At DJS Research we have a proven track record delivering first class sports and physical activity market research for NGBs, public sector and not-for-profit organisations. Our expertise spans the entire playing field, from the elite worlds of Olympic Sport, Premiership Football and Formula 1 to understanding how to make grassroots sport, and physical activity, accessible to all. 

We carry out research to understand motivations and barriers, develop new formats, understand the economic and social impact of large-scale place and activity-based interventions, and highlight areas of good practice for replication elsewhere. We know the importance of evaluating success and proving that investment is being spent effectively.

Some of our most recent projects, which demonstrate the range and breadth of our experience within the sports and physical activity sector, include:

• Understanding how to encourage grassroots participation in women’s and girl’s football for the FA

• Evaluating the FA’s women’s and girl’s development programme

• Tracking perceptions of Olympic and Paralympic sport for UK Sport

• Tracking participation and attitudes towards cycling for British Cycling

• Understanding how to attract new members to British Cycling

• Providing insights into how to increase participation in adult and youth rugby

• An evaluation of the RunTogether programme for England Athletics – aimed specifically at encouraging women from lower socio-economic groups and minority ethnic groups participating in running

 

Our Solutions and Experience

With a depth of sector knowledge and experience that extends far beyond mainstream sport, we create bespoke research solutions for our clients that cater to their specific business and audience needs. Our researchers are audience specialists who have great expertise in understanding how to encourage participation in physical activity amongst less able groups, and the experiences of these audience in sporting environments. Examples of our work in this area include:

• Versus Arthritis: our research identified how best to target people living with this debilitating condition to successfully engage them with messages centred around physical activity

• Age UK We Are Undefeatable (WAU) initiative: WAU aims to encourage and motivate people living with long-term health conditions to become more active and we have been providing qualitative and quantitative research support continuously since 2019. We have used, and continue to use, many different methodologies to enable Age UK to track measure and optimise this campaign including; a longitudinal qualitative online panel to really get behind the physical and psychological barriers to activity; in-depth interviews with people with long-term conditions; quantitative tracking: a public consultation to engage with the wider sector. The full detailed report and supporting infographic summary, produced by our Creative Services team, have been published and can be viewed through the following links; full report and infographic. 

• Leicester City FC: our award-winning research to understand the experience of disabled football fans for Leicester City FC is another of our sector highlights and a project we are incredibly proud of.

Other notable examples of our work in this sector include projects with organisations who deliver physical activity and wellbeing initiatives alongside their core activities. For London’s Royal Docks our research monitored and analysed local participation in community activities programme. For Canal and River Trust we explored the success of a hyper-local Wellbeing Way initiative to determine how this could be rolled out effectively to other locations across the CRT’s waterways network.

Within the arena of sports clubs, venues and events across all types of individual and team sports, we have provided actionable insights for specific business objectives including maximising the fan experience and realising commercial goals. Our recent work for Silverstone Racing Club interrogated the needs of potential members and defined the optimal package, including statistical pricing analysis, for their updated Membership offer.

To find out more about the breadth of our sector expertise, and how we could help you with your specific research needs, please contact Simon Driver, Research Director and cycling enthusiast (but to be honest he is just excited about any activity in this sector!) sdriver@djsresearch.com. 

 

 

 

 

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