January 2008

Research commissioned by Sport England shows that the economy of the North West region derives substantial and wide ranging benefits from sport.
Between 2003-2005 the number of jobs in the sport sector in the North West rose from 53,000 (or 1.7% of all jobs) to over 59,000 (or 1.9% of jobs). Nationally more people work in sport than in Radio and TV, and the publishing industry, combined. And in the five years between 2000 and 2005 the number of people employed in sport in England rose by 19%.
Sport represents a significant and growing section of the North West economy as a whole.
Sport related economic activity in the North West increased from £1.8bn in 2003 to £2.1 billion in 2005. The output or gross value added (GVA) from sport is calculated as the sum of wages and profits generated in the sector. The output or GVA from sport in the North West grew from 1.7% (2003) to 2% (2005) – the highest of any English region.
Nationally the growth of the sports related economy has outstripped that of England’s economy as a whole.
The North West is a stronghold of commercial sports businesses including JJB, Reebok, Sprayway and Ellis Brigham. The commercial sport sector, and consumer spending on sport in the North West both remain very strong.
Stewart Kellett, regional director of Sport England North West said: “This research shows that sport continues to be a vital part of the North West economy. And the importance of sport to jobs, businesses, communities and redevelopment continues to grow.
The North West is a region with a proud history of sport, and an exciting future. More people are engaging in sport – either by joining clubs and gyms or watching matches or buying sports clothing and equipment.  The increase in consumer spending helps to create more jobs in our region. This benefits new and existing sports clubs and gives more people more opportunities to be involved in sport. 2012 brings further opportunities to make the North West the best sporting region in England for participation, sporting, jobs and businesses. All of us must seize this once in a lifetime chance – the sporting and economic opportunities for the North West are unprecedented.”
Key findings from the report include:

•Consumer expenditure on sport in the North West is on the up, increasing from £1972.9m in 2003 to £2289m in 2005
•Outside London and the South East, the North West is the region that commits the most spending to sports participation subscriptions and fees: £369.4m in 2003 rising to  £460.9m in 2005
•Outside London and the South East, the North West spends more than other English regions on sports clothing and footwear: £434.2m (2003) to £443.3 (2005)
•Sport expenditure in our region accounts for 2.8% of all our consumer expenditure (2005)
•Sport related employment in the North West is growing; from 53,000 in 2003 to over 59,000 in 2005
•In 2005 sport related employment in the North West accounted for 1.9% of all employment in the region, higher than the national average of 1.8%.  
The research was carried out by the Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC) at Sheffield Hallam University on behalf of Sport England.
For more information  or a copy of the report click here

Notes

The Economic Impact of Sport has been assessed across England as a whole (from 1985-2005) and separately from each region (2000-2005).