Fact: Badminton is very popular

Badminton may not be popular in the USA, but it is thriving elsewhere.

Credit: Hong Kong Badminton Association

The Numbers

• 330–340 million active players.
• An estimated global fanbase of 560 million.
• A market size of $3.5 billion.

To put this into perspective, how badminton compare to other popular sports?

Credit: The New York Times

Tennis

• 80–90 million active players.
• An estimated global fanbase of 740 million.
• A market size of $3.7 billion.

Table Tennis

• 300 million active players.
• An estimated global fanbase of 350 million.
• A market size of $800 million.

Golf

• 60–70 million active players.
• An estimated global fanbase of 450 million.
• A market size of $7.4 billion.

Basketball

• 450–460 million active players.
• An estimated global fanbase of 865 million.
• A market size of $1.5 billion.

We’re not even going to talk about soccer.

Credit: Nielsen Sports

What does this mean?

All of this is to say that badminton’s lack of presence in the USA is the exception rather than the norm. Regardless of where the support is concentrated, half a billion global followers is no joke.

More importantly, seeing as there are gaping holes in badminton’s commercial popularity trends (i.e., Africa, Europe, and the Americas), I would argue that this number captures missed opportunities more than anything else.

Imagine what can happen if badminton takes off in the USA?