63 per cent of S'pore residents in Decathlon survey keen to try a new sport

SINGAPORE – A recent survey of local residents by sports retailer Decathlon has shown that 63 per cent of them are keen to try out a new sport but have not done so.

Forty-three per cent of those polled say that the easing of Covid-19 restrictions will be a main factor to get them to be active again.

But there are hurdles as over a third of respondents (35.9 per cent) say that time is a major reason for not exploring new sports. A third (34.9 per cent) also feel that they do not have access to the right facilities or equipment, while 19.3 per cent cite cost as a concern.

The survey was conducted in partnership with Singapore-based data and insights agency, Pure Profile. Details on the total number of respondents and age groups were not provided.

While respondents are keen to embark on new adventures in sports, nearly a third (32.5 per cent) do not know where to start and 32.2 per cent feel that they will not be physically capable or good at it. A third of those surveyed (36.1 per cent) have difficulty finding others to play sports with.

To help those keen on playing sports to overcome these barriers, Decathlon has created a series of products, “Just Start Playing”.

The range shows Singaporeans how they can take everyday products from the home and turn them into sports equipment.

Its product line-up features a rolled-up newspaper baseball bat, crushed paper basketball, notebook tennis racket, cotton string volleyball net, disposable plate frisbee disc, and two paper cups as a football goal post.

“We’re encouraged by our survey results which show that nearly two-thirds of Singaporeans are still keen to try new sports,” said Hieu Pham Tran, Marketing & Communications Lead of Decathlon Singapore.

“However, we appreciate that they might need just that extra little bit of help to get them started. It is our hope that our Just Start Playing products give them the gentle nudge they need to have some fun and just start playing, whether at home, at their nearest park or out on the track or field.”

Applauding Decathlon’s efforts, Marcus Tan, Chief of Sport Singapore’s Sport Development Group, said: “When we shifted our academies’ sport programmes to a virtual platform, the team of coaches and players had to challenge themselves to think out of the box, to improvise household items to allow the game to continue safely, within confined spaces in their homes.

“There is much value in this ‘strategy’, with it being cost-effective and convenient. At the same time, it creates play opportunities that are imaginative and encourages everyone to get active and stay active.”

He added that Sport Singapore’s ActiveSG academies and clubs will also be expanding their offerings as the pandemic rules ease.

Singaporeans can also look out for a slew of initiatives from Decathlon, including its new Activities Platform to enjoy free physical and online events, as well as their upcoming store opening at Northshore Plaza.

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