Numerous studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that attending live sporting events can have a positive impact on many people’s well-being. Attending live sporting events as a spectator improves wellbeing and reduces feelings of loneliness, according to new research. This large-scale scientific study included data from 7,209 adults ranging in age from 16 to 85.
Attending live sporting events improves wellbeing and reduces feelings of loneliness, according to new scientific research. The study, which was published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, is the first large-scale study to look at the benefits of attending any type of live sporting event.
The study, carried out by academics from Anglia Ruskin University’s School of Psychology and Sport Science, used data from 7,209 adults, aged 16-85, living in England who participated in the Taking Part Survey, which was commissioned by the British Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
The survey covered live events ranging from free amateur events, such as watching village sports teams, to Premier League football matches. As a result, more research is needed to determine whether these benefits are more pronounced for elite level sport or are more closely linked to supporting a specific team.
Dr. Helen Keyes
It discovered that attending live sporting events results in higher scores on two major measures of subjective wellbeing – life satisfaction and a sense of “life being worthwhile” – as well as lower levels of loneliness. These findings are significant because previous research has linked higher life satisfaction scores to fewer life-limiting conditions, better physical health, successful aging, and lower mortality rates.
The new study also discovered that attending live sporting events increases people’s sense that “life is worthwhile,” and the magnitude of this increase is comparable to that of finding work. Many initiatives now promote the benefits of physical participation in sports, but the researchers believe that watching live sporting events can also be an accessible and effective public health tool for improving wellbeing and reducing loneliness.
Lead author Dr. Helen Keyes, Head of the School of Psychology and Sport Science at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: “Previous research has focused on specific sports or small population samples, such as college students in the United States. Ours is the first study to look at the benefits of attending any sporting event across an adult population, and therefore our findings could be useful for shaping future public health strategies, such as offering reduced ticket prices for certain groups.”
“The survey covered live events ranging from free amateur events, such as watching village sports teams, to Premier League football matches. As a result, more research is needed to determine whether these benefits are more pronounced for elite level sport or are more closely linked to supporting a specific team.”
“However, we do know that watching live sport of any kind provides numerous opportunities for social interaction, which helps to forge group identity and belonging, which in turn reduces loneliness and increases levels of wellbeing.”
