PMU recreational sports survey results

French operator Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) has released its fourth edition survey results on the recreational sporting habits of its countrymen.

Key insights into the physical habits of the French include:

–   69 percent of the French regularly practice a sport.
–   81 percent follow sport on television with the internet the second preferred platform in which to get their sporting fix.
–   Despite the difficult economic climate, household sports budget’s are stable at 64 percent.
–   41 percent use sport as relaxation, ahead of watching television – 40 percent and reading – 35 percent.
–   Most popular exercise disciplines rated walking at 37 percent, cycling at 26 percent and swimming at 23 percent.

Insights into the mind of Sports fans include:

–   Television is the platform of choice when watching sports, followed by the internet, press and radio (in that specific order).
–   Sports fans followed these major sporting events over the review period.  Olympics – 87 percent, Euro 2012 football championship – 50 percent, Tour de France and Roland Garros – 35 percent.

The survey surmised that televised sport and achievements have a profound effect on children, inspiring 33 percent of children under 15 years old to take up sporting disciplines they watched on television with the most popular choice being football, followed to a lesser degree by judo, tennis, swimming and handball.

The telephonic survey conducted over a two-day period was undertaken by TNS Sofres.  A nationally representative sample of 962 people aged over 18 was surveyed.

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