Women lead the way as mass participation events attract record numbers of new participants

New research produced by events agency Massive in their latest report The Mass Participation Pulse, shows that over 25% of current event participants have taken up events since 2022, with a large proportion of these new participants being Women.

The report aims to create the largest and most in depth survey for the mass participation events market of its kind in the UK, having asked over 11,000 runners, walkers, cyclists, swimmers, triathletes to share their thoughts and opinions on the mass events market in 2024 and nearly 20,000 people in total since the Pulse was established in 2022.

The study reveals that these new participants represent a distinctly different demographic profile compared to traditional event attendees. The emerging audience tends to be younger, possesses higher levels of education, and reports higher income levels than the existing participant base.

“The research highlights the industry’s success in broadening its appeal and reaching previously untapped audiences, presenting exciting opportunities for event organi s ers to continue to innovate and enhance their offerings, ” said John Tasker, partner at Massive.

Other key findings from the report included:

• Consumer confidence has strengthened, with participants spending more on events and related apparel, traveling greater distances to participate, and securing their spots earlier than at any point since the pandemic.

• Event satisfaction has dramatically improved, with twice as many participants reporting good value for money compared to previous years.

• Basic amenities remain crucial to participant satisfaction, with toilet facilities, clear signage, and accessibility ranking as top priorities for event-goers.

• Social media and word-of-mouth have emerged as the primary channels for event discovery, highlighting the importance of community engagement in event promotion.

While the outlook for 2025 remains optimistic, with many participants indicating plans to increase their event involvement, a slight decrease in overall positive sentiment compared to the previous year suggests the industry may be entering a period of stabilisation.

The report emphasises the importance of understanding and adapting to evolving participant preferences to maintain growth momentum.

“If event organisers, brands, and platforms can continue to focus on enhancing the participant experiences and reducing barriers to entry there is no reason why as an industry we can’t continue to sustain the industry’s positive trajectory,” said Tasker.

The full report can be downloaded here: wearemassive.co.uk/the-mass-participation-pulse-2025/

Check out the Massive RIA Foundation Member profile here  .