What Are the Top 5 Small Business Ideas for Sports Lovers to Start?

Many small business owners get their start by turning a hobby into a business. If you watch your favorite team play every Sunday, follow the stats of the best players, and can’t wait for the next season to start, you might be able to turn your love of sports into a successful business.

Analysis from Deloitte shows that after the pandemic, the sports industry is picking up speed, and this could be a great place to start a new business. Here are some ideas for entrepreneurs who are interested in sports.

Start a Pickleball Club

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. It is best described as a mix of tennis, pingpong, and badminton. One reason for this is that it can be played by people of all ages.

“Most of pickleball’s core players—those who play more than eight times a year—are over 65,” said NPR. “However, the game is getting younger, and players under 55 are the ones who are playing the most.”

Pickleball is becoming more and more popular, but cities and towns need help making sure they have enough space for courts. USA Pickleball is putting together a toolkit to help entrepreneurs get into the market.

This toolkit gives estimates of how much it will cost to build courts, whether you use tape and a temporary net or build a permanent structure.

Pickleball is a low-risk way to get started in the sports business because it is in high demand and there are many resources to help you get started.

Create Fitness Videos

Small Business Ideas for Sports Lovers

During the pandemic, a lot of people worked out at home by watching videos, and it looks like this will continue. People are now using apps, YouTube videos, and subscription services like Peloton and iFit to work out at home in addition to going outside and going to the gym.

Momentive did a survey in 2022 and found that 72% of people who go to the gym once a week also work out at home once a week or every day.

There are a lot of workout videos you can do at home, so it can be hard to stand out in this sports market.

But think about how you can stand out, especially in your community. Are there trails in your town that you could use to lead group runs?

Is there a sport that high school students love and for which you can make workouts? Think outside the box and give your market what they want.

Sell Sports Nutrition

Analysts predict that the market for sports nutrition will reach $66 billion by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9% from 2021 to 2028. And you don’t need a background in sports nutrition to sell sports drinks, electrolyte powders, and energy gels as a distributor or wholesaler.

There are a lot of products on the market to choose from, and if you do your research and pay close attention to athlete reviews, you can stock your store with a lot of ways to keep athletes fed and ready to compete.

Get Into E-sports

Small Business Ideas for Sports Lovers

E-sports have become very popular, just like pickleball. Goldman Sachs said that by 2022, e-sports competitions would have about the same number of viewers as the NFL. There are many ways to join the e-sports market, including:

  • E-sports journalism: Start a magazine that is all about the people, places, and things happening in the e-sports world.
  • Start a team for e-sports.
  • Open a place where fans can watch e-sports events live and hang out.
  • Sell items for e-sports to gamers.
  • You could start a podcast about e-sports.

Almost any type of business that can be started to follow or support a traditional sports franchise can be adapted to an e-sports setting.

Open a Sporting Goods Franchise

Franchises for sporting goods and equipment are an easy way to turn your hobby into a business. Franchises like Fleet Feet, Destination Athlete, and Play It Again Sports give you ways to connect with athletes and support the sports you love.

As a franchise owner, you’ll also get to use the brand’s foundation, which means you won’t have to build everything from scratch.

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