ACTIVE Network Data & Insights Report:
ENDURANCE
INDUSTRY
Table of Contents
3
10
14
18
22
26
30
34
39
43
51
55
Endurance Industry
Running Event Insights
Triathlon Event Insights
Cycling Event Insights
Adventure Event Insights
Walking Event Insights
Duathlon & Other Multi-Sport Event Insights
Clinics & Camps Insights
Mountain Biking Event Insights
Open Water Swim Event Insights
Virtual Event Insights
Conclusion
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ENDURANCE EVENTS
DATA & INSIGHTS
The Endurance Industry
Endurance definition:
Events that test your limits or create a reason
to celebrate with friends and family.
Endurance events are unique in their requirement for
participation. Their success is driven by the masses
and their need to become greater than what they
were the day before. These events are not just about
going; they’re about joining in no matter your role,
your motivation or your athletic ability. These events
represent a greater picture of individuals coming
together as a collective group to accomplish a goal.
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3
ENDURANCE EVENTS
DATA & INSIGHTS
Introduction & Methodology
The ACTIVE Network Data and Insights
Report is a comprehensive measurement of
data processed through ACTIVE's software
over the past three years from endurance
events across the United States. This data is
aggregated at the event level; specific
participant information was not included in
this report.
We believe that the report insights are representative
of similar trends occurring within the industry as a
whole, with the majority of events being classified as
small. While each endurance event category was
analyzed at different size thresholds, on average, small
events were less than 380 participants while large
events were greater than 1710 participants. For our
data, 74% of all events are classified as small, 18%
medium and 8% large.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
8%
LARGE
18%
MEDIUM
E V E N T S I Z E BY
R E G I S T R AT I O N S
74%
SMALL
Caution: While these results are relative to the population, they
cannot be extrapolated onto the entire industry with 100% certainty.
4
ENDURANCE EVENTS
DATA & INSIGHTS
Introduction & Methodology
The ACTIVE Network Data and Insights Report
measure the following endurance categories:
Adventure, Clinics & Camps, Cycling, Duathlon,
Mountain Biking, Open Water Swim, Running,
Triathlon and Walking.
The size of the data sample: ACTIVE Network is
considered a market leader within the endurance space.
For this report, data was analyzed from 125,945 events
across 16,334 organizations between 2013 and 2015.
0. 3 %
CLINICS & CAMPS
4 .0 %
CYC L I N G
0. 4 %
D UAT H LO N
3.8%
ADVENTURE
0. 2 %
MTN BIKING
7.7 %
T R I AT H LO N
0. 2 %
O P E N WAT E R
SWIM
2.8%
WA L K I N G
R E G I S T R AT I O N
B R E A K D OW N
BY E V E N T
TYPE
8 0.6 %
RUNNING
Dates Analyzed: January 2013 to December 2015
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5
ENDURANCE EVENTS
DATA & INSIGHTS
Executive Summary
The data measured suggests that the endurance industry is becoming more competitive with new organizations entering
the market in addition to successful organizations spreading into new territories and creating events. The average
organizer saw an uptick in events from 1.8 events in 2015 to 2.1 in 2016.
NOTE: This number varied from market to market.
Registrant Trends
Challenges
If they are not running, men are most likely registering for triathlon, adventure
and cycling events while women are staying active by participating in adventure,
triathlon or walking events. Women love adventure; the gap between women
and men participants continues to decline with the proportion of women
increasing to 49%. Across many endurance sports, shorter distances are
growing in popularity. This may indicate that registrants are looking for
entertainment over testing their limits (or that organizers are reaching a broader
audience of participants).
Minors are signing up for triathlons, walking and adventure events. Millennials
are signing up for adventure, triathlon and cycling events. Generation X’ers
register for triathlon, cycling and adventure events. In greater numbers, Baby
Boomers prefer cycling, triathlons and walking events. This growth
of Generation X and Generation Z suggests that older families are starting to
use endurance events as a way to connect on a more frequent basis.
The number of challenges race directors face is continuing to change year over year,
but luckily, there are solutions in the pipeline. For some race directors, growing credibility
through repeat customers has been one way to combat changes within the market.
Pricing
When event directors provide a discount to meet last year’s registration
goals, they ultimately end up losing more money year over year (YOY) than
if they did not discount at all. Based on our analysis, there is not a strong
correlation between adding discounts and driving more registrations.
Adding additional fundraising-only events is a great way to drive extra
revenue dollars without being limited to a cause-driven organization.
Events that had fundraiser-only activities with their event had an average
registrant to donor ratio of 13:1. This means that for every 13 registrants, there
was one donor. Each donor on average contributed around $147.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
“
Race directors must provide a consistent experience across the board.
For a well-run organization, perception is critical.” –Race Director Josh Rodgers
While building brand loyalty is important for a sustainable business model,
for other race directors it’s also about adding a product element, unique
activation or marketing campaign to draw new participants. For example, race
director Tom Naylor saw a 160% increase of on-site registrations for the 2017
Brighton Marathon after he added the ACTIVE Event App to his race.
Activity Cloud
Race directors are now combating new challenges within the industry with Activity Cloud.
This data insights platform has incorporated many features that assist race directors,
from event scheduling and timing (so events don’t overlap with popular ones, such as
an Ironman) to the radius of prospective participants searching for their event. Race
director Krys Davis explains this value: “Through that first month, we were flabbergasted
to see that the largest population of registrants was from three hours away in Corpus
Christi. We completely changed our marketing strategy because we normally only
target people within a one-hour driving radius. With Activity Cloud, it showed very
clearly what was happening.” This report also investigates the trends happening within
the endurance space and how race directors can make better informed decisions
based on current trends, challenges and emerging opportunities within the market.
6
ENDURANCE EVENTS
DATA & INSIGHTS
w h at
Endurance Growth
At the end of 2014–a record-breaking year in
event participation–experts predicted that 2015
would surpass 2014 and hit the record for most
athletic registrations ever. However, our data
suggests that this did not happen.
Based on our data sample, the endurance industry experienced an
overall decline in the number of registrations by 8% but increased
revenue per event by 3% with a few exceptions. Clinics and camps,
duathlons and other multi-sport events–like mountain biking, open
water swim and walking–on average saw an increase in
registrations for each event.
YOY R E G I S T R AT I O N & R E V E N U E C H A N G E BY E V E N T T Y P E
30%
20%
10%
0
-10%
-20%
-30%
A DV
CLI/CAMP
CYC
MTN
AVG R E G I S T R AT I O N / E V E N T
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SWIM
WA L K
RUN
D UA
TRI
AVG R E G I S T R AT I O N R E V E N U E / E V E N T
7
ENDURANCE EVENTS
DATA & INSIGHTS
H OW
Organizer Event Trends
AV E R AG E N U M B E R O F E V E N T S
H E L D BY A N O R G A N I Z E R YOY
AV E R AG E N U M B E R O F E V E N T S H E L D BY
N E W / E S TA B L I S H E D O R G A N I Z E R S YOY
3.5
2.5
3.0
2.0
2.5
1.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
1.0
0.5
0.5
0
0
2013
2014
2015
2014
NEW ORGANIZERS
Our data echoes the 9% decline in running finishers found by
RunningUSA*. However, we also found that event competition
has increased not only from new events and copycats entering
the market, but from successful organizers starting new
events in new locations or within different event categories.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
2015
E S TA B L I S H E D O R G A N I Z E R S
Between the increase in competition and the decrease
in runners, a decline in registration is expected.
*Source: 2016 State of the Sport - U.S. Road Race Trends. (2016, May 6). Retrieved May 6, 2016, from http://www.runningusa.org/state-of-sport-us-trends-2015
8
ENDURANCE EVENTS
DATA & INSIGHTS
who
Registration Trends
What types of people are contributing to the success of these industries?
If we look at the events that various ages prefer, we reveal some interesting insights.
E V E N T T Y P E PA R T I C I PAT I O N I N T E R E S T BY G E N D E R
E V E N T T Y P E PA R T I C I PAT I O N I N T E R E S T BY AG E
ADV
A DV
CLI
CLI
C YC
CYC
MTN
MTN
SWIM
SWIM
WA L K
WA L K
RUN
RUN
D UA
D UA
TRI
TRI
0
20%
55 +
40%
35-54
60%
18-34
80%
UNDER 18
While ACTIVE data suggests that running events are the
preferred hobby of all age groups, there is a spread of
endurance interests with triathlon, cycling and adventure
topping the list of popularity.
Minors are signing up for triathlons, walking and adventure
events. Millennials are signing up for adventure, triathlon
and cycling events. Generation X’ers register for triathlon,
cycling and adventure events. In greater numbers, Baby
Boomers prefer cycling, triathlons and walking events.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
100%
0
20
MEN
40
60
80
100
WO M E N
Both genders participate in running more than any other
category, with men doing so to a lesser degree. If they are not
running, 26.7% of men are most likely registering for triathlon,
adventure and cycling events. On the other hand, 12.5% of women
are participating in adventure, triathlon or walking events.
9
DATA & INSIGHTS:
RUNNING
EVENTS
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10
RUNNING
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h at
Market Analysis
Whether it’s running as a challenge or for fun, this popular
sport is generally held as a road race covering various
distances. With 80.6% of the industry, running dominates
the space. However, it lost some traction last year as
events struggled to keep registration numbers up.
While this decline was felt by many organizers, almost half
of the events organized last year did see year over year
registration growth.
1%
NO CHANGE
R U N N I N G R E G I S T R AT I O N & R E V E N U E YOY C H A N G E
AV G R E G I S T R AT I O N
PER EVENT
AVG R E G I S T R AT I O N
REVENUE PER EVENT
0
-5%
-10%
-15%
-20%
53%
DECLINE
I N D I V I D UA L
EVENT GROWTH
OR DECLINE
YOY
46%
GROWTH
-25%
-30%
-35%
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11
RUNNING
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
GENDER OF RUNNING
R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
who
Registrant Trends
2014
2015
Women drop to
64% of all runners,
increasing the
proportion of men
competing to 34%.
The running industry is seeing a drop in what
has historically been its primary market of 18 to
34 year olds, dropping from 41% of all registrants
to 36%. With this decrease, other age groups
are becoming more prominent in the space.
65% 33%
women
64% 34%
men
AG E O F R U N N I N G R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
women
men
YOY BY S U B T Y P E BY AG E
50%
100%
40%
80%
30%
60%
20%
40%
20%
10%
0
0
<18
2014
18-34
2015
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
35-54
55+
<18
21k+
18-34
1 1 k- 2 0 k
35-54
0-10k
55+
UNCLASSIFIED
12
RUNNING
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h ere
State Registration Trends
ME
VT
MT
Average registrants
per event:
ND
OR
most popular states
844
WY
OH
least popular states
DC
200
remaining states
WV
MO
CA
425
SC
OK
2 0 1 5 industry average
NM
554
MS
AL
GA
TX
AK
HI
These maps were generated from data between 2013 to 2015. In order to be included, states had to have a reasonable
sample with standards set for each individual event type. These numbers by default will not match 2015 averages.
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13
DATA & INSIGHTS:
T R I AT H LO N
EVENTS
C o p y ri g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Acti v e N etwor k , L LC . A ll ri g h ts reser v ed.
14
TRIATHLON
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h at
Market Analysis
Triathlons are three-wave endurance events usually
containing a running, cycling and swimming component.
Our data covers a large variation of tris from supersprint to full distance Ironman races. These events make
up about 7.7% of the endurance industry. Across the
triathlon event industry, registrations declined year over
year. However, a small increase in price per registration
generated a small increase in revenue per event.
While most event directors saw their events decline year over
year in registrations, almost half – 42% percent – of triathlon
events saw an increase in registrations.
1%
NO CHANGE
T R I AT H LO N R E G I S T R AT I O N & R E V E N U E YOY C H A N G E
2.5%
2.0%
1.5%
57%
DECLINE
I N D I V I D UA L
EVENT GROWTH
OR DECLINE
YOY
42%
GROWTH
1.0%
0.5%
0
-0.5%
-1.0%
AVG R E G I S T R AT I O N
PER EVENT
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t wo r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
AV G R E G I S T R AT I O N
REVENUE PER EVENT
15
TRIATHLON
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
G E N D E R O F T R I AT H LO N
R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
who
Registrant Trends
2014
Across all age groups, attendance remained relatively
steady year over year. Less drastic than other
non-triathlon multi-sport events (please reference
duathlon section), there was a slight decrease
in the younger generation participation along
with an increase in older generation event entry.
Generation X’ers continue to dominate this sport.
37% 58%
w omen
60%
3.0
50%
2.5
40%
2.0
30%
1.5
20%
1.0
10%
0.5
0
2014
18-34
2015
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35-54
38% 59%
men
women
men
Like other multi-sport
events, triathlons
tend to be more
attended by men,
with 59% of the
attendance. Men
tend to participate
in these three-sport
series events more
than women.
AV E R AG E E V E N T S P E R O R G A N I Z E R YOY
AG E O F T R I AT H LO N R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
<18
2015
55+
0
2013
2014
2015
Despite the industry average, event directors continued to decrease the number
of triathlon events they held in 2015. However, unlike most other event categories,
each event director is more likely to hold around 2 triathlon events per year.
16
TRIATHLON
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h ere
State Registration Trends
Average registrants
per event:
MT
NH
ND
NY
OR
SD
most popular states
RI
WI
WY
610
MD
DE
DC
least popular states
WV
62
CO
KY
NC
remaining states
254
insufficient
AZ
OK
NM
information
2 0 1 5 industry average
593
FL
HI
These maps were generated from data between 2013 to 2015. In order to be included, states had to have a reasonable
sample with standards set for each individual event type. These numbers by default will not match 2015 averages.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t wo r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
17
DATA & INSIGHTS:
CYC L I N G
EVENTS
C o p y ri g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Acti v e N etwor k , L LC . A ll ri g h ts reser v ed.
18
CYCLING
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h at
Market Analysis
Cycling sports are typically road races with teams
or solo cyclists competing in various distances. With
an estimated 3.9% of the endurance industry, classic
cycling has struggled year over year. With a drop in
registrations, event organizers sought heavier discounts,
which led to an even bigger loss in revenue.
For classic cycling, registration was not shared evenly and almost
half of the events that existed year over year experienced increases
in registration.
1%
NO CHANGE
CYC L I N G R E G I S T R AT I O N & R E V E N U E YOY C H A N G E
AVG R E G I S T R AT I O N
PER EVENT
AVG R E G I S T R AT I O N
REVENUE PER EVENT
0
-1%
-2%
53%
DECLINE
I N D I V I D UA L
EVENT GROWTH
OR DECLINE
YOY
46%
GROWTH
-3%
-4%
-5%
Newer events are entering the market, contributing the majority of the loss in registrations
and revenue. Established events only experienced a drop of 5% year over year.
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19
CYCLING
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
who
Registrant Trends
With almost 50% of the total registrations, Gen X’ers are
the primary registrants in traditional cycling events.
However, there has been a significant increase in the
proportion of Baby Boomers joining cycling events. This
indicates that cycling sport is losing its grasp on Millennials
as they slip to only 15% of the registration percentage.
Unlike most endurance events, men dominate the cycling
sport with around 63% of event participation both years.
G E N D E R O F CYC L I N G
R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
AG E O F CYC L I N G R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
50%
2014
2015
36% 63%
36% 63%
40%
30%
20%
10%
w omen
men
women
men
0
<18
2014
18-34
35-54
55+
2015
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20
CYCLING
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h ere
State Registration Trends
ME
NH
ND
Average registrants
per event:
NY
CT
RI
most popular states
WY
541
MD
least popular states
DC
NV
58
UT
WV
CO
CA
KS
remaining states
179
SC
insufficient
NM
GA
information
MS
2 0 1 5 industry average
TX
288
AK
These maps were generated from data between 2013 to 2015. In order to be included, states had to have a reasonable
sample with standards set for each individual event type. These numbers by default will not match 2015 averages.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
21
DATA & INSIGHTS:
A DV E N T U R E
EVENTS
C o p y ri g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Acti v e N etwor k , L LC . A ll ri g h ts reser v ed.
22
ADVENTURE
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h at
Market Analysis
While some obstacle races were classified as
adventure in our data, adventure races by majority are
expedition-length races that usually involve multiple
sporting disciplines and elements of navigation.
Adventure events are a key sub-category of MOB events, explained
later in this report. The average adventure event is large, with the
category accounting for 3.5% of the industry according to our figures.
These races bring in over 500 registrants on average per event.
Over the last year, the adventure market has been struggling.
The decline in registrations had a direct impact on the revenue
collected from each event. Average registration revenue per
event was $76,276.79. In an attempt to increase registrations,
many race directors implemented heavy discounts driving
down the cost of entry. Average registration cost per registrant
was $40.61. Although registrations were down, adventure still
holds its place as one of the most registered event categories
when looking at the number of registrants per event.
YOY G R OW T H
AV G R E G I S T R AT I O N S
PER EVENT
Sixty-six percent of
adventure events
saw a decrease
in registrations.
AVG R E G I S T R AT I O N
REVENUE PER EVENT
0
-5%
34%
GROWTH
I N D I V I D UA L
E V E N T G R OW T H
OR DECLINE
YOY
-10%
-15%
-20%
66%
DECLINE
-25%
-30%
A majority of events experience a decrease year over year. According to Josh Rodgers, Founder
of ABQ Brew Dash: “Running road races has hit its peak and adventure races lose novelty after
a couple of times. You have to offer something timeless to keep participants coming back.”
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23
ADVENTURE
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
who
Registrant Trends
Millennials are continuing to grow their presence
in adventure events. After Millennials, Generation
X’ers are primary registrants in this category.
The decline in the adventure category has caused a reversal in gender
proportions. Adventure racing has historically been dominated by men.
As men leave the sport, women are growing in presence at these events.
G E N D E R O F V I R T UA L
R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
AG E O F A D V E N T U R E R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
70%
2014
2015
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
42% 53%
10%
w omen
men
49%
51%
women
men
0
<18
2014
18-34
35-54
55+
2015
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ADVENTURE
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h ere
State Registration Trends
WA
MT
Average registrants
per event:
NH
MA
RI
CT
ND
OR
ID
most popular states
MI
WY
3,125
least popular states
NJ
DE
DC
NV
45
WV
MO
CA
remaining states
1,120
insufficient
NM
AR
information
MS
LA
2 0 1 5 industry average
1,878
AK
These maps were generated from data between 2013 to 2015. In order to be included, states had to have a reasonable
sample with standards set for each individual event type. These numbers by default will not match 2015 averages.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
25
DATA & INSIGHTS:
WA L K I N G
EVENTS
C o p y ri g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Acti v e N etwor k , L LC . A ll ri g h ts reser v ed.
26
WALKING
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h at
Market Analysis
Walking events can occur independently or in
conjuntion with other events. With 2.6% of the
endurance industry, walking events also saw
growth in 2015 with the average event growing by
8% in registrations and 8.6% in event revenue.
Many event organizers experienced a registration increase. The
majority of events did not decline in registrations. In fact, 50% of all
walking events contributed to the market’s growth.
2%
NO CHANGE
WA L K I N G R E G I S T R AT I O N & R E V E N U E YOY C H A N G E
10%
8%
48%
DECLINE
6%
4%
I N D I V I D UA L
EVENT GROWTH
OR DECLINE
YOY
50%
GROWTH
2%
0
AVG R E G I S T R AT I O N
PER EVENT
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
AV G R E G I S T R AT I O N
REVENUE PER EVENT
27
WALKING
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
who
Registrant Trends
While Generation X’ers make up the largest proportion
of registrants, a rise in Baby Boomers and Generation Z
participants is helping make up the loss of the Millennials
and contribute to the growth seen in the market.
This sport, like running, is dominated by women, with 70%
of the registrations. However, some of the growth in 2015
was created by men entering these walking events.
G E N D E R O F WA L K I N G
R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
AG E O F WA L K I N G R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
40%
2014
2015
70% 30%
69% 31%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
w omen
5%
men
women
men
0
<18
2014
18-34
35-54
55+
2015
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
28
WALKING
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h ere
State Registration Trends
ME
WA
MT
Average registrants
per event:
ND
MA
CT
SD
most popular states
150
IA
least popular states
DC
IL
NV
35
remaining states
OH
UT
KY
CA
70
2 0 1 5 industry average
OK
127
SC
AR
MS
HI
These maps were generated from data between 2013 to 2015. In order to be included, states had to have a reasonable
sample with standards set for each individual event type. These numbers by default will not match 2015 averages.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
29
DATA & INSIGHTS:
D UAT H LO N
EVENTS
C o p y ri g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Acti v e N etwor k , L LC . A ll ri g h ts reser v ed.
30
DUATHLON / MULTI-SPORT
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h at
Market Analysis
Traditional duathlons consist of a running and cycling
component. However, this category has been expanded to
cover many dual component races. Duathlons, aquathlons
and multi-sports (non-triathlon events) make up 0.6% of
the industry. These events are categorized as having
more than one event category segment per race entry.
The growth seen year over year was not experienced by
everyone. Only thirty-nine percent of duathlon events saw an
increase in registrations.
Note: This segment does not include triathlons.
D UAT H LO N R E G I S T R AT I O N & R E V E N U E YOY C H A N G E
15%
39%
GROWTH
12%
9%
61%
DECLINE
I N D I V I D UA L
EVENT GROWTH
OR DECLINE
YOY
6%
3%
0
AV G R E G I S T R AT I O N
PER EVENT
AV G R E G I S T R AT I O N
REVENUE PER EVENT
Multi-sport events consisting of 2 or more events experienced a growth in popularity
year over year. These events on average experienced large growths in revenue as well.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
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DUATHLON / MULTI-SPORT
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
G E N D E R O F D UAT H LO N
R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
who
Registrant Trends
2014
Multi-sport events are consistently more
popular with Generation X participants. In 2015,
younger generations declined in participation
while older generations increased.
2015
46% 52%
w omen
45% 53%
men
women
Multi-sport events
continue to be
most popular
among men.
With 53% of
registrations,
men barely outnumber women
at these events.
men
AV E R AG E E V E N T S P E R O R G A N I Z E R YOY
AG E O F D UAT H LO N R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
2.0
50%
40%
1.5
30%
1.0
20%
0.5
10%
0
0
<18
2014
18-34
2015
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
35-54
55+
2013
2014
2015
Probably due to the amount of event directors’ success in this event
category, more event directors are continuing to decrease the number of
events they host per year. This could also help contribute to the growth
seen year over year as less successful events drop out of the market.
32
DUATHLON / MULTI-SPORT
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h ere
State Registration Trends
Average registrants
per event:
ME
MN
OR
ID
most popular states
SD
RI
WI
WY
214
IL
NV
22
DE
DC
OH
NE
least popular states
WV
UT
NC
remaining states
56
TN
NM
insufficient
AR
information
AL
LA
2 0 1 5 industry average
162
AK
HI
These maps were generated from data between 2013 to 2015. In order to be included, states had to have a reasonable
sample with standards set for each individual event type. These numbers by default will not match 2015 averages.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
33
DATA & INSIGHTS:
CLINICS
& CAMPS
C o p y ri g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Acti v e N etwor k , L LC . A ll ri g h ts reser v ed.
34
CLINICS & CAMPS
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h at
Market Analysis
Instructional endurance clinics and camps are typically held
throughout the year for conditioning and training purposes.
With only an estimated .3% of the endurance industry
market share, clinics and camps are experiencing a large
boom compared to other event categories. Not only are
they getting more registrants, clinic directors are receiving
even larger revenue growth thanks to an increase in prices.
However, this growth is not being distributed evenly. Just a little
over half of all clinics and camps had events that experienced year
over year growth.
C L I N I C S & C A M P S R E G I S T R AT I O N & R E V E N U E YOY C H A N G E
30%
42%
DECLINE
I N D I V I D UA L
EVENT GROWTH
OR DECLINE
YOY
20%
58%
GROWTH
10%
0
-10%
AVG R E G I S T R AT I O N
PER EVENT
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AV G R E G I S T R AT I O N
REVENUE PER EVENT
35
CLINICS & CAMPS
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h at
Market Analysis
AV E R AG E E V E N T S P E R O R G A N I Z E R YOY
We are seeing that organizers in this segment are
not creating more classes. This could indicate that
this market has a host of new organizers that are
finding new ways to engage younger audiences.
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
2013
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
2014
2015
36
CLINICS & CAMPS
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
who
Registrant Trends
According to our data, Generation Z is driving
a large portion of the clinic and camp growth.
Maybe this is correlated with the rise in family
participation in endurance events.
Male participation is increasing in these camps, creating a larger
gap in the proportion of men vs. women in this event category.
GENDER OF CLINIC & CAMP
R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
AG E O F C L I N I C & C A M P R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
70%
2014
2015
45% 54%
38% 59%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
w omen
0
<18
2014
18-34
35-54
men
women
men
55+
2015
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
37
CLINICS & CAMPS
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h ere
State Registration Trends
ME
ND
Average registrants
per event:
MN
SD
most popular states
CT
WI
PA
WY
205
CA
IN
IL
NV
20
NJ
DE
NE
least popular states
RI
WV
KS
NC
remaining states
38
OK
insufficient
information
AR
MS
AL
2 0 1 5 industry average
111
AK
HI
These maps were generated from data between 2013 to 2015. In order to be included, states had to have a reasonable
sample with standards set for each individual event type. These numbers by default will not match 2015 averages.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
38
DATA & INSIGHTS:
M O U N TA I N
BIKING EVENTS
C o p y ri g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Acti v e N etwor k , L LC . A ll ri g h ts reser v ed.
39
MOUNTAIN BIKING
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h at
Market Analysis
Mountain biking events are cross-country races on
off-road terrain. With 0.4% of the endurance industry,
mountain biking grew in the average number of
participants per event by 7%. However, skittish
organizers that were established in the market did not
raise their rates as much as newer organizers, which
drove revenue per event down by 2.2% year over year.
Like cycling, a larger proportion of established mountain
biking organizers experienced a decrease year over year.
5%
NO CHANGE
Fifty-six percent of
mountain biking events
saw an increase
in registrations.
M O U N TA I N B I K I N G R E G I S T R AT I O N & R E V E N U E YOY C H A N G E
8%
39%
DECLINE
7%
I N D I V I D UA L
EVENT GROWTH
OR DECLINE
YOY
6%
5%
4%
3%
56%
G R OW T H
2%
1%
0
-1%
-2%
-3%
AVG R E G I S T R AT I O N
PER EVENT
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
AVG R E G I S T R AT I O N
REVENUE PER EVENT
40
MOUNTAIN BIKING
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
G E N D E R O F M O U N TA I N B I K I N G
R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
who
Registrant Trends
2014
2015
Younger generations are driving the growth
in registrations in the sport, shrinking the
share of Generation X participants.
14%
84%
women
men
15% 84%
women
Mountain biking
is predominately
registered by
men. However,
some of the newer
registrations last
year came from
a slight rise in
women to 15%.
men
AV E R AG E E V E N T S P E R O R G A N I Z E R YOY
AG E O F M O U N TA I N B I K I N G R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
60
2.0
50
1.5
40
1.0
30
20
0.5
10
0
0
<18
2014
18-34
2015
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
35-54
55+
2013
2014
2015
Overall, the number of events held by organizers has remained steady
year over year.
41
MOUNTAIN BIKING
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h ere
State Registration Trends
ME
WA
ND
MT
Average registrants
per event:
MN
OR
ID
most popular states
NY
SD
PA
WY
176
IA
NE
least popular states
UT
CA
CO
KS
OH
IN
IL
NV
33
VT
NH
MA
RI
CT
NJ
MD
DE
DC
WV
KY
MO
remaining states
72
OK
insufficient
SC
AR
information
MS
2 0 1 5 industry average
TX
215
AL
GA
LA
FL
AK
HI
These maps were generated from data between 2013 to 2015. In order to be included, states had to have a reasonable
sample with standards set for each individual event type. These numbers by default will not match 2015 averages.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
42
DATA & INSIGHTS:
O P E N WAT E R
SWIM EVENTS
C o p y ri g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Acti v e N etwor k , L LC . A ll ri g h ts reser v ed.
43
OPEN WATER SWIM
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h at
Market Analysis
Open water swim events occur in natural or manmade bodies of water and are generally understood
to be longer than 1 kilometer in distance. With about
0.3% of the industry, open water swim events had a
relatively good year in 2015. Experiencing both an
increase in registrations and strategic price increases,
a 12.9% lift in revenue was received per event.
This success was not distributed equally, as 45% of organizers
actually saw a decrease in registrations in 2015.
3%
NO CHANGE
O P E N WAT E R S W I M R E G I S T R AT I O N & R E V E N U E YOY C H A N G E
15%
45%
DECLINE
12%
9%
I N D I V I D UA L
EVENT GROWTH
OR DECLINE
YOY
52%
GROWTH
6%
3%
0
AV G R E G I S T R AT I O N
PER EVENT
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
AV G R E G I S T R AT I O N
REVENUE PER EVENT
44
OPEN WATER SWIM
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
who
Registrant Trends
The growth in registrations came from Baby Boomers and
Generation Z’ers. However the sport is still dominated
by Generation X’ers, with 50% of all registrations.
The increase in registrations were driven by women, splitting
the gender registration to nearly 50/50 within the sport.
G E N D E R O F O P E N WAT E R
S W I M R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
AG E O F O P E N WAT E R S W I M R E G I S T R A N T S YOY
60%
2014
2015
42% 55%
48% 50%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
w omen
men
women
men
0
<18
2014
18-34
35-54
55+
2015
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
45
OPEN WATER SWIM
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h ere
State Registration Trends
ME
VT
ND
MT
Average registrants
per event:
MN
OR
ID
most popular states
156
WI
SD
PA
WY
IA
NE
least popular states
CO
remaining states
IN
IL
NV
25
CA
MA
NY
KS
WV
NJ
MD
DE
DC
VA
KY
MO
NC
67
TN
SC
OK
insufficient
NM
information
MS
2 0 1 5 industry average
AL
GA
LA
200
FL
AK
HI
These maps were generated from data between 2013 to 2015. In order to be included, states had to have a reasonable
sample with standards set for each individual event type. These numbers by default will not match 2015 averages.
C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Ac t i v e N e t w o r k , L LC . A ll r i g h t s r e s e r v e d.
46
DATA & INSIGHTS:
V I R T UA L
EVENTS
C o p y ri g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Acti v e N etwor k , L LC . A ll ri g h ts reser v ed.
47
VIRTUAL EVENTS
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
who
Virtual Registrant Trends
Virtual event registrants are those that participate in
real events at different locations. They register and
agree to a particular distance in order to participate
virtually. For this report, only events with both virtual
and non-virtual participants were analyzed.
Over 80% of virtual runners are women. There are two exceptions:
cycling is closer to a 50/50 split (53% women and 47% men) and
walking is closer to a 75/25 split (77% women and 23% men).
G E N D E R O F V I R T UA L
REGISTRANTS IN 2015
2 0 1 5 V I R T UA L E V E N T PA R T I C I PA N T S
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
>80%
<20%
w omen
men
0
<18
18-34
35-54
55+
Over 57% of virtual runners are in the 35-54 age group. Millennials make up a little
more than 30% of virtual runners. This pattern is similar across all event types.
C o p yri g ht © 2 0 1 6 by Active N et wor k , L LC . A ll ri g hts reserved.
48
VIRTUAL EVENTS
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
who
Virtual Registrant Trends
AV E R AG E % O F V I R T UA L R U N N E R S P E R R AC E
Virtual runners are growing in popularity.
Comparing events that had both virtual
runners and non-virtual runners, there has
been growth in virtual runner participation.
9%
8%
7%
6%
5%
Since revenue for a virtual runner is similar to a non-virtual
runner, both revenue and participation contribute to the
same percent of a race’s total participants vs. revenue. While
the number of additional racers competing virtually is still
very small, it has grown over 60% in the past 3 years.
4%
3%
2%
1%
0%
2013
C o p yri g ht © 2 0 1 6 by Active N et wor k , L LC . A ll ri g hts reserved.
2014
2015
49
VIRTUAL EVENTS
DATA & INSIGHTS: ENDURANCE EVENTS
w h ere
State Registration Trends
ME
WA
VT
MT
Average registrants
per event:
ND
MA
RI
MN
ID
most popular states
SD
20
IA
NE
OH
DC
least popular states
1
UT
remaining states
4
2 0 1 5 industry average
NM
7
GA
TX
AK
FL
These maps were generated from data between 2013 to 2015. In order to be included, states had to have a reasonable
sample with standards set for each individual event type. These numbers by default will not match 2015 averages.
C o p yri g ht © 2 0 1 6 by Active N et wor k , L LC . A ll ri g hts reserved.
50
Conclusion
It is through our work and data mining that we
believe these insights will continue to shift as the
endurance market becomes more competitively
saturated with new organizers and opportunities.
It can be inferred that women will continue to actively
participate in adventure races, as well as a new
emergence of participants from minors, Millennials
and Generation X’ers, especially year over year. In
addition, families will most likely continue to sign up
for endurance events. It will be interesting to see the
growth of the Generation Z market, as their participation
seems to be growing, unlike the Millennials.
ACTIVE Network Activity Cloud is the newest data insights tool
from the ACTIVE Network. It compiles over 16 years of registration
data together to create insights that give ACTIVE event directors a
competitive edge in the market. While this insights report provides
generalized industry stats, Activity Cloud provides insights that are
unique to each event director. Every insight within this innovative
tool is calculated from industry stats filtered to match seasonality,
location, event type and other event factors. These results are
then weighed against the past performance of each event an
individual event organizer has run. It allows each user to better
understand their market and plan for the success of their event.
Overall, the industry provides the promise of
potential for race directors looking to enter the
market, offer something new or utilize their event to
capitalize profits in a new and exciting manner.
C o p y ri g h t © 2 0 1 6 by Acti v e N etwor k , L LC . A ll ri g h ts reser v ed.
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