Sport’s $2 trillion fan economy growing faster than global GDP

Sport’s $2 trillion fan economy has outgrown the global GDP rate by nearly 66 per cent over the last 15 years, according to new research. Since 2010, the fan economy has “compounded at approximately six per cent per year on average”, a report published this week found, “1.6x the 3.8 per cent growth of global GDP over the same period”. The Fan Economy 2026 report, produced by sport and entertainment marketing agency Two Circles, stated: “This growth is a product of not only resilient growth in fandom’s traditional value capture mechanisms – such as commercial rights around sports IP, consumer products and ticketed events – but also of growth via more recently created and maturing spaces including mobile gaming and wagering, AI and the creator economy.” The fan economy refers to the wider ecosystem that links live sport with its surrounding sectors, such as merchandise, apparel, experiences and media consumption. Fan economy driving growth The report points to investors an