You’ve just wrapped up a long 35-hour workweek. You want to hit the gym, but another spin on the treadmill sounds... exhausting. Sadly, your fitness goals aren’t enough to get you moving.
Add in a dash of adventure, a sense of community, and some personal branding - suddenly, you’re re-energized. You pick up some athleisure, not just for comfort, but to reflect the identity you’re curating.
That’s the magic of trendy sports. Each one gives off a vibe that mirrors its players. Informed by pop culture and GWI research, here’s the energy some of the buzziest games are serving.
Pickleball, a mashup of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton, has seen a 35% rise in US consumers playing it since 2023. Not only is it America’s fastest-growing sport, but its scoring points across the Atlantic.
While trends usually start with the young, pickleball took off among retirees, with Florida having more courts than any other state. Now that Gen Z have taken it up, its player base tilts towards both ends of the age scale, with 16-24s and 55-64s making up the biggest parts of it.
If you play it, we’d expect you to be involved in your neighborhood, and to use a site like Yelp or Nextdoor. You get product recommendations from your circle, so hats off to brands that get shoutouts. You usually check food labels and want to know you’re hitting your macros. Beyond that, you like cocktails and travel regularly. You might enjoy a cruise, so putting a court on a ship or hotel could be just the hook to win you over.
The mood you’re giving off is calm, cool, and collected. You strive for a good work-life balance and take the time to pamper yourself, so high-intensity, performance-driven messaging might not land as well with you. You like premium loungewear and are more likely to own something from Lululemon than Reebok.
Tennis has another sibling, padel - a blend of tennis and squash that’s quickly gaining fans. In fact, global participation has jumped by 56% since 2023.
Like pickleball’s circle, padel players are usually financially well-off, but that’s where the similarities end. As one article put it “pickleball thrives on precision and finesse”, “while padel hooks you with adrenaline and flash.” Pickleball has an even gender split, while over two thirds of padel players are male, which shapes the profile we’re about to unpack.
If you’ve joined the padel hype, you’re probably below 35. There’s a good chance you’re interested in extreme or fantasy sports, and you like the fact that icons like F1’s Max Verstappen have picked up a racket.
You’ve got your eye on the latest tech, and maybe even a drone in your cart. You’re fairly likely to meet someone who works in engineering, IT, or research on padel courts - which is great, as you use social media for work-related networking and are always looking to expand your network.
On the whole, you’re ambitious, fashion-conscious, and ahead of the curve. You might own digital collectibles or cryptocurrency, and buy from sports brands like Hummel, Peak, or Hi-Tec.
With concerns around mental health climbing, the spotlight on holistic wellness has grown brighter. Sure, yoga memes have been around forever (remember Yoga Instructor Barbie from 2012?); but mind-and-body fitness isn’t some dusty fad. Google searches for pilates hit an all-time high this year, likely driven by new twists like reformer pilates. Yoga’s keeping pace too, branching into fresh styles like hot and aerial yoga.
Before we zoom in on a next-gen pick, let’s look at mind-and-body fitness fans more broadly. If you’re one, you’re probably female, university-educated, and in your late 20s to early 40s. You’ve got a kid (maybe a teen), a pet, and a packed schedule. Career-focused and constantly juggling responsibilities, you’re more likely to struggle with sleep issues, skin flare-ups, and migraines. For you, exercise isn’t just about looking good - it’s time to unwind.
Your creative influence comes from many directions. You scroll pinboards and blogs to find products, and might have a podcast or audiobook on the go. You’re intentional about the image you project, and your most distinctive reasons for using social media are connecting with good causes and posting about your life.
It’s not all green juice and positivity though. You drink more wine than the average woman (which explains all the yoga and sip festivals on offer). And during your downtime, you might pick a virtual battle over a bubble bath - you’re more likely to play titles like World of Warcraft than other people.
Let’s turn up the heat - literally - and explore a fast-rising player in the mind-and-body space. Hot yoga is your classic flow, but done in a room cranked up to about 105°F. The global market for it is doing well, with a projected CAGR of 6.8% from 2021-2026. While the science behind some rumored benefits is still up for debate, it’s a bold, sweaty challenge for those craving something new.
If you’re into hot yoga, odds are you’re a woman (2 in 3, to be exact), and your class probably looks a bit younger than your average wellness crowd. You tend to catch a movie or dine out during the week. You’ve got a soft spot for romance films, and you’re not shy about sharing your takes online. Ironically, the film franchise you stand out most for liking is Frozen, and your most characteristic holiday pick is winter sports. We imagine you’d be first in line for “snowga.”
You love exploring new places and cultures; so the fact that hot yoga mirrors the climate in India, where yoga originated, is a bonus. You’re just as likely to sip tequila or soju as you are to have afrobeats or K-pop on your playlist.
Brand sponsorships enhance your fitness experience, especially if they feel exclusive and young. You often discover products through samples and trials, and your shelves prove it: they’re busier than most. A full-body sweat might feel like a detox, but you’re skincare-savvy - think scrubs, face masks, and body butter. When it comes to gear, you’re on the hunt for breathable fits, which explains why the hot yoga apparel market is estimated to be worth billions. So, if a brand matches your aesthetic, a well-placed freebie or taster could go a long way.
Now we’re getting onto high-octane workouts. CrossFit fuses weightlifting, cardio, and gymnastics into workouts built to test strength and speed. While it may be near its peak, more global consumers said they did it in 2024 than played ice hockey or rugby.
If you fall into this category, you’re probably a guy aged 16-45, and in better shape than most. You’re less likely to deal with just about every health issue than the average person. You’re into structure, drills, and routine. And hey - if CrossFit’s good enough for Spider-Man, it’s good enough for you. Your home’s decked out with fitness equipment and smart tech, all designed to keep your life running efficiently.
You see yourself as an opinion leader - and you’ve got the platforms to match, from Threads to Bluesky. You follow a lot of sports leagues, probably 10 or more, plus esports on the side. You’re into Beat’em Up and Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games, and your style? You wear comfort like a badge - Gap tee, Crocs, and you’re out the door. Your workout outfits echo GORUCK’s store, the official CrossFit Games partner: they’re all grit, no gloss.
Hyrox has picked up the torch from CrossFit and ran with it. It’s a global fitness race that fuses running with workouts: eight 1 kilometre runs, each followed by a different station. Google searches for it have increased a lot, and getting tickets is said to be “almost as hard as seeing Taylor Swift.”
The Hyrox lot look a lot like CrossFit’s, but skew slightly older and more female, with women making up nearly 40% of the signup sheet. If you train or compete in this space, you like standing out. You’re more likely to buy hair coloring products or self-tan, especially if you’re planning on going topless.
You crave adrenaline and high-energy experiences like theme parks. You often capture the moment with apps like BeReal and Snapchat, and aren’t shy about using filters to keep your feed engaging.
Despite high protein being what you think best describes “healthy” food, you’re more interested in vegan options than hot yoga fans. You order in regularly - whether it’s Deliveroo, DoorDash, or UberEats - and plant-based picks help bring some nutritional balance and anti-inflammatory benefits into the mix.
While running might not scream “new trend,” connection and inclusivity are giving it a serious glow-up. Parkrun is a free, weekly 5km run (or walk) in open spaces, welcoming all ages and abilities. On “Parkrundays,” formerly known as Saturdays, locals meet up, move together, and grab breakfast after. Starting in London over 20 years ago, it now has over 2,000 events in 22 countries - and counting.
According to our data, the average parkrunner is 35, dipping below the general population’s age. But in some regions, that creeps into the 40s, and many walkers seem to have joined in. Just 56% of parkrunners actually describe themselves as runners or joggers, so there’s a big opportunity to tap into this freshly motivated crowd and help them track their progress. If you take part, you probably don’t own a smartwatch yet, for example.
What’s more, you’re more likely to use a taxi, bike, or scooter hire app - making perks or discounts by mobility companies a desirable way to fuel parkrun tourism. We’d also expect you to be charitable, so teaming up with the parkrun org could boost a brand’s exposure and drive take-up of fundraising fitness challenges.
That brings us to endurance events, which are hugely popular right now - just ask anyone still waiting for a ballot spot. As the meme goes, if you’re currently in your 30s, you’re probably deep into one of four things: marathons, plants, sourdough, or books. Turns out, the quarter-life crisis cliché has legs - as if you’re training for a marathon or other endurance event, you’re probably a millennial.
A fair few of you are expecting to get engaged, married, or to start a new business soon, if you don’t already have a side hustle. Insurance is on your radar now, from health to mobile cover. You tend to listen to music when you exercise, and might pick a DJ set from time to time. You like sports movies too, possibly for a little extra motivation (Britney Runs a Marathon is one of my personal favorites).
You’re keen to meet people, and your love of endurance events could even shape your travel plans. While the “Big Six” marathons draw massive numbers, demand is rising for smaller, bucket list races and group tours. If you’re one of these medal-chasing explorers, you probably hit up Reddit or X for tips before you go.
Across trendy sports, players usually tick a number of the same boxes; for example, they’re likely to be premium, community-driven buyers. The good news is, they’ve left a collective door open for the right brands - the ones that add real value and level up their game. If you’d like to check out the data in this blog or are curious about audience profiling, give our platform a go.