Mass Participation 2023: The Road to Recovery

There’s no simple explanation for this, but it seems likely that some people are still concerned about mingling unnecessarily with large crowds. Combine this cautious cohort with those who have yet to regain full fitness since the pandemic, and older demographics who have dropped out of the market for good, and the pool of potential participants is probably down on 2019.

At the same time, the economic downturn that followed Covid-19 has also taken its toll. Confronted by higher costs across travel, energy and insurance, many events have sadly yet to re-emerge from their Covid era hiatus. 

Having said all of the above, there are some positive signs coming into 2023. Massive, which analyses the sector via its annual survey Mass Participation Pulse, found that “46% of people we spoke to are planning to do more events in 2023 than in 2022”. This positive sentiment was reinforced by the London Marathon, which had 48000 entrants in 2023 compared to 40000 last year.

The sector has also shown itself to be remarkably resourceful, developing solutions to soften the impact of Covid-19 – a point discussed by UKSA last year.

Another positive sign is the number of sponsors that have come into the sector since the turn of the year. Discussed in more detail below, the range and scale of these partnerships is an important bellweather for the sector’s recovery.

The enthusiasm of blue-chip sponsors is a reminder of the power of mass participation as an engagement platform. As UKSA has explained in previous stories, mass participation events are a great way to cut through the clutter of competition and bring numerous brand-building benefits. Relatively inexpensive to sign up to, they act as a gateway to multiple media touchpoints, diverse activation opportunities and powerful community/charitable partnerships.

They are also diverse in character, with a broad array of rights holders offering mass participation events across running, walking, cycling, swimming and adventure courses to name a few. Here’s another UKSA story on this point.

So which sponsors have made the headlines in mass participation during the Post-Covid period? Here are five that have committed to the sector.

TCS: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been the London Marathon’s technology partner and provider of its official app since 2016. In 2023, it stepped up – taking over from Virgin Money as title sponsor for the next six years. In doing so, it became the first non-consumer-facing brand to hold the title sponsorship. Explaining the event’s appeal, TCS head of sports sponsorships Michelle Taylor said the demographics of the marathon line up to TCS’s target demo. Speaking to City A.M. she added: “There’s a lot of C-level executives who participate in the sport so there are a lot of good business connections.”

TCS, which also sponsors marathons in New York, Toronto and Amsterdam, values the extended activation period offered by mass participation events. Over and above the media impact of race day, there’s an opportunity to engage with participants during pre-event training and the celebrations afterwards.

During its partnership with the London Marathon, TCS has also been able to showcase its innovation. During the pandemic it helped create a virtual race that was also a feature in 2023. The company is also helping London Marathon organisers in their attempt to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2024.

AJ Bell: Manchester-based Investment firm AJ Bell was named as title partner of the Great Run Series in early 2023. A five-year deal, the partnership covers both the iconic Great North Run and events in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Portsmouth. Commenting, Great Run Company CEO Paul Foster said: "Supporting mass participation sport is more important than ever and we’re delighted AJ Bell will be alongside us as we deliver our events that benefit over 200,000 participants and countless charities every year. AJ Bell already helps hundreds of thousands of people look after their investments and we‘re excited to be working with them over the next five years to inspire, motivate and empower people to be their greatest through the Great Run Series.”

Assessing the partnership from the sponsor’s perspective, AJ Bell CEO Michael Summersgill said the “inspirational events” that make up the Great Run Series “can have a really positive effect on people’s physical health and mental wellbeing. We aim to make people feel good when they invest and we believe running can help do the same in their broader lives”. A key benefit for AJ Bell is that the GRC events gain significant international exposure via TV. The company also gets to choose the charity partner, selecting MIND in year one.

As one of the industry’s standard-bearers, GRC is keen to expand the range of events it offers. Among plans for the next few years is the launch of an ultra-marathon event against the backdrop of the Lake District National Park.

Allwyn: Earlier this year, European lottery operator Allwyn announced a three-year global partnership with the Wings For Life World Run. Established in 2014, Wings For Life gives 100% of all entry fees and donations to scientific research and clinical studies worldwide to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. Since 2014, it has raised €38.3 million, with over one million participants across 195 countries.

An innovative and diverse event, all participants in Wings For Life start at the same time, worldwide, regardless of the time zone they live in. A moving finish line, the Catcher Car, begins its pursuit 30 minutes after the start, passing runners and wheelchair users one after the other until the race is over.

As part of the partnership, 6,000 employees from Allwyn and its subsidiaries were encouraged to participate and raise funds in the 2023 edition, which was held during May. Pavel Turek, chief global brand, corporate communication and CSR officer at Allwyn, said: “We are proud to support the Wings for Life World Run across our markets in Austria, Czech Republic, Greece and Cyprus, and the UK. It is a fantastic cause and an inclusive global event that everybody whether old, young, fit or wheel chaired can participate in. There is no winner, so all win.”

Adidas: Sportswear giant Adidas became title sponsor of the Manchester Marathon this year. With around 30,000 participants (up from 24,000 in 2022), the event is now the fourth biggest marathon in Europe. The vision, according to the event’s organiser Human Race, is to “continue focussing on equal opportunities and growing running communities and assisting runners of all abilities with a range of training support and expertise”.

Chris Walsh, VP brand, adidas North Europe added: “We are passionate about providing access to sport and enabling more people to enjoy running. At adidas, we believe that through sport we have the power to change lives.”

One of the key people moves of 2023 involved Human Race, with Andrew Smith becoming CEO, effective 3^rd January 2023. A well-respected individual in the industry, Smith was previously operations director for London Marathon Events.

Amaury Sports Organisation-owned Human Race delivers numerous high-profile mass sport participation events in running, cycling, and triathlon. In addition to the adidas Manchester Marathon, its portfolio includes prestigious annual challenges such as the Royal Windsor Triathlon, and Dragon Ride sportive. Speaking about his appointment Smith said Human Race’s “potential and ambition was clear to see during our conversations. Our plan is to inspire more people than ever to achieve sensational feats, help charities raise mammoth amounts of fundraising, and support genuinely impactful community schemes.”

Emerge: This year saw isotonic sports drink Emerge joins forces with Tough Mudder, as the event’s official on-course hydration drink in the UK. The two-year partnership encompasses a range of activations from on-site product sampling to content opportunities with influencers. As part of the sponsorship package, Emerge is also the main sponsor of the Everest obstacle.

Tough Mudder Europe managing director Matt Brooke said “We’re extremely excited to have partnered with Emerge for 2023 and 2024. They’re a fantastic brand that not only shares our passion for bravery, health and fitness, but to also help us in boosting the experience of every participant on the Tough Mudder course ready to join the celebrations afterwards.”

Tough Mudder has also enjoyed ongoing support from retailer Lidl, which backs a child-friendly version of the race. Called Lidl Mudder, the race is for 5-12 year olds, and is packed with fun obstacles. Isuzi is another returning sponsor.

Trend Observation 1: The shift to sustainability

One of the hot topics in mass participation right now is the issue of sustainability. The subject was dissected at the seventh edition of Mass Participation World, held in December 2022. Chris Robb, CEO of MPW, summarised the point by saying: “At this crucial stage of development of the mass participation industry, sustainability at every level is an important focus for all race organisers. Up until now there has been limited focus on sustainability and typically only on environmental outcomes. There is an enormous need to focus on all elements of sustainability to create a more viable future for the industry.”

Trend Observation 2: The return of charities

Endurance.Biz reports that charities are getting interested in mass participation events again. Basing its findings on the 2nd edition of Enthuse’s annual Charity Pulse report, the website says that 55% of charities plan to get involved in large scale events such as the TCS London Marathon this year, while 47% say they are organising their own. In total, 81% of charities surveyed said they plan to be involved in mass physical events this year – up from 33% last year.

Trend Observation 3: The quest for experience

Marketers often talk about the importance of delivering great experiences to consumers – and this is as true of mass participation events as any activity. Massive’s MP Pulse report notes that: “Event participants are wealthier, spend more and are less concerned about the cost of living crisis than the population as a whole.” The report goes on to say that “event reputation is more important than entry price when it comes to consideration”. It also notes that “regardless of income, those who do events plan to prioritise their discretionary income on taking part in events and sportswear.” The message for event organisers is that events need to be innovative, aspirational and differentiated from the pack.

Interested in entering the UK Sponsorship Awards? The 2024 edition of this prestigious annual event will open for entries at the end of summer 2022.