China’s summer sports market is experiencing significant growth, driven by interest and sophistication in a wide range of sports, along with the government’s ambition to build a sporting powerhouse by 2035.
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Despite low post-COVID-19 consumer confidence affecting some categories, Chinese consumers continue to seek experiences and products that enhance their quality of life, including travel, health goods and services, and sports apparel. This is not only limited to sporting goods and fashion but extends to travel, hospitality, and beauty.
In the first half of 2024, spending on sports and recreational articles was the second fastest growing category after telecom times, with a growth of 11.1%. With most other categories of spending experiencing flatline or minimal growth.
In this report, we analyzed 134 million posts of social media data to uncover new trends and evolving preferences in summer sports, identifying emerging opportunities and market dynamics in China. We sought to understand which sports people are doing, with whom, why they do them, and their preferred brands.
Some key findings on China’s summer sports market
- From competition to leisure: 60% of posts about reasons for doing sports are about recreation and leisure, up from 39% in 2023.
- The sports market is diversifying. Not only are new interests in sports emerging, but new consumer groups, like those over 50 years old, are becoming more involved.
- Elite sports like horse-back riding are not just a trend but educational investments and bonus points for studying abroad.
- From products to experiences: Posts about rock climbing and river tracing have both increased over 200% since last year.
- The competitive landscape is intensifying, urging brands to promptly identify what consumers value and offering it effectively. HOKA China was the most talked about brand this summer due to their offline events and celebrity collaborations, mentioned even more than other traditional players like Nike and Anta and emerging niche brands like Salomon and On.
