Source:REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa
[Saba Sports News] In the eyes of the public, football is considered the most popular sport among the British, but this is not the case. Recently, leveraging the excitement of the All England Open Badminton Championships, EY Sports conducted a survey of over 4,000 British adults. By measuring topics they actively engage in, television programs they watch, sports on online or social media, and the number of adults participating in sports events, they identified the participation levels of various sports.
Among the youth aged 18-24, boxing, badminton, basketball, and esports emerged as the most actively participated activities, with football no longer being their top preference. Some respondents indicated that boxing, badminton, basketball, and esports have low initial barriers to entry, requiring no specialized learning or training, minimal skills, and low space requirements. Unlike golf, which is often seen as a “rich person’s sport,” or skiing, which can lead to falls without skill, these sports can easily be enjoyed with just equipment and a partner.
The editor believes that badminton has become one of the most popular sports among British youth due to multiple factors, including its historical background, ease of participation, health benefits, and social cultural atmosphere. Currently, schools and communities in the UK generally incorporate badminton into their physical education curricula or extracurricular activities. Compared to sports like football, badminton is characterized by its high accessibility and mature organizational systems.