Abstract
This study aims to create a ranking of five lifestyle sports for their subcultural power. Subcultural power is a new theoretical construct defined as the relative value of a subculture’s aspirational appeal that affords it the ability to attract its share of mainstream societal interest (Sims & O’Brien, 2025). The five lifestyle sports are surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, mountain biking and trail running.
Lifestyle sports have been given this name because participants engage the technical skill of the activity as well as integrate the sport’s fashion, values, customs, and argot (slang or jargon) into their daily lives. As such, it is a way of life that provides adherents “a particular and exclusive identity” (Wheaton, 2019, p. 389). Moreover, each lifestyle sport has a specialist industry supported by a core base of consumers who actively participate in the sport and rely on their core industry for technical and lifestyle products. These specialist industries are also supported by passive consumers, who do not actively participate in the sport but relate or aspire to the lifestyle. We argue it is the subcultural power of a lifestyle sport that attracts passive consumers who bring commercial scale to these sports. Indeed, many of these lifestyle sports have a consumer base that is significantly larger than their participation base due to their substantial passive consumer base.
Our presentation contains the preliminary findings of an online survey (n = 720) which will be followed by a series of semi-structured interviews. This study is important because, it gives a name and a form of measure (ranking) to an important driver of consumer demand in lifestyle sports.
Lifestyle sports have been given this name because participants engage the technical skill of the activity as well as integrate the sport’s fashion, values, customs, and argot (slang or jargon) into their daily lives. As such, it is a way of life that provides adherents “a particular and exclusive identity” (Wheaton, 2019, p. 389). Moreover, each lifestyle sport has a specialist industry supported by a core base of consumers who actively participate in the sport and rely on their core industry for technical and lifestyle products. These specialist industries are also supported by passive consumers, who do not actively participate in the sport but relate or aspire to the lifestyle. We argue it is the subcultural power of a lifestyle sport that attracts passive consumers who bring commercial scale to these sports. Indeed, many of these lifestyle sports have a consumer base that is significantly larger than their participation base due to their substantial passive consumer base.
Our presentation contains the preliminary findings of an online survey (n = 720) which will be followed by a series of semi-structured interviews. This study is important because, it gives a name and a form of measure (ranking) to an important driver of consumer demand in lifestyle sports.
| Original language | English |
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| Publication status | Published - 2 Dec 2025 |
| Event | ANZALS 2025 - University of Technology, Sydney, Australia Duration: 1 Dec 2025 → 4 Dec 2025 https://www.anzals.org.au/conference/2025-sydney/ |
Conference
| Conference | ANZALS 2025 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Australia |
| City | Sydney |
| Period | 1/12/25 → 4/12/25 |
| Other | Our 2025 Conference recognises the dynamic nature of the various fields of leisure from emerging trends to traditional practices, and the transformative impact they have on individuals and societies. ANZALS 2025 provides a broad platform for leisure scholars to delve into various aspects of recreation, sport, events, tourism and the arts fostering rich discussions and interdisciplinary exchanges. Join us to unpack the trends, transformations, and traditions shaping leisure today. From digital play to grassroots arts, from wellbeing to sustainability, this is the space to connect, reflect, and grow. |
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