Preparing Your Sports Complex for the Olympic Bounce

After every Olympic games, there is a phenomenon known as the “Olympic bounce” where a new sport that is featured gets a noticeable bump in participation. After the introduction of rugby as an Olympic sport in Rio De Janeiro in 2016 many Americans were exposed to rugby for the first time. Since 2016, rugby has seen a major increase in participation for youths, being named the fastest-growing team sport in the USA by numerous publications. While it is certainly not too late to invest in rugby for a new sports facility, at Sports Facilities Management, we believe that it is generally better to look ahead and find the next big thing rather than jumping into a market that has already been tapped. As such, today we will discuss some of the new sports that were added to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to prepare for the next “Olympic bounce”.

Skateboarding

No longer just a childhood hobby, skateboarding has grown up into a full-fledged Olympic sport. Not only does this present a great opportunity for young skateboarders, but a savvy sports complex has a major opportunity to begin planning for a major interest bump that could occur in 2020. Skateboarding could be a fantastic sport to invest in for a couple of reasons, one, very little maintenance is required for a skatepark once construction is complete. In addition, skateboarding is a great market for selling gear to go along with the sport. From boards, decks, and wheels to branded clothing there is a lot of room for a profitable sports complex that is centered around skateboarding.

Surfing

While a surfing sports complex is very regional dependant, if you happen to live in an area with beachfront property surfing could be an excellent sport to invest in. You would need to think outside of the box, as generally surfing is done in the ocean. But, a training facility teaching the basics or advanced techniques could be a great potential investment.

Karate

Last but not least is karate. While the martial art is quite old, participation in the US has not been very high. Especially when you consider the popularity of mixed martial arts and the rise of the UFC in the US. However, after the Olympics, there may be a new crop of future karate kids ready to practice at your sports complex.

Baseball and Softball

You may have noticed one gaping hole in our Olympic bounce analysis. Yes, baseball and softball are also going to be joining the Olympics in 2020. However, as these sports are already massive in the US we don’t expect the substantial bump in participation that the others will experience. However, if you have a baseball-themed sports complex you may see an increase in membership.

Contact SFM about Your Sports Complex

Sports Facilities Management is the premiere sports based management company to help bring your sports complex to the next level. Whether you need help managing your existing facility or are looking to invest in a future sports complex, SFM is for you. Contact us at 1-727-483-7910 to start today!