Adults will be spending 25 hours glued to the TV this summer – as the sporting takeover begins.
A poll of 2,000 people found 37 per cent will be spending half of their free time indoors between June and August watching sport.
Nearly nine in 10 (89 per cent) will be doing this at home while 31 per cent plan to enjoy it from the inside of a pub.
Euro 2024 will be viewed by 76 per cent, while 69 per cent will be supporting the Olympics, and 56 per cent can’t wait to watch Wimbledon.
But despite this excitement, only 20 per cent plan to actually play sport this summer.
While 45 per cent admit they have never taken part in any sporting activity in general.
A spokesperson for Babybel, which commissioned the research and is launching a grassroots competition [www.babybel.co.uk/summerofsport] to help people stay active and connect with others, said: “Stepping outside of your comfort zone can be a daunting prospect, but it can have huge benefits on our wellbeing.
“Our research showed that lots of us will spend time enjoying watching sport this summer, but we want to encourage people to join the goodness and get actively involved.”
The study also found 23 per cent don’t remember the last time they tried a new sporting hobby, however, 29 per cent would feel confident giving something new a go that was outside of their comfort zone.
Pickleball was the top sport those polled would like to try, followed by padel, squash, and golf.
It also emerged sport enthusiasts regularly take part in two different activities, with football, athletics, and badminton among the most played.
The study, carried out via OnePoll, found 73 per cent believe taking part in community sports positively impacts your mental and physical health a great deal.
While 82 per cent of those polled via OnePoll.com agree taking part in such things also has a positive impact on the wider community.
To celebrate the summer of sport and encourage people to step outside of their comfort zone by trying something new, Babybel has teamed up with Mark Wright, who went head-to-head with the pros in a range of different sports.
Mark Wright said “I’ve always been passionate about sports and they’ve played a hugely important part in my life.
“With such an exciting summer of sport ahead of us, I was buzzing to rise to the challenge set for me, to get out of my comfort zone, and test my skills against some proper pros.”
TOP 15 SPORTS PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO TRY
1. Pickleball
2. Padel
3. Squash
4. Golf
5. Table Tennis
6. Badminton
7. American football
8. Basketball
9. Gymnastics
10. Skateboarding
11. Baseball
12. Netball
13. Rugby
14. Cricket
15. Hockey