Fitness no longer has the spotlight when it comes to sporting events
Implications - A few years back, the emergence of a hyper-challenging obstacle race called Tough Mudder ushered in a new, socially focused and humblebrag-heavy form of fitness. Now, the social focus and opportunity to share the experience with like-minded people has taken over the fitness aspect. For today's connection-craving consumer, any relevant pop culture staple with a fan base can (and should) become an obstacle race.
Trend Themes
1. Social Fitness Experiences - Experiences like obstacle course races and extreme egg hunts are increasingly becoming socially-focused sporting events that provide consumers with brag-worthy challenges and the chance to connect with like-minded people.
2. Fusion Events - The success of events combining unusual activities and live entertainment, such as wine-fueled fun runs and electric bike-racing parties, offers business professionals big chances to expand their offerings and appeal to Millennials' preference for unique and engaging experiences.
3. Non-traditional Athletic Competitions - Non-traditional athletic competitions that combine alcohol consumption with prolonged physical activity, such as the Beer Bike race and BierYoga, provide new opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to cater to niche markets that enjoy the combination of exercise and drinking.
Industry Implications
1. Entertainment - Businesses can draw inspiration from the success of events that blend unusual activities with live entertainment to offer customers immersive experiences that keep them engaged and coming back for more.
2. Fitness - Entrepreneurs in the fitness space can take cues from the trend towards socially-focused sporting events, looking to create fitness experiences that people want to share on social media and engage with like-minded people.
3. Food & Beverage - The success of non-traditional athletic competitions that involve alcohol consumption and food, such as wine-fueled fun runs and culinary marathons like Le Marathon du Medoc, provide business professionals with opportunities to create unique dining experiences to attract foodies interested in novel culinary experiences.
