports betting in particular recorded a 32% increase compared to 2019, representing almost 13% of legal gaming in Italy, with revenues of 16,5 billion euros. Football, tennis and basketball are confirmed as the three main sports in this sector.
Finally, the positive externalities demonstrate the sport's ability to generate increasing value (+13% vs 2019) also in indirect way. This is manifested through the improvement of health and safety, as well as the involvement of young people in healthy and educational activities that positively influence their behavior and lifestyle. In 2022, more than 66% of the Italian population was involved in sporting activities
Sports tourism is growing
The easing of restrictions then allowed the recovery of sports tourism. After a two-year pandemic characterized by health restrictions and travel restrictions, the desire to participate in sporting events outside one's home has returned forcefully. The second half of 2022 has resulted in a substantial realignment to 2019 values as for the total expense of sports tourism in Italy, which exceeded i 7,2 billion euros. A figure that acquires more value if we consider that also due to geo-political tensions, i tourist flows they recorded 4 million less attendance compared to the pre-crisis period and the spending per capita of sports tourists is 9% growth. The latter factor is given by the increase in activities carried out during the trip such as visits to exhibitions, museums and other cultural attractions, which in some cases recorded peaks of 27% more spending. The sports tourism in Italy it presents, therefore, a considerable future potential both short and long term.
The value of major sporting events
In the 2023 edition of the Observatory on the Sport System, the scope of the major sporting events in this case i Olympic Games and World Cup, global phenomena which reflect on host countries and cities at various levels and which carry out a pivotal role in attracting visitors and generating significant revenues. These demonstrations involve national and supranational bodies at various levels and arouse worldwide interest. The last edition of the Olympic Games attracted more than one million visitors with spectators, while the FIFA World Cup in Qatar attracted over 1,6 million spectators. THE revenues generated from these events are substantial, with figures ranging from €6,5 billion for Rio 2016 to €8,3 billion for Tokyo 2020 for the Olympic Games, and from €9,3 billion for Russia 2018 to over 12,3, 2022 billion euros of Qatar XNUMX for the World Cup. In addition to tourist spending, the revenues from these events are also produced by TV rights e sponsorships.
Not just the immediate economic benefits, major sporting events also deliver long-term investment opportunities. The organization of these events allows investments to be made in permanent assets, such as plants and infrastructures, which have a positive impact on the territory and represent a source of value for the host country.
