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Game, set, thrive: how grassroots sport serves up big wins for our health and a wellbeing economy
20/05/2025
This article first appeared in EuroHealthNet Magazine
Grassroots sport and the wellbeing economy might not seem obvious allies. But look a little closer, and the connections become clear. Both sectors prioritise building healthier, more resilient communities over TV revenues and corporate profits. Mogens Kirkeby, President of the International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA), takes a closer look at what they have in common.
When we hear the word ‘sport’, many of us instinctively picture televised images of elite athletes competing in high-profile matches and major professional events. Less likely to spring to mind are grassroots, community-based activities involving local clubs and leagues like rugby, football or cycling, or recreational physical activity aimed at improving personal wellbeing such as jogging or walking. However, despite rarely featuring in TV schedules, this sector not only brings more benefits to citizens than elite sport but also represents a greater economic driver.
Around 40% (180 million) of the European Union’s 450 million citizens regularly take part in grassroots sport and physical activity. These activities differ significantly from elite sport in purpose, setting, and structure, often taking place in informal environments and typically without spectators. While many of these activities are supported by commercial providers, community sports clubs and the public sector, a significant number are fully self-organised.
Motivations for getting involved vary, particularly across age groups. For children and young people, the focus is often about having fun and being active with friends. In contrast, older adults are typically motivated by the health benefits and opportunities for social connections. The types of activities also differ, ranging from friendly team competitions to yoga sessions or sociable programmes designed to support mental and physical wellbeing in later life.
This broad spectrum of activity is supported by a diverse ecosystem. The private sector operates fitness centres, typically located in urban areas. These include gyms, dance studios, and smaller venues offering services such as yoga and personal training. Civil society organisations support local sports clubs and associations, which are estimated to serve around 60 million citizens across Europe. Compared to commercial fitness centres, these volunteer-run clubs are more widely distributed geographically, often operating at a hyper-local level and reaching people in smaller communities who might not usually be drawn to commercial options.
The public sector also plays a direct role, offering activities through community centres, homes for older people, daycare centres, gyms, and rehabilitation services. Then there’s the ‘self-organised’ sector, characterised by individual, informal participation in common everyday activities such as walking, jogging, swimming, and cycling.
The fact that nearly half of the EU population takes part in grassroots sport and physical activity represents a significant economic driver. Overall, it is estimated that sport contributes to more than 2% of the EU’s GDP. While substantial sums are certainly derived from professional sport, most of the economic activity in the grassroots sport and physical activity sector is driven by active participation, rather than passive entertainment. In concrete terms, participation is estimated to generate more than €200 billion annually.
The cost of inactivity
Several of the core principles of the wellbeing economy are closely aligned with grassroots sport and physical activity. Firstly, many of the most popular recreational activities combine both personal and environmental wellbeing. Walking and cycling, for example, serve not only as forms of recreation but also as sustainable, human-powered modes of transport with minimal carbon footprints. Secondly, grassroots activities are both locally produced and consumed. In fact, they are unique in that individuals are simultaneously the producers and consumers. This dual role makes both the ‘production’ and ‘consumption’ aspects inherently sustainable.
Thirdly, individuals’ investments in their own health, both financial and in terms of time, contribute significantly to reducing healthcare costs. These activities can lead to many more years of healthier, more productive life. This form of personal investment is both substantial and valuable. Money spent on local, health-promoting activities is money not spent on more resource-intensive goods.
Perhaps the most telling sign of sport’s alignment with the wellbeing economy lies in the civil society that sustains it. Across Europe, hundreds of thousands of sports clubs and associations operate not for profit but for purpose - driven not by personal gain, but by the dedication of millions of volunteers. At its heart, this is a sector built on a simple, powerful principle: to be human is to serve the good of others.
To truly understand the value of this investment in personal health, we need only to look at the enormous costs associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Across Europe, it’s estimated that physical inactivity contributes to over 500,000 deaths annually. The economic impact on the health and social sector is just as staggering, costing around €80.4 billion a year across the EU-28, primarily due to four major non-communicable diseases: heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory conditions. There are also significant indirect costs linked to mood and anxiety disorders associated with physical inactivity. Altogether, these costs represent approximately 6.2% of total health spending in Europe.
But reducing these costs isn’t simply a matter of encouraging individual behaviour change: it requires systemic action to create environments where physical activity is a realistic, accessible option for everyone. After all, as stated in the Council of Europe’s European Sports Charter: “All human beings have an inalienable right of access to sport in a safe environment […], which is essential for their personal development and instrumental in the exercise of the rights to health, education, culture and participation in the life of the community.”
The postcode lottery: access to sport
However, access to physical activity is far from equal. People facing social disadvantages or living in low-income areas and rural communities are often least able to access commercial fitness centres or organised sport. This inequality isn’t by chance; it’s by design. Barriers such as cost, transport, lack of facilities, or cultural exclusion shape how opportunities are distributed.
This is where grassroots and community-led initiatives come into their own. Backed by the public sector and civil society, they offer something more inclusive, more affordable, and crucially, more local. In a system where health outcomes can still depend on your postcode, grassroots sport helps level the playing field.
Initiatives like Icehearts Europe, which adapts Finland’s Icehearts model to support and mentor vulnerable young people through sport, show just how powerful community-based programmes can be. They don’t just boost health; they also help tackle deep-rooted inequalities. Access to sport shouldn’t be a postcode lottery or depend on your income or background. But too often, it still is.
Sport as a driver for change
Grassroots sport and recreational physical activity are undoubtedly a perfect fit for the wellbeing economy. Sport can serve as a powerful vehicle for community change, helping to tackle health inequalities and break down barriers to accessing physical activity. However, stronger policies that recognise the positive role of sport in health and wellbeing are essential.
Across Europe, progress is being made through initiatives like the Erasmus+ sports programme, which funds opportunities for people to get active. But more needs to be done. More emphasis needs to be placed on grassroots sport initiatives that help build communities, promote social inclusion, and encourage healthy lifestyles.
A recent report by researchers at the University of Edinburgh found that for every £1 (1.16€) invested in its sport and wellbeing activities, £5.69 (6.62€) was generated in economic and social value. This is clear evidence that a wellbeing economy works - and that sport is not just a pastime, but a powerful force for positive societal change.
Posted on 20/05/2025 by Mogens Kirkeby, President of ISCA