Salt Lakers flock to adult sports leagues for fun and friends
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A growing number of Salt Lakers are lacing up for adult sports leagues to get active and socially connected.
Why it matters: Team sports have become one of the fastest-growing exercise categories, with 20% of U.S. adults — up from 11% in 2020 — now saying they play, according to a CivicScience survey shared with Axios.
What we're hearing: Dave Marquardt, who founded Beehive Sport and Social Club in 2011, said many people join because they're new to town and want to make friends. Others want to support their mental health or blow off steam after work.
- If someone is seeking a competitive outlet, Marquardt sends them elsewhere.
- "That's not what we do," he told Axios. "We try to create a comfortable atmosphere for people of all backgrounds ... to socialize and have fun."
- Some even find love — over 50 couples who met through the sports league have tied the knot over the years, according to Marquardt.
By the numbers: League participation has surged 171% since 2019, according to Marquardt. He projects a 19% jump from 2024.
- The league offers a dozen sports, but kickball and softball are the most popular.
Zoom in: Stonewall Sports, a popular adult league geared toward LGBTQ+ players and allies, launched in Salt Lake City in 2019 after chapter founder Jacob Buck moved from Chicago and sought ways to build community.
- Buck told Axios it's "a great place for people to get out of their comfort zone" beyond bars and clubs.
State of play: Getting outside with friends (and without screens) has become especially important to younger adults, said Galen Beers, executive director of the Sport & Social Industry Association.
- The most popular sports last year were volleyball (30% of total players), soccer (18%) and softball (15%), per preliminary data from the trade group, which counts roughly 150 leagues as members.
💭 Kim's thought bubble: I've played kickball and pickleball through Stonewall Sports since moving to Salt Lake City in 2022, connecting with people I would have never met otherwise.