Swing up large running competitions 2025 – but tough for smaller players

Spring is here and around Sweden, streets and forests are filled with persistent runners. Many are probably training for upcoming exercise races, and several organizers state that the pressure is high this year.

– We generally see a running boom throughout the running world, but also see a great increased interest in our race, says Lotta Larsson, who is the customer service manager for the Gothenburg Shipyard, which will take place next weekend.

Last year, the starting places sold out in April, and this year they took around 55,000 places end January.

– We also see an incredible interest in getting a starting place through the secondary market and transfer, says Lotta Larsson, who calls for caution when purchasing.

The Marathon Group has been behind Stockholm Marathon since its inception in 1979 and also runs races like the Girl Miles and Vårruset. Sebastian Wallin, who is the marketing manager, says that they sold over 23,000 places to Marathon in February.

– In addition to the fact that the figures point upwards at all the events, except the Girl Miles, which is currently going quite evenly with 2024, the big trend is that the runners are getting younger and younger, says Sebastian Wallin.

The race has a turnover of multimillions and is an important contribution to the association life – as well as private companies that see the opportunity to make money.

But at the same time exists The many smaller organizers who still have not come up with their legs after the pandemic, says Hillevi Thor at the Athletics Association. Around 30 percent of their 900 member associations arrange races, and they testify that it has become fewer.

– We hope that our smaller and medium -sized organizers can keep up with the bigger ones as interest increases to run races. The smaller ones do not have the same power to reach out as the big ones and it is in this that many smaller organizers see challenges, says Hillevi Thor.

The union sees risks in the fact that the economic gaps between the country’s clubs are at risk of growing and now place their focus on helping the smaller players.

– It is an important source of revenue for many associations and during the pandemic many associations stood without their large revenue.

The picture is shared by Staffan Movin which is chairman of a Swedish classic and Swedish exercise race. He states that several of the biggest races are growing by up to 20 percent this year, in line with international trends, while others have disappeared in recent years.

– What has happened after the pandemic is that unfortunately there are some smaller races that have it difficult financially, Staffan Movin.

However, he does not believe that competition is the main problem but increased costs and requirements for arrangements. Fewer also want to work as volunteers, which is a basic frame in the association life.

– It is a challenging situation, and it is even more difficult on smaller races. We work to make it easier to volunteer. There are incredible added value in being a volunteer with a community and pride, says Staffan Movin.

According to the industry organization Calculations generated the Swedish exercise market market around SEK 700 million, of which around SEK 150 million for the association life last year. The 12 largest races increased from around SEK 478 to SEK 550 million.

At the same time, the press from private players has grown.

– But we can see that the number of private companies in the market is less than internationally and this is because we have such a strong tradition of association -owned races, says Staffan Movin.

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