Latest news with #socialsports
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Guernsey inclusive LGBTQ+ football sessions launched
A charity in Guernsey has launched inclusive open to all football charity Liberate said the sessions would start off as a six-a-side weekly social kick-about but if interest was there it would look to join a league. Volunteer Jack Ingrouille pitched the idea to the charity and said "it's essential for football and all sports to provide spaces where people of all identities can feel included and safe".The first free session starts on 14 August between 19:00 and 20:30 BST at the Le Mare playing fields. Jack, who uses they and them as personal pronouns, said they hoped to form a club in the future that was welcome to everybody and was "steered by those who become a part of it".They said the idea of starting the football club appealed because they were "desperate to get back to playing football" but were anxious about the environments they used to be a part of."I felt I needed to play football in an environment where I know I am accepted and where I can wear my identities on the badge."That includes my non-binary identity, but also as someone who is neurodivergent and has chronic mental health issues." They added they wanted the club "to be a place where people of all genders, all abilities, and all identities can come and play a sport they love in an environment that embraces them".
Geek Vibes Nation
24-06-2025
- Health
- Geek Vibes Nation
The Rise of Social Sports Leagues: Why Adults Are Choosing Play Over Just Working Out
Historically, the primary focus of staying fit was working out in the gym, running, or doing some form of cardio such as treadmill or elliptical sessions. While these methods have results, an increasing number of adults are ditching the tedious and monotonous solo grind for more enjoyable social sports leagues. Adults engaging with play as part of their wellness journey is evident in the exhilarating rush of friendly competition during indoor football, cooperative problem solving in an escape room, and even the social gliding of ice skating. The Social Workout Revolution The change being observed is not solely focused on finding ways to enjoy physical activity – it represents an overhaul on what it means to lead a healthy lifestyle. With sports leagues and similar activities, there exists deep rooted stimulation courtesy of the need for human connection in the increasingly isolating and digital world. The Allure of Indoor Football Leagues: Finding Your Tribe on the Pitch Now look at the most recent example of indoor adult football leagues gaining popularity across the globe. Like many vibrant hubs, Dubai is also witnessing the blossoming success of these leagues. Why? Because they offer more than just physical exercise from football. There is a spirit of community, friendly competition, and most importantly, fun. The chance to join your teammates on the indoor pitch to strategize and score goals after a long work week offers a great stress relieving outlet and an important social outlet. The joy, the hard work, the effort, the sweat of competition, and putting their all into the match only to be rewarded by shared bonds that cannot be described, but simply felt. It's the hunger to be part of something, to offer something tangible, and experience everything together—success, failure, or anything in between. Escape the Ordinary: The Escape Room Experience as Collaborative Play In line with this, the escape room's rise in popularity in Dubai and other cities around the world can be linked to the desire for challenging social activities that require mental engagement and collaborative efforts. Even though escape rooms are not sporting activities in the conventional sense, their deeply immersive and cooperative attributes provide collective achievement akin to team sports. Once locked in, all participants are required to communicate, to combine their knowledge, and to operate in unison to complete elaborate tasks that will lead to a given objective, which is to escape. The short bursts of excitement owing to seconds counting down, accompanied by the satisfaction of solving a problem with a group, results in strong group cohesion. What appears to be pure entertainment is actually an opportunity to experience team-work nudged through problem-solving, which in turn becomes a bonding ritual where interactions heighten through shared success. As is typical in other large cities, where different communities come together, the escape room in Dubai serves as a place where people can make new and old friendships. Gliding into Connection: The Social Pleasure of Ice Rinks Among all activities, ice skating is turning out to be one of the most social, especially amongst the many ice rinks in Dubai and elsewhere. While some may appreciate the liberty of skating on the ice, a good number of people frequent these places due to its social atmosphere. Advanced skating lessons, social skating events, and even casual get-togethers on ice offer plenty of chances for meeting and socializing. Trying to skate with someone else, offering help (or taking help!), or even a laughter of whoops moment usually leads to amusing yet delightful paths of friendship. Enjoying a certain physical activity in an often stunning overall setting fosters some sort of brotherhood with the skaters. In addition to serving as an exercise rink, the ice rink also provides a cool and refreshing way to interact with others in a city that is warm. Formulating the Winning Strategy: Fitness, Fun, and Friendship The emergence of social sports leagues and the increasing popularity of escape rooms and recreational ice skating points towards a broader shift in the understanding of wellness. It is no longer simply about meeting personal records or achieving a certain body shape. It is about the wholesome benefits of kinetic activity coupled with social interaction and true enjoyment. People are coming to the conclusion that leisure isn't solely for children, as it contains vital components necessary for a balanced, healthy, and connected life. In a way, adults are doing more than exercising; they are community building, making friends, and doing recreational activities that remind them of childhood. Increasing numbers of adults searching for ways to connect, move, and enjoy will make this a norm. And these adults demonstrate that sometimes 'exercise' is best when it feels like play.
Fast Company
09-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Tennis star Andre Agassi leads $20 million investment in Ballers, a multisport members' club
Ballers, a social multisport venue and members' club, just received a $20 million Series A investment led by tennis star Andre Agassi ahead of its Philadelphia flagship opening in July. With the location, Ballers aims to combine competition with culture. It will include courts where members can play pickleball, squash, and padel. There will also be a golf practice area with real sand traps and a large turf field where members can play soccer. 'These are all social sports,' cofounder David Gutstadt tells Fast Company. 'They're cool, relevant, elevated, but most importantly social.' Courting crosscourt players Pickleball, specifically, is America's fastest growing sport; participation has increased by 311% in the last three years, according to data from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). But almost half of racket sports players are 'crosscourt consumers,' meaning they enjoy playing more than one of these sports, according to research by RacquetX. And racket sports as a whole are in a growth phase, with five out of seven increasing their year-over-year participation totals, according to SFIA. By creating a dedicated space for these sports, Gutstadt says he hopes to 'bring country club sports to the city.' 'As consumers seek richer social interactions, competition has evolved from pastime to platform,' Lloyd Danzig, a managing partner at Sharp Alpha, a firm that co-led the investment, wrote to Fast Company. More locations on the horizon Founders Gutstadt and Amanda Potter say that Ballers is the first of its kind: a multisport venue with a focus on hospitality and creating a culture. Outside of just offering sports practice and competition areas, the Ballers space also includes a full bar, a restaurant, and social activations like DJs or art installation pop-ups. The Ballers space has been constructed from the shell of an old power plant, giving the club a unique but 'grand and majestic' look, Potter says. Throughout the rest of 2025 and 2026, expect to see Ballers locations pop up in Boston, Downtown Los Angeles, and Miami. Ballers has amassed a group of celebrity and athlete investors that represent the venue's array of sports offerings. These investors include tennis stars Agassi, Kim Clijsters, and Sloane Stephens; pickleballer Connor Garnett; and soccer player/padel aficionado Maarten Paes. As lifelong tennis lovers, Gutstadt and Potter told Fast Company that working with Agassi was a 'dream come true.' Agassi was the 'obvious first pick' to represent Ballers, says Potter, because he represents a shift in racket sports' fashion and culture. 'Andre Agassi came into a sport that was pretty buttoned up and proper—you know, white collar shirts and Wimbledon mentality,' Potter says. 'He came in with a bit of an attitude and shook things up. And that's what we want for Ballers.'
