“Rather than following the most mature markets, the sports sector in the CEE region should pave its own way by building on its unique strengths. Stable state support, developing infrastructure, extensive experience in organizing sports events, and strong local commitment provide a foundation upon rest the next wave of growth in sports can be built.”
Structural characteristics of the CEE sports market
Public funding remains central to both financing and governance across the region. The next phase of development hinges on better resource allocation, with a sharper focus on transparency, accountability, and performance-based decision-making.
While infrastructure quality has improved significantly, many venues remain underutilised outside major events. Elite sports overshadow grassroots participation: only 30-35% of adults meet WHO physical activity guidelines, compared to about 41% across the EU. Volunteering and community-based club engagement are also less institutionalised than in Western and Nordic markets.
Cities like Budapest and other regional hubs are increasingly capable of hosting major international sporting events, such as multiple World Aquatics Championships, UEFA EURO 2020 matches, the 2023 World Athletics Championships, and the 2026 UEFA Champions League final.
However, the long-term legacy of these events - across infrastructure, economic development, and social impact - is not always consistently planned and delivered, leaving further value untapped.
“One of the most important tasks today for the sports sector in the Central and Eastern European region is to transform the existing state stability into long-term, commercially sustainable operations. To achieve this, it is essential to establish more transparent financing frameworks, ensure more efficient and versatile utilization of sports facilities, and strengthen fan engagement in a more conscious and consistent manner.”
Strong growth outlook - but a structural reset is needed
“For the sports sector in the Central and Eastern European region, the challenge is not a lack of growth opportunities, but rather transforming stable state foundations into long-term sustainable operations that create market value.”
Expected annual growth rate by revenue streams
n=517 sports executives (of whom 120 are from CEE countries), Percentage of annual growth estimates over a 3-5 year period
CEE
Global
6.6% annual market growth expectation over the next 3-5 years
CEE sports executives anticipate a 6.6% annual market growth over the next 3-5 years. While this is below the global expectation of 7.4%, it still significantly outpaces projected GDP growth of around 1.8%.
The sector remains relatively resilient but is increasingly exposed to macroeconomic and geopolitical risks. Stronger growth is expected in several revenue streams, particularly media rights and betting-related income, indicating ongoing catch-up dynamics.
The core challenge remains structural: reducing reliance on public funding, improving venue utilisation, and building more scalable, transparent commercial models.
From asset investments to platform-based models
“While state funding provides a stable foundation for sports, a persistent dependency on subsidies often overshadows business-based revenue generation. As a consequence, the autonomy of organizations and their attractiveness in the eyes of potential investors may decrease.”
Investors will prioritise
n=475 sports executives (of whom 99 are from CEE terriotories), Percentage of respondents
61% of executives think investors will increasingly prioritise investment into emerging / breakaway sports assets
Investment in sport is gradually shifting from traditional asset ownership to scalable platforms, diversified revenue streams, and emerging competition formats. Around 61% of executives expect investors to increasingly prioritise alternative or emerging sports assets. However, this shift is not fully aligned with fan preferences: 77% of fans still favour established formats and competitions.
Globally, institutional capital is well established in sports, while in CEE, investments are often driven by former athletes reinvesting in local ecosystems, such as Novak Djokovic’s tennis academy or Katinka Hosszú’s swimming academy.
Given the region’s relatively fragmented and smaller-scale markets, cross-border leagues (e.g., the ICE Hockey League) and condensed formats (e.g., 3x3 basketball) offer particularly relevant growth opportunities.
Building fanbases in a highly competitive global environment
“Today, digital channels are no longer just communication tools, but defining platforms for fan engagement and revenue generation. Although an increasing number of sports market players in the region recognize their importance, exploiting these opportunities from a business perspective remains one of the most important tasks for the CEE sports sector.”
Rights holder content distribution strategies
n=475 sports executives (of whom 105 are from CEE countries), Percentage of respondents
Sports executives perceive 87% of rights holders to focus on distribution of content
In CEE, rights holders still prioritise reach over monetisation: 87% focus on distribution, while 77% prioritise engagement.
Certain leagues are already making progress. Poland’s Ekstraklasa, for example, is expanding its digital footprint through short-form, data-driven, and AI-supported content, supported by both traditional broadcasting and OTT platforms. As a result, media revenues account for approximately 25% of total income - a standout figure in the region.
Fan behaviour continues to evolve. While live broadcasts remain dominant, younger audiences increasingly expect short-form content, creator-led storytelling, and interactive formats. CEE over-indexes in creator-led content but underutilises social highlights, indicating untapped digital potential.
Although on-field performance remains the primary driver for 83% of fans, governance, ownership, and values are becoming increasingly relevant. The example of Hajduk Split illustrates how structured fan involvement can strengthen trust, engagement, and ultimately revenues.
Untapped potential in women’s sport
“The growth potential of women’s sports lies not only in nurturing new talent, but also in turning achievements on the ice/field into strong athlete brands and dedicated fan communities. The key to long-term sustainability is ensuring that athletic development and business value creation reinforce one another.”
Expected revenue growth of women's sports in the next 3-5 years
n=459 sports executives (of which 92 are from CEE countries), Persentage of mentiones by respondents
22% annual revenue growth is expectected for womens’ sports in the CEE region over the next 3-5 years
CEE sports leaders expect women’s sport revenues to grow by 22% over the next 3-5 years, broadly in line with global expectations (24%). However, the market remains underdeveloped.
While development pathways are improving across sports such as football, basketball, and volleyball, commercialisation - including media exposure, sponsorship, and revenue models - still lags.
Hungary provides a strong example: the EHF Women’s Champions League Final Four in Budapest demonstrates the commercial appeal of women’s sport, combining high attendance with strong regional brand value.
The key opportunity lies in better integrating athlete development with media strategy, sponsorship, and fan engagement.
“In Hungary, the Women’s EHF Champions League Final 4 in Budapest clearly demonstrates the commercial appeal of women’s sports, boasting high attendance and significant regional brand value. The primary opportunity lies in more consciously connecting athlete development with media, sponsorship, and fan engagement.”
Venue economics constrained by limited commercial and sustainable focus
“Increasing matchday revenues is not merely a question of pricing, but the result of a deeper understanding of the fan experience and audience demands. The organizations that will achieve sustained growth are those that consciously tailor the stadium experience to the expectations of different fan groups.”
Likelihood of stadia and infrustructure investment in the next 3 years
n=517 (of whom 120 are from CEE countries), Mentiones of respondents among "likely" and "very likely"
Likelihood of investments is 36% higher globally than in the CEE region over the next 3-5 years
Compared to global peers, CEE leaders are more cautious about infrastructure investment. The likelihood of investment is estimated to be 36% higher globally than in the region over the next 3-5 years.
Many venues still rely on a limited number of event days, public funding, and relatively inefficient operations, including suboptimal energy management.
Improving returns will require a more holistic approach across three areas: expanding community access, monetising non-sport areas and fan experiences, and improving operational and energy efficiency.
Hungarian examples illustrate both the potential and the trade-offs. The Groupama Arena has reduced operating costs through solar investments, while rethinking land use enabled office developments. The MVM Dome benefits from operational synergies and now attracts major international events - although partly at the expense of other local venues.
Integrity as both a trust driver and a commercial risk
“Sports can play an important social role off the field as well. Transparent and accountable operations not only strengthen the legitimacy of sports organizations, but can also contribute to reinforcing trust in public institutions.”
Greatest threats to integrity in sports competitions
n=421 sports executives (of whom 93 are from CEE countries), % of mentions in top two by respondents
81% of CEE sport leaders still report high concerns around match-fixing and game manipulation
Integrity is becoming a core factor in both fan trust and commercial sustainability. CEE executives express particularly high concern about match-fixing and manipulation (81%, compared to 71% globally), with doping also seen as a more prominent risk. For fans, integrity breaches are among the strongest drivers of disengagement. Perceived fairness on the field matters more than abstract governance frameworks.
Clubs, leagues, and federations need more visible enforcement, transparent communication, and stronger cooperation with regulators to protect credibility, sponsorship value, and fan loyalty.
Key development priorities
Looking ahead, several strategic priorities stand out:
Shift from public stability to value-driven governance through more transparent, performance-based funding models.
Operate sports infrastructure as multi-use platforms, not single-purpose venues.
Better integrate sport with education and public health, increasing participation and social impact.
Professionalise club management and fan engagement, while preserving local identity.
Focus major events on long-term legacy, including urban development, sustainability, and community integration.
Ultimately, future success will depend not on replicating Western European models, but on building market-driven systems on top of strong public foundations - unlocking both economic and social value across the region.
“Today, the development of sports in the Central and Eastern European region can no longer be separated from broader social and economic goals. Sports governance can create real value if it connects more closely with education and health preservation - this does not only increases participation, but also plays a key role in prevention and the creation of long-term career paths. Parallel to this, clubs face the task of putting their operations on more commercially sustainable foundations: with more professional management and a more conscious fan presence, they can reduce their exposure to external funding while preserving their community roots. As for major sports events, the focus has clearly shifted: as the International Olympic Committee’s new approach also demonstrates, it is no longer the success of hosting in itself that matters, but how these events align with urban development goals and whether they are capable of leaving behind a lasting legacy that is measurable in both economic and social terms.”
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