Grassroots Sport Contributes £11.8bn to English Economy

Sport contributed £20.3bn ($30.7bn) a year to the English economy with grassroots sports responsible for other half of the total.

Growth in sport outstripped the English economy as a whole, according to the stud, with the sector resilient during the recession.

£11.8bn ($17.9bn) of the contribution came from people playing sport and money from equipment and coaching. £8.5bn ($12.9bn) came from people watching sport on TV and gambling.

Sport England Chairman, Nick Bitel, said: “This report show that as well as improving the lives of millions of people grassroots sport is also having a huge impact on our economy.

“Put alongside the enormous value of the health benefits that sport delivers, it’s hard to overstate the sector’s contribution to our country.”

The annual value of health benefits from grassroots sport is valued at £11.2bn ($17bn), with £1.7bn ($2.6bn) saved on healthcare costs.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller said: “Sport already makes a significant contribution to the economy but I want it to play an even bigger role in generating growth.

“The success of London 2012 transformed Britain’s standing in the world of sport and with a host of major events coming to the UK in the next few years we are in a great position to capitalise further.”