Over the past year, with the pandemic restricting entertainment and social activities, several once-niche sports have gained popularity among young people. The increased demand for content platforms such as short videos and grass-roots communities have become key avenues for young people to discover and share experiences, serving as an effective medium for the rapid rise of niche sports.
The cyclical shifts and evolving consumer preferences in trending sports offer valuable insights for the commercialization of this market.
- Highlights of the Rising Trends in Sports
Top 3 Trending Sports: Landboarding & Skateboarding, Frisbee, and Paddleboarding & Surfing
While niche sports have cycled through periods of popularity in 2022, differences in participation thresholds and audience preferences have resulted in differences in the popularity growth of these sports on the internet. For example, Landboarding & Skateboarding have become a ubiquitous trendy element due to their versatility in daily life. Meanwhile, frisbee has gained traction from young players due to its low participation threshold and strong social appeal. Paddleboarding and surfing have gained significant traction as grassroots sports on content platforms, especially after Wanning, Hainan emerged as a surfing hotspot.
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Fresh Perspectives on Periodic Trends
Trendy sports are closely tied to the seasons, as they primarily take place outdoors. With warmer weather in March, people are more active outdoors, sparking greater interest and conversation around these activities, whether it is for exercise or socializing. Water sports, for example, see a surge of popularity during the summer due to their high association with seaside vibes while skiing dominates as a hot topic throughout winter months.
- User Preference for Trendy Sports
There are also differences in the sense of accomplishment that trending sports offer to different gender groups. For women, traditionally these sports serve as a form of collective expression and lifestyle choice, making more personalized and socially driven activities particularly popular. In contrast, men tend to focus more on the experience of the sport itself, with a preference for activities that emphasize skill development, physical fitness, or competition
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Post-90’s Generation Leads as Mainstream Participants
Driven by the rise of social content platforms, which are closely tied with trending sports, players passionate about these activities are traditionally heavy users of social media apps. However, sports like paddleboarding, surfing, skiing, scuba diving, and lure fishing have higher participation barriers, requiring significant time and financial investment to continuously improve personal skills. As a result, individuals aged 31-40, who are more economically independent, make up a larger portion of the mainstream trending sports audience.
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- Consumer Analysis Patterns in Trendy Sports
Driven by internet genes: Network popularity and market activity are “synchronously divine”
Overall, the sales of trending sports products closely align with their popularity on online platforms, highlighting the positive influence of content platforms on consumer markets. Before reaching their sales peak, both frisbee football and rock climbing underwent a phase of sustained content growth in their respective sports. Meanwhile, cycling and land paddling/skateboarding saw continued sales growth despite a decline in popularity toward the end. Fishing, with the longest period of popularity throughout the year, remained active for 10 months, showcasing strong market vitality
With “content planting” and “live streaming sales” becoming key strategies for online retail, content has become a primary medium through which most brands and merchants drive product sales. As trendy sports gain traction, there is a clear connection between content and sales, with some users purchasing trending sports products passively through content exposure, while brands use content placement to help convert these interactions into sales.
Trendy Sports Consumption: Be Trendy, but Rational
When browsing content on social media platforms about sports like frisbee, flag football, paddleboarding, and surfing, it is clear that high aesthetics and appealing visuals play a significant role in attracting new participants to trending sports. However, while external appeal is important, it cannot overshadow the core aspects of the activity themselves, especially in more technical sports such as fishing, diving, skiing, and rock climbing. When consumers purchase related products, they should prioritize functionality to meet their needs before considering aesthetics or other sensory factors.
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- Characteristics of Consumer Trends in Sports
Main Consumption Area: Guangdong Province, “Large Number of People, Large Number of Orders”
Weather conditions significantly impact outdoor sports participation. Souther cities benefit from milder autumn and winter climates, offering more opportunities for engagement in trending sports compared to their northern counterparts. Additionally, the population size of a region is crucial in determining the potential growth of an enthusiast base for emerging niche sports. As such, regions with larger populations tend to present greater market potential.
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Products Under 100 Yuan and Accessories Under 10 Yuan are Most Popular
Unlike popular sports like basketball and football, niche sports have yet to develop diversified consumer demands due to their smaller market size. As a result, a large number of npvoce players in the entry-level stage are driving the sales of basic products. In more established sports like cycling, lure fishing, and angling, experienced players tend to spend more on specialized accessories.
Examining the price range of the top 10 best-selling products across nine sports, most popular items are priced under 100 yuan. Among the bestsellers in each sport, accessories dominate in four categories, prices all below 10 yuan. This reflects the difference in product variety across sports: frisbee and rugby offer relatively fewer products while cycling, skiing, and surfing have a broader range of accessories. Additionally, lure fishing and angling show high demand for consumables such as bait and fishing lines.
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5.5 Major 2025 Trends in Sports Fashion Consumption
Social Value: By observing the spread of sports fashion content, it’s clear that for beginners, the social aspect often outweighs the sporting element, whether gaining “social currency” through participation or expanding networks via offline events, the social value of sports fashion is a key driver of its rapid rise. The social dynamic will continue to be crucial for the breakout of niche sports in 2025 and beyond.
Platform promotion: As sports fashion grows in popularity, user-generated content is playing a significant role in promoting niche sports. Platforms are increasingly involved in “creating trends” by curating sports fashion-related topics. This not only helps further engadge users, but also positions themselves into the main communication platform for niche sports, fostering user growth in segmented circles.
Experience Upgrade: As sports fashion evolves into a “trend”, the challenge of staying relevant arises. However, unlike mass sports like football and basketball, mature sports can thrive across generations of participants. The future success of sports fashion will depend on its ability to evolve into a true “sport”, building on the continuous development of unique sports culture within its community.
