On the back of the publication of the Sports Sector Strategy for the North West report, Lancashire was keen to drill down further to understand how sport and physical activity contributed to the wider social and economic priorities in the County.

Figures from the comprehensive analysis that accompanied the Regional Strategy indicated that Lancashire had 2,020 sports businesses; providing 19,335 jobs and generating an annual turnover of £1.2 billion. Sport accounted for 4.4% of Lancashire's businesses, 3.8% of its employees and 3.0% of its business turnover.

The size of the sport sector in Lancashire was slightly above regional averages for numbers of businesses and employees and it also had the largest proportion of outdoor sport businesses. Prior to the recent downturn in the economy, it had seen comparatively high growth rates in terms of both businesses and employees, however, the increase in turnover, while high, was below the regional sector average.

KKP was commissioned by the Lancashire County Sports Partnership (LCSP) and partners to review existing information and conduct new research to confirm the current economic value, trends and significance of sport in the County. It delivered:

• Practical recommendations and an action plan for economic and community wellbeing.
• Three and five year qualitative and quantitative forecasts of the (economic) value of the sports economy.

The project examined a series of factors (e.g. business development/GVA, infrastructure, community development), which were considered in a strategic and geographic context to provide a detailed understanding of how the topics are related and are able to impact on the local economy at all levels.

KKP recommended Lancashire exploit opportunities via a sports business strategy built around the three principle themes of; identity, community and economy.

Sport impacts - Identity, Community, Economy

Identity - promoting Lancashire's profile through sports events, mass participation, sport related tourism, leading edge sports businesses and technology, the roles of cycling and equestrian activities.
Community - using sport as a route to tackle worklessness, to open up difficult to reach parts of communities and promote social inclusion, the hard and soft impacts of professional clubs, personal health and well-being.
Economy - the direct provision of sports related jobs (GVA, salaries), encouraging physical regeneration, showcasing other business opportunities.

In the current economic climate where we are facing increasing financial pressures on public and private sectors, a detailed understanding of the role that sport plays, and the contribution it makes, to the wider economic picture could be vital to protect future investment and growth in the sector. It is vital to recognise and measure its potential to catalyse local regeneration and provide a route into employment across a wide range of business activities.